Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu issued the following public statement at 1300 hours Thursday 24th April:
Zimbabwe is staring into the abyss. Violence is growing and the people are suffering greatly as a result. It is now vital that we all do what we can to calm the situation.
In particular I join the worldwide calls to stop the supply of weapons to the country--by land, sea or air--until the political crisis is resolved. It is obvious that supplying large quantities of arms at this stage would risk escalating the violence, perhaps resulting in the large-scale loss of life. We should be proud of the African Trade Unions and governments who refused to let the most recent Chinese shipment off-load in their ports but China must now agree not to try and send these arms by air instead.
I join the South African church leaders in urging all governments to immediately start work at the UN level to agree a binding UN arms embargo as quickly as possible. In the meantime I hope that every country will agree to a moratorium on the supply of any arms to the country.
If violence flares further in Zimbabwe, those supplying the weapons will be left with blood on their hands. It is up to every country in the region and beyond to take a stand.
To sign the petition calling on governments to stop the arms shipments for Zimbabwe click here.
RSS FEED
Comments (1)
I beg you to stop importing weapons to be used to destroy people, their lives and human dignit. This in turn leads to lack of respect for people towards each other, suffering of the weaker members of society (such as women which third world cultures do not value or care about the psychological welfare of.
Your society of brutality and cruelty is behind the times and lacks forward thinking. You are creating hell on earth and you could achieve so much more if you were kind to people and yourselves.
That is the point of human rights and in my experience, it is a concept that works. Stop destroying and start creating a new society in which you earn respect, not hatred, and get your way by concensus and doing the right thing.
Be seen to be doing the right thing and stop importing weapons that make you do the wrong things, i.e. violating the human rights of innocent Zimbabweans.
I support the efforts of ordinary citizens and African trade unionists to prevent weapon transit through neighbouring countries.
This shipment highlights the urgent need for a strong international arms trade treaty, and the continuing violence demands that all regional and global leaders act to protect human rights.
Please use, not abuse, your positions and earn respect.
Yours sincerely
Debbie Bryce
Posted by Debbie Bryce | 06/22/08
Posted on 06/22/08