Subject: ZIMBABWE: Mugabe Attacks Homosexuality Again (Write Him!) Date: Thu, 29 Feb 96 11:51 GMT+0200 From: Stephen Van Breda HARARE : ZIMBABWE THE HERALD - 29tH FEBRUARY 1996. STEM CAUSES OF SOCIAL ILLS, CHURCHES URGED ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- An inter-denominational conference held in Harare yesterday prayed for peace during the forth coming presidential elections, scheduled for March 16 and 17, and celebrated the wet spell being experienced throughout Zimbabwe. The churches in Zimbabwe are expected to make a much more significant contribution to this year's presidential elections than they have done on any previous election held in this country since independence in 1980. While the specific details have not been spelt out the contribution is essentially two fold; manpower and monetary. President Mugabe, who attended the morning conference, called on the churches to intensify their operations in moulding a better society and assured them that the Government would never interfere with the role of the church. Addressing the inter-denominational conference, President Mugabe said that Government and the Church would continue to work together. "Zimbabwe, like the rest of the world, has to wrestle with several social ills. There is currently the AIDS scourge which is wreaking havoc on many of ours lives. This disease could be a message from God that it is now time we looked at our morality." About 300 people are said to be dying from AIDS in Zimbabwe every week. Cde Mugabe also deplored homosexuality and lesbianism, which he said were threatening to pervade the nation. The church in Zimbabwe stood behind Cde Mugabe when amid international protests, he publicly condemned homosexuality and lesbianism. He had received confidential messages from some presidents who said they also did not believe in homosexuality and lesbianism but would not dare say so publicly for fear of losing votes. "I exhort the church to continue to work assiduously to stem the cause of social ills including sexual immorality, prostitution, drug addiction and many others ..." We fall short of the requirements as rulers. Please intensify your operations." The Church has been working with the Government to reduce the number of criminal activities, foster moral values and cater for people's basic physical needs through social services in education, health, welfare and recreation. The President commended the churches for these services. "Let me assure you that my Government will remain fully supportive of the work of the church and encourage constructive dialogue with all religious denominations in the country. We should never interfere with the role of the church." The morning inter-denominational conference was organised by the Zimbabwe Assemblies of God - Africa, and was also attended by visiting evangelist Pastor Benny Hinn, here on a healing crusade. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Gays and Lesbians of Zimbabwe (GALZ) encourages comments and letters of protest to :- Zimbabwe Assemblies of God Africa Fax : (263)(4)737386 13a Powell Road P O Box W68 Waterfalls HARARE ZIMBABWE Zimbabwe Council of Churches Fax : (263)(4)573073 P O Box 3566 HARARE ZIMBABWE Office of the President Tel : (263)(4)707091/7 Pvt Bag 7700 Causeway HARARE ZIMBABWE ************************************************************ GAYS AND LESBIANS OF ZIMBABWE (GALZ) PVT BAG A6131 HARARE ZIMBABWE 'GAYS RIGHTS ARE HUMAN RIGHTS' ************************************************************ --- RON BUCKMIRE, Ph.D. http://www.math.oxy.edu/~ron Mathematics Department, Occidental College, 1600 Campus Road, L.A., CA 90041 buckmire@oxy.edu||+1 213 259 2536 (vox)||+1 213 259 2958 (fax) Check out the Queer Resources Directory