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22 May 2008
PRESS STATEMENT
THE ANGLICAN CHURCH CONTINUES TO BE PERSECUTED
“Blessed are they that are being persecuted for righteousness for
theirs is the kingdom of heaven (Mt 5.10).”
We, the Anglican Church of the Diocese of Harare (CPCA) are shocked and dismayed by the continuous Police interference with Sunday services and the increased brutality causing casualties.
Many of our Parishioners were assaulted and beaten, several of our parishioners of St Monica's Church in Chitungwiza were brutally assaulted and had to be admitted to hospital.
In addition on Sunday 18 May all churches were locked up and church services were held outside church premises in the open or in private property.
The Diocese of Harare consists of 70 parishes and Districts and for the last three weeks the police have been deployed to prevent members of our church from entering their church premises for worship.
The Police officers do not only prevent but beat, harrass and arrest us having declared our
church premises no go areas.
Our struggle to worship without harrassment continues. The Supreme Court Order (SC 83/80) issued by the Hon Chief Justice on 12 May 2008 was totally disregarded by the Police as previous court orders have been. Needless to say, where there is law and order such defiance would result in the arrrest of those in contempt of Court.
However, today in Zimbabwe the rule of law has been greatly compromised. That leaves us with no recourse to ensure that our members can freely and peacefully exercise their constitutional rights of worship without harrassment. We are however not deterred by this lawlessness and we will continue to seek justice through the courts.
We once again appeal to the Law enforcement agents, and especially the Police to let sanity prevail and refrain from harrassing and brutalising Anglican Christians in Harare Diocese. Even if this appeal falls on deaf ears, let it be said for the record.
As things are today we appreciate the hospitalities that have been extended to us by our Eccumenical partners who have agreed to offer their church premises to us for worship. We will never cease to worship. We also believe, whether the Police like it or not, God will intervene, maybe not today and not tomorrow but in His own time. We will rejoice when this happens.
In the book of Revelations Chapter 13 we are reminded of the image of the beast whose agenda is to destroy the followers of Christ. (Rev.13:5-10) . Rest assured that the principalities and powers of this world come and go, but the God who is Alpha and Omega remains to achieve His purpose to save humanity, in spite of the challenges put before us by the beast.
As Christians we take solace in reading the Bible and we are guided by the power of the Holy Spirit. We are reminded of Jesus' promise to his disciples, “ I will ask the Father, and he will give you another counsellor to be with you forever – the Spirit of Truth. The world cannot accept Him, it neither sees Him nor knows Him. But you know Him for he is with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans. I will come to you”. (John 14:16-18).
Our lives as Christians will always have security in Christ and not in the powers of this
world.
Sebastian Harare
Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Harare (CPCA)
22 May, 2008
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