Several Catholic priests have been assaulted by supporters of Zimbabwe's ruling party and at least one house belonging to the Church has been burned down, a Jesuit spokesman said.Many priests in rural areas as well as at least one in Harare have been assaulted in the crackdown against the opposition to President Robert Mugabe, Father Wermter told Catholic News Service in a June 30 telephone interview.
"Very serious threats" also have been made against priests and other church workers, he said.
Some parishioners have been "put under pressure to attend ruling party rallies instead of Mass on Sundays," Father Wermter said, noting that "the pressure differs from place to place."
The Zimbabwean Jesuits' late June newsletter reported that the priests who have been threatened "cannot operate freely" and a few "had to be removed temporarily from their posts for their own safety."
Some priests "cannot go to remote outstations, or outstation lay leaders tell them not to come because of the instability," the newsletter said.
An unknown number of church members have been killed, seriously injured or forced to flee, while others have had their homes destroyed, according to the report. The Catholic Development Commission, which runs food programs in the country, and other church groups "are trying to give assistance to displaced persons, regardless of whether they are members of the church or not," the newsletter said.
"Sadly, there are some active Catholics, not only among the victims, but also on the side of the perpetrators of these crimes against humanity," the Jesuit publication added.
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