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Archbishop leads Zimbabwe protest | Archbishop leads Zimbabwe protest |
(10 minutes later) | |
The Archbishop of York has urged members of Zimbabwe's security forces not to prop up Robert Mugabe's regime. | |
Dr John Sentamu, one of the most senior members of the Anglican church, is leading a day of fasting and prayer in support of the people of Zimbabwe. | |
He urged the army and police not to "terrorise the ordinary citizens". | |
In December, Dr Sentamu cut up his clerical collar on television and said he would not replace it until President Mugabe was out of office. | |
'Basket case' | |
There has been a month of deadlock in Zimbabwe following disputed elections. | There has been a month of deadlock in Zimbabwe following disputed elections. |
Dr Sentamu called on the public to join him in prayer for the country. | |
He said: "My plea, really to the army and to the police, is very simple. | |
"Your job is not to prop up a government that actually lacks legitimacy, but to protect every citizen of Zimbabwe. | |
"And if Mugabe has lost the election, for heaven's sake don't prop him up. | |
The Archbishop of York on Mugabe | |
"As a Christian community we must all stand together with our brothers and sisters living under the tyranny of Mugabe and pray that they will find deliverance." | "As a Christian community we must all stand together with our brothers and sisters living under the tyranny of Mugabe and pray that they will find deliverance." |
On Thursday, Dr Sentamu released a joint statement with the Archbishop of Canterbury calling for international action to prevent "horrific" violence in Zimbabwe. | |
And, speaking on Sunday, he told the BBC: "I've visited it a number of times and it was the bread basket of that region. | |
"It's now a basket case and the problems of Zimbabwe actually affect a lot of us - it's not just them." | |
He said that on other international issues, such as global warming and the humanitarian crisis in Darfur, there had been "a coalition of nations" prepared to speak out. | |
"But, for Zimbabwe, it seems as if it doesn't really matter," he said. "And I actually think that the international community and all of us must be concerned about a country which once was a real showcase in Africa and now really is terrible." | |
In Zimbabwe, Mr Mugabe's Zanu-PF party has failed to regain its parliamentary majority after a partial recount of votes from polls last month. | |
The opposition MDC says it also won presidential polls, although those results remain unreleased. | The opposition MDC says it also won presidential polls, although those results remain unreleased. |
The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) said the presidential results could be announced after the completion of the recounts, expected by Monday. | The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) said the presidential results could be announced after the completion of the recounts, expected by Monday. |
The head of the Anglican church in southern Africa, Archbishop Thabo Makgoba, told the BBC he wanted a weapons embargo to be imposed against Zimbabwe. | |
"I would say Zimbabwe needs food, peace and security and not the arms. I would support such an embargo," Mr Makgoba said. |