Anglican and Catholic archbishops call for new elections in Zimbabwe

Archbishops Desmond Tutu, of Capetown South Africa, and Archbishop Pius Ncube of Bulawayo, Zimbabwe have both called for fresh elections in Zimbabwe. In a foreword to a new report by the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition on the current turmoil in Zimbabwe, Tutu, the Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town, and veteran South African anti-apartheid campaigner, made a frank and unequivocal appeal to the international community, and Zimbabwe's neighbours, to press for fresh presidential elections. "It is now clear that the resolution to the Zimbabwe crisis can only be found in recapturing the legitimacy of government and returning the country to a fair and just rule of law," the Archbishop said. "Sadly, evidence shows that the presidential elections in March were not fair and thus the current government cannot regain this legitimacy. A new vote, with guarantees of fairness and free statement, will undoubtedly be necessary." These views were echoed by Pius Ncube, Catholic Archbishop of Bulawayo. "Over the last two years I have seen a steady deterioration of respect for human dignity and rights in Zimbabwe. In the past two months, I have known of a number of persons who have died of hunger right here in my city," Ncube said, recommending the report. "We have seen police and militia threaten, intimidate, and sometimes attack unarmed civilian protesters. We have spoken out, only to be threatened and attacked ourselves. "Writing a report such as this one, by the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition, carries great risks. I pray that readers of this report will do their utmost to assist in stopping the unnecessary suffering that has been brought on this fine land. May God move you to act quickly and decisively," said Ncube. "The hard facts on the ground in Zimbabwe, so well compiled in this report, suggest an alarming array of policies and practices that may be leading the country to a catastrophic future," said Tutu. source: ZW news