Preamble
The current political situation in Zimbabwe is of grave concern and if measures are not taken to mitigate the situation, the impact will be felt on every street in the whole Southern African region. Already the economic conditions in Zimbabwe have deteriorated alarmingly and are affecting other Southern African countries as Zimbabweans migrate in thousands in search of economic security.
We are concerned that the daily occurrence of political violence is eroding the legitimacy of the state and its leaders, and instilling fear in the citizens. Since citizens cannot express themselves freely, democracy is therefore being destroyed, and this has lead to political instability and political exclusion, and ultimately we fear, it is leading to a police state and dictatorship.
We are concerned that resentment is steadily building in Zimbabwe in those who are excluded, from being heard, and from participating in the strengthening of democratic infrastructures, and that they may seek undemocratic ways to dislodge the government.
We are worried that if the current political situation is not addressed, Zimbabwe will deteriorate into a state where a rebel insurgency or movement (that may gladly receive terrorist, or other outside support) will start within the excluded groups.
Micah Challenge, a global advocacy initiative of the World Evangelical Alliance, representing more than 420 million Christians, and the Micah Network, bringing together more than 300 Christian organisations providing relief, development and justice activities throughout the world, believes that Christians have the responsibility to serve as voice for the voiceless and to speak prophetically to change situations in the favour of the poor, as we find in the Holy Scriptures: "Speak out for who those can not speak for themselves, for the right of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly, defend the right of the poor and needy." (Prov: 31:8-9)
The appalling political situation in Zimbabwe, including the arrest and detention of Mr Morgan Tsvangiari and forty eight members of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) Party, while on their way to a prayer meeting, the subsequent torture of some of these, and ongoing arrests and detentions by ZANU-PF, has prompted Micah Challenge to add its voice to those of African leaders, including the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Bulawayo, Pius Ncube, and the President of Zambia, Levy Patrick Mwanawasa, and others worldwide, to utterly condemn the atrocities committed by Mugabe regime.
