Mugabe urged to end attacks on Anglicans in Zimbabwe
http://www.sabc.co.za/news/a/dded840048a5b01aa6d0a65c3e4e6c86/Mugabe-urged-to-end-attacks-on-Anglicans-in-Zimbabwe-20111011
Tuesday 11 October 2011 05:35
The Archbishop of Canterbury asked President Robert Mugabe to end attacks on Anglicans in Zimbabwe, where a renegade bishop has forced the faithful out of their churches.
Rowan Williams, the spiritual leader of Anglicans worldwide, met for two hours with Mugabe at State House to lay out his concerns about the assault on the Church that has seen even teachers and nurses chased from schools and orphanages.
"We have asked in the clearest possible terms that the president use his powers as head of state to put an end to all unacceptable and illegal behaviour," Rowan Williams told reporters afterwards.
"It was a very candid meeting, disagreements were expressed clearly, but I think in a peaceful manner," he said.
"We deeply deplore the manner in which many of the historic assets of the church... hospitals, schools have not only been seized by the breakaway group but are no longer used for the purpose for which were designed."
The police must perfrom their duties in a non-partisan way. Cabinet made that decision very clearly that when it comes to praying the state has no role in the church but protect people when they do pray
Mugabe, who at 87 has ruled since independence from Britain in 1980, made no comments either before or after the meeting.
Williams later met with Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, Mugabe's long-time rival who joined a unity government two years ago.
"The police must perform their duties in a non-partisan way. Cabinet made that decision very clearly that when it comes to praying the state has no role in the church but protect people when they do pray," Tsvangirai said.
Renegade bishop and Mugabe ally Nolbert Kunonga broke away from the Anglican Communion three years ago in a dispute over homosexuality. His new grouping seized all the Church's property and forcefully evicted Anglicans from their places of worship.
Kunonga, who has praised Catholic Mugabe as a "true son of God", has backed the president's violent land reform programme and endorsed his condemnation of homosexuality.
Mugabe, Archbishop of Canterbury set for fiery meeting
http://www.newvision.co.ug/news/18307-mugabe-archbishop-of-canterbury-set-for-fiery-meeting.html
HARARE - Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe will question the Anglican Church's silence on Western sanctions against him and its position on homosexuality, and Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams will press him to end violent suppression of the church and its priests at a meeting expected on Monday.
Williams arrived in Zimbabwe on Sunday as part of a tour of southern Africa and is expected to meet 87-year-old Mugabe on Monday. Mugabe has yet to confirm the arrangement.
His spokesman George Charamba told the state-run Sunday Mail in an interview that "if ever" Mugabe and Williams were going to meet, Mugabe would ask why the church had not condemned the sanctions he says are hurting ordinary Zimbabweans.
"Has the Church consorted with the British State to impose sanctions against us?" said Charamba.
Western countries led by former colonial power Britain have maintained financial and travel sanctions on Mugabe and senior members from his ZANU-PF party since 2000 over charges of human rights abuse and electoral fraud. Mugabe denies the charges.
Charamba said that Mugabe had nothing to do with a dispute between the church and a rebel bishop who has taken over Anglican church assets.
The Anglican church is appealing against an Aug. 4 ruling that gave Nolbert Kunonga, a Mugabe supporter who leads a breakaway faction of the church, custody of the Anglican church's Zimbabwean properties.
Kunonga is a former head of the Anglican church in the country but resigned in 2007 claiming homosexual priests and congregants had gained influence in the church, although it does not conduct same-sex marriages or ordain gay priests.
"The second issue that the President wants this man of God (Williams) to clarify is why his Anglican Church thinks homosexuality is good for us and why it should be prescribed for us," said Charamba.
"He (Mugabe) thinks the Archbishop will be polite enough to point to him what portion of the Great Book sanctions homosexuality and sanctions."
Mugabe makes frequent verbal attacks on gays and lesbians and has previously said they are "worse than pigs and dogs".
On Sunday, a group of about 200 members from Kunonga's faction marched in central Harare denouncing homosexuality.
