In solidarity with an appeal for prayer from Catholic bishops in Zimbabwe and the Southern African Catholic Bishops Conference, the peace movement Pax Christi International is calling for prayer and action for the people of Zimbabwe this Saturday.
Catholic Bishops have joined others in suggesting that the Zimbabwean crisis is growing ever more serious, 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. …the situation is extremely volatile.”
President Robert Mugabe also faces deepening opposition within his own party ZANU-PF.
Nonetheless, there are no signs of the 83-year-old leader relinquishing power, despite mounting pressures at home and abroad.
African leaders have requested South Africa’s President Thabo Mbeki to assist in mediating the country’s political crisis.
Zimbabwean Archbishop Pius Ncube of Bulawayo has also urged non-violent direct action to bring about regime change.
A recent pastoral letter issued by the Zimbabwean bishops’ conference called for ‘concrete action’ to inspire hope, and proposed that that this Saturday, 14 April, be observed as a Day of Prayer and Fasting for Zimbabwe.
Pax Christi International has likewise appealed for prayer and action throughout its worldwide networks on behalf of the people of Zimbabwe, calling for gatherings of prayer and actions of solidarity with Zimbabwe. It is also urging letters and telephone calls of appeal to Embassies of Zimbabwe in countries where Pax Christi Member Organisations are present.