HARARE
–
The
Zimbabwe
Council
of
Churches
(ZCC)
has
condemned
recent
suspected
arson
attacks
in
Harare,
including
the
firebombing
of
the
SAPES
Trust
offices
and
the
burning
of
a
home
belonging
to
Constitutional
Defence
Forum
member
Gilbert
Mbwende,
describing
them
as
an
assault
on
peace,
human
dignity
and
civil
liberties.
In
a
statement
on
Wednesday,
the
church
group
said
it
was
deeply
disturbed
by
the
incidents,
which
also
reportedly
involved
the
abduction
of
a
security
guard.
The
ZCC
said
the
attacks
were
“a
deeply
troubling
development”
and
urged
the
authorities
to
act
swiftly
and
transparently.
“The
Zimbabwe
Republic
Police,
Zimbabwe
Human
Rights
Commission
and
Zimbabwe
Independent
Complaints
Commission
must
conduct
independent
investigations
to
ensure
perpetrators
are
held
accountable,”
the
council
said.
The
church
reminded
leaders
and
citizens
alike
of
the
biblical
call
to
peace,
quoting
Matthew
5:9
—
“Blessed
are
the
peacemakers,
for
they
shall
be
called
the
children
of
God.”
“Violence
in
any
form,
whether
physical,
verbal,
or
structural,
undermines
the
peace
we
seek
to
build
as
a
nation
and
erodes
the
trust
necessary
for
democratic
engagement,”
the
ZCC
said.
The
council
said
the
incidents
threatened
Zimbabwe’s
fragile
civic
space
and
called
for
the
protection
of
constitutional
rights
such
as
freedom
of
assembly,
speech
and
conscience.
ZCC
urged
calm,
restraint
and
renewed
commitment
to
dialogue,
saying
Zimbabwe’s
hope
lies
not
in
intimidation
or
destruction
but
in
inclusive
engagement.
“Acts
of
intimidation
and
destruction
only
deepen
divisions
and
threaten
the
vision
of
a
peaceful
and
united
Zimbabwe
that
we
all
want,”
the
church
added.
The
ZCC
said
it
would
continue
its
work
through
its
National
Dialogue,
Just
Peace
and
Social
Cohesion
programme
to
foster
conversations
among
political,
civic,
traditional
and
faith
leaders
“for
the
healing
and
transformation
of
our
country.”
“We
continue
to
pray
for
the
victims
of
these
attacks,
for
courage
among
our
leaders
to
pursue
truth
and
justice,
and
for
the
healing
of
our
nation,”
it
said.