ANGLICAN-INFORMATION
‘A voice for the voiceless’

The Central African Province and the Mugabe regime
Africans used by GAFCON organisers

The future of the Anglican Province of Central Africa - now rests ironically in the hands of Robert Mugabe. Today, the ‘President’ of Zimbabwe returns to his mansion fresh back from the recent African Union summit in Egypt which was predictably muted in its condemnation of him and his murderous regime. Mugabe has in any case ‘warned’ African nations not to interfere.

Just under half of Africa’s (mostly smaller) countries have populations living in abject poverty whilst their Presidents and ruling elites enjoy obscene wealth and privilege backed up by rapacious foreign exploitative interests which care little for human rights and much for mineral and mining ones. The Chinese are notorious (there are also disgraceful examples on the part of British companies) in this respect and readers will recall the recent shipment of Chinese arms destined for the Mugabe regime that was held up by the refusal of South African dockers to unload it. Sadly, it is now understood that the weapons, which are to be used against the Zimbabwean people, did eventually make it to Zimbabwe by a circuitous route through Angola.

The Anglican Communion: In a similar fashion, it is becoming obvious that the recent divisive GAFCON (Global Anglican Future) conference in Israel is really the product of Africans being used by conservative American Episcopalians, with some other extremist hangers-on, hell bent on an internal North American struggle in the Episcopal Church and an undermining of the authority of the Archbishop of Canterbury. The sadness of this is that the naturally conservative and traditional views of some African Provinces are being manipulated and hijacked through their leaders who, like their political counterparts, seem to have megalomaniac tendencies.

As reported in today’s Mail and Guardian Online, Janet Frisk a theology lecturer at Rhodes University, South Africa and an ordained priest said the move by the new offshoot of GAFCON with the regrettable (for English speakers) acronym FOCA (Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans) was, ‘motivated by power rather than doctrine’. Fisk’s position is echoed by Bishop Wilson Sichebo of Matabeleland, Zimbabwe and President of the influential Zimbabwe Council of Churches, who noting that his diocese remains loyal to Canterbury, said ‘what is sad about the whole affair (the attempted GAFCON schism) is that it is not caused by differences in doctrine, but by the lust for power and recognition.’ He went on to comment, as Bishop Trevor Mwamba, former Dean of the Central African Province and Bishop of Botswana, has frequently said: ‘The divisions are distracting the Church from the real issues it should be confronting, such as providing access to antiretroviral for those who are HIV positive, supporting victims of violence and fighting poverty.’

The Archbishop of Canterbury: Rowan Williams has said of the GAFCON exercise and its concomitant ‘Jerusalem Statement’, that: ‘there is much that is positive and encouraging’ but that its proposals lack legitimacy, authority and by implication integrity.

In short Africa, as usual, the Anglican Church included, is being used in a rapacious fashion by outsiders who play to the conceits and pockets of corrupt leaders, including Archbishops, whilst the people suffer. There is no evidence that the millions of Anglicans in Africa over whom these individuals preside wish to
sever links with Canterbury but plenty that they wish to address the real issues of the Gospel in their day to day lives.

Thankfully, the Anglican Central African Province bishops are attending this July’s authentic Lambeth Conference, despite the efforts of previous Archbishop Bernard Malango to deliver them into the hands of GAFCON and FOCA. Nevertheless, through his protégé, acting Dean Albert Chama, he remains influential and if the Mugabe regime is successful in ‘facing down’ any opposition the situation looks dire for Bishops Sebastian Bakare of Harare and Peter Hatendi of Manicaland and the loyal Anglicans in that beleaguered country. There are enough of the Provincial Bishops who will willingly drift back into complaisance with Mugabe to cause enormous difficulties.

Unfortunately, it does look as if Mugabe is back to stay and if so the poison of the regime is destined to percolate into surrounding countries and back into the Anglican Church. This will call for immense fortitude and a serious re-evaluation of leadership in the House of Bishops lest the Anglican Church end up mimicking the worst of the self-serving political regimes.

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Meanwhile on the ground in Zimbabwe from a correspondent in Harare

Today Mugabe is returning in triumph from Egypt. People in the townshps are
being forced into buses to go out to the Airport to welcome him. I saw a bus
packed inside and on the roof with screaming Zanu PF youth in their blue caps.
The man hanging out of the door obviously had advanced Aids and a mad looking
learing face. When my car came alongside he shook his fist at me.

But by and large things seem to be returning somewhat to normal although an MDC
Youth leader returning from a 'safe house' was beaten on Monday 'for having left
the area during the election'. A friend, about whom we have reported before, is
collecting basics to take her family back to their slashed tent. Currently
there are no blankets and it is mid winter – it can get really cold at night. Bishop Bakare who
has a relief agency operating has promised some help from funding he is receiving.

Some rare good news: The police arrested Zvandasara, who failed to be elected
to parliament on a ZanuPF ticket, for questioning, but alas he was not held. Zvandasara was responsible,
just before the election, for the beating of the MDC Chairman. The MDC
councillor, Mr Chiroto, drove him to hospital. He was still out when they (Zanu-PF) came
to his home. So they siezed his wife. She was beaten and raped and then killed
by having a nail driven through her head before she was finally shot in the ear. Her
funeral was pictured in the edition of the Zimbabwe Independent which was on the
streets on Saturday June 28th. Why Zvandasara was not charged is clearly
political as Chiroto's young daughter and maid went to the police and made a
full report.

Inflation continues to soar. I found a very large loaf, weighing 2.5 Kg
yesterday. It cost 105.billion, which is about 20p. We tried to get a school
jersey for one of the children today. It cost 3.1 trillion. We got some
knitting wool instead.

ANGLICAN-INFORMATION comments: The Zimbabwe inflation figures, currently at 8,000,000%, are now meaningless as it is impossible to keep up. People either risk using foreign currency (a severely punishable crime) or they resort to direct barter and subsistence farming scratching
a living, literally from the soil. The lucky ones have monies sent in from relative abroad.

You can buy Zimbabwean dollars denominated in hundreds of millions, as curiosities on Ebay for about £20.00 vastly more than their actual value.

The elite of the regime continue in their gated mansions with their Mercedes and Hummers courtesy of vast foreign accounts which are still freely accessible through London, New York and European capitals – it’s time for some concerted action on the part of western politicians.
Please continue to pray for Zimbabwe, for the Central African Province, for the Anglican Communion and the Archbishop of Canterbury.

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ANGLICAN-INFORMATION
‘A voice for the voiceless’

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