Zimbabwe: “For Heaven’s Sake Don’t Prop Him Up”

Archbishop of York Dr. John Sentamu, collarless, in front of Yorkminster.
BBC NEWS | UK | Archbishop leads Zimbabwe protest
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.

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.”

“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 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.

Fr.Paul sings Plastic Jesus

Flickr

Father Paul pulled out a very beautiful old Pete Seeger Custom banjo and sang a few lines of “Plastic Jesus” today in church; he’d have had a sing-along going if he’d thought to print out the lyrics, and as it was a lot of people at the early service knew the song and helped him remember the middle section.

I told him about a terrific interview my husband David and I heard on Bob Edwards Weekend, which airs on Sundays on WBEZ. I’m tracking down all the related links I can for it to send to Fr. Paul by email. Apparently, there was an amazing special on PBS that we missed, but maybe we can find it via TiVo. The associated blog post for the broadcast is here,

I could not find a simple link on BobEdwardsRadio.com to the interview, I had to subscribe to the podcast after tracking down the date, which was the weekend of February 23-24.

February 23-24, 2008

HOUR ONE

* Pete Seeger was banned from American commercial television for more than 17 years, after topping the pop charts and being blacklisted. Seeger wrote or co-wrote many of our most iconic folk songs. Now almost 90, Seeger is still performing and still writing. He’s publishing a new songbook this year and the PBS program American Masters pays tribute on February 27th with Pete Seeger: The Power of Song.

HOUR TWO

* Los Angeles Times film critic Kenneth Turan previews the 2008 Academy Awards. He tells Bob which actors, actresses, directors and movies should expect to bring home Oscars this year.

* Bob talks with composer James Newton Howard about his career and about his Oscar-nominated score for “Michael Clayton.”

Ginny
I can has iPhone?

Via: Flickr Title: Fr.Paul sings Plastic Jesus By: GinnyRED57
Originally uploaded: 27 Apr ’08, 9.29am CDT PST

Ginny
I can has iPhone?