Bishops from Britain and Zimbabwe speak out

(27 June 2005 - RV) Pope Benedict XVI today received representatives from the Bishops' Conference of Zimbabwe, who are in Rome for their Ad Limina visits.
Zimbabwe has been under control of President Robert Mugabe since 1987, and has increasing been criticised both at home and from abroad for a neglect of human rights.
Zimbabwe's bishops have been outspoken in their criticism of Mugabe's recent "Operation Restore Order", which has driven tens of thousands of people from their homes in a bid to clear illegal shanty towns.
The bishops warned that people's dignity and human rights are being violated, and have demanded an immediate end to the operation.
Meanwhile in Britain, dozens of Zimbabweans in detention centres are on hunger strike in the face of possible repatriation to their country.
We asked Patrick O'Donaghue, president of the Refugee Office of the Catholic Bishops' Conference for England and Wales, about the reasons behind this move...