Harare, Zimbabwe, Apr 2, 2007 / 05:37 am
The Catholic bishops of Zimbabwe issued a pastoral letter on Palm Sunday, calling for a new constitution that will help the southern African country emerge from its current crisis.
The letter, entitled “God Listens to the Cry of the Oppressed,” was read in all parishes yesterday.
“The crisis of our country,” the bishops wrote, “is essentially a crisis of government skills, a leadership crisis as well as a moral and spiritual crisis.”
The bishops concluded their letter, asking all believers to observe the Day of Prayer and Fasting for Zimbabwe on April 14. Every Friday thereafter, a moment of prayer will be held in all parishes.
According to press reports, Zimbabwe is experiencing its worst humanitarian crisis since independence. Some blame the crisis on the current autocratic regime of President Robert Mugabe. Media reports indicate that members of opposition groups have been arrested during peaceful demonstrations and tortured.
The leader of the opposition, Morgan Tsvangirai, was arrested again recently, shortly before he was to appear at a press conference set up to denounce the repression in the country, reported Fides.