Zimbabwe: Archbishop of Harare condemns evictions
The Catholic Archbishop of Harare has condemned the demolition of thousands of homes and businesses by Zimbabwean security forces. Speaking to the BBC yesterday, Archbishop Robert Ndlovu said: "The way the exercise was carried out was inhuman. Bearing in mind this is the winter season in Zimbabwe, we felt that it was really inconsiderate. Now people are sleeping in the open - there are small children there." The Archbishop said both opposition and government supporters were suffering from the demolitions. Archbishop Ndlovu took up his post last April. His predecessor, Archbishop Patrick Chakaipa, who died, aged 71 in April 2003, after a long illness, was linked to President Mugabe by ethnic ties and never criticised the government. Like his counterpart Archbishop Pius Ncube of Bulawayo, Archbishop Ndlovu is a member of the Ndebele people, who have particularly suffered under the Mugabe regime.