HARARE, Zimbabwe, APRIL 5, 2007 (Zenit.org).- The nation's crisis can be turned into a moment of grace and new beginning with the hope of the Easter season, say the Catholic bishops of Zimbabwe.
The bishops' conference issued a pastoral letter on the occasion of today's celebrations of Holy Thursday. They consider three elements of the country's current problems: a crisis of governance, leadership and morality.
"Many people in Zimbabwe are angry, and their anger is now erupting into open revolt in one township after another," the statement said. "The reasons for the anger are many, among them, bad governance and corruption."
The prelates noted that Zimbabwe is characterized by the collapse of political, social, educational and economic structures; inflation has soared over 1,600%, while food, medical supplies and jobs are scarce. The bishops say that 80% of the population is without work.
Repentance
The pastoral letter said hope would have to come from a change of heart in the country's leaders and all Christians.
The letter calls on leaders and Christians to repent and "heed the cry of the people and foster a change of heart and mind especially during the imminent Easter Season, so our nation can rise to new life with the Risen Lord."
The bishops explained: "In Zimbabwe today, there are Christians on all sides of the conflict […] Active members of our parish and pastoral councils are prominent officials at all levels of the ruling party.
"Equally distinguished and committed office-bearers of the opposition parties actively support church activities. […] They are all baptized, […] take part in the same celebration of the Eucharist and partake of the same body and blood of Christ.
"While the next day, outside the church, a few steps away, Christian state agents, policemen and soldiers assault and beat peaceful, unarmed demonstrators and torture detainees."
Crisis of leadership
At the center of the downward spiral is President Robert Mugabe. The 83-year-old Mugabe has governed Zimbabwe since 1980. His current term of office is scheduled to end next March, but his ruling party has named him their candidate for another term.
The Zimbabwean bishops' letter looked at particular causes of the problems: "The list of justified grievances is long and could go on for many pages."
"After independence, the power and wealth of the tiny white Rhodesian elite was appropriated by an equally exclusive black elite, some of whom have governed the country for the past 27 years through political patronage," they explained. "Being elected to a position of leadership should not be misconstrued as a license to do as one pleases at the expense of the will and trust of the electorate."
Hope through prayer
The bishops lamented: "As the suffering population becomes more insistent, generating more and more pressure through boycotts, strikes, demonstrations and uprisings, the state responds with ever harsher oppression through arrests, detentions, banning orders, beatings and torture.
"In order to avoid further bloodshed and avert a mass uprising the nation needs a new people-driven constitution that will guide a democratic leadership chosen in free and fair elections that will offer a chance for economic recovery under genuinely new policies."
"We conclude our pastoral letter by affirming with a clear and unambiguous 'yes' our support of morally legitimate political authority," the bishops wrote. "At the same time we say an equally clear and unambiguous 'no' to power through violence, oppression and intimidation."
The bishops continue to call for prayer: "Words call for concrete action, for symbols and gestures which keep our hope alive. We therefore invite all the faithful to a Day of Prayer and Fasting for Zimbabwe on April 14."
"God is on your side," they reminded their suffering people. "He always hears the cry of the poor and oppressed and saves them."
Code: ZE07040511
Date: 2007-04-05