Southern African Bishops Conference Urges Mediation in Zimbabwe

(11 April 08 RV) Zimbabwean police have banned all political rallies in the wake of the nation's post-election crisis. Anger has grown in Zimbabwe over the past two weeks over the delay in releasing election results that reportedly show President Robert Mugabe did not receive the most votes. Meanwhile, the President of the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference has issued an urgent appeal that an international mediator step in to diffuse the crises in Zimbabwe. Archbishop Buti Tlhagale, the Archbishop of Johannesburg and President of the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference, has suggested that former UN chief Kofi Annan be mandated to negotiate between President Robert Mugabe and Opposition leader Morgan Tsvagerei, to ensure a solution that is acceptable to all Zimbabweans. We spoke to Fr Chris Townsend, Information Officer of the SACBC.