AFRICA/ZIMBABWE - Bishops denounce violence and beatings against the opposition

Tuesday, 17 September 2019 politics violence bishops

ZIMBABWE

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Harare (Agenzia Fides) - "We are deeply concerned about the reported nocturnal visits by unknown masked men, beatings, torture, sexual assaults, abductions, harassment of dissenting voices and violent repression of demonstrations by Police", say the Bishops of Zimbabwe in their Pastoral Letter in which they take stock of the political and social heritage of former President Robert Mugabe, who died in Singapore on September 6 at 95 years of age.
Mugabe, considered the father of the Country for leading the struggle for national independence, had been forced to resign in 2017 after over 30 years of power that had become increasingly authoritarian and violent over time.
In denouncing the violence committed by the police of the new government, the Bishops stress that "such acts which contradict the positive narrative of Zimbabwe’s Second Republic, have no place in a democratic society and there should be no impunity for those who commit these crimes" which cannot be justified in the name of an alleged social peace.
The Bishops recognize the successes achieved by Mugabe in the national liberation struggle but criticize the methods used to obtain greater justice. "The intentions and goals were good, but the way to reach them raised a number of ethical issues. An evil action cannot be justified by a good intention", says the letter entitled not by chance "The end does not justify the means".
Meanwhile, in the capital Harare, hundreds of doctors took to the streets yesterday, September 16, to protest the death of their union leader, Peter Magombeyi, at the head of the Association of Hospital Physicians (ZHDA), who died on September 14, the day of Mugabe's funeral. Since last year dozens of political activists and trade unionists have been kidnapped by suspected members of the security forces. Most were later released, but reported being mistreated. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides, 17/9/2019)