Oral Answers to Questions

Martin Vickers Excerpts

Thursday 19th January 2012 Commons Chamber

[Tony Baldry]

The right hon. Gentleman has made two very good suggestions, which I will discuss with those responsible at Lambeth palace.

[Martin Vickers (Cleethorpes) (Con)]

5. What steps the Church Commissioners are taking to support and monitor the treatment of Christians in Zimbabwe.

[Tony Baldry]

Following a visit by the Archbishop of Canterbury to the region, where he and other bishops from southern Africa presented President Mugabe with a dossier of the abuses suffered by the Anglican community over recent years, the Church is very concerned about the increase in hostilities towards Anglicans in Zimbabwe in the past few months. Most recently, on 2 January, local security forces forcibly evicted 80 clergy who had assembled peacefully for an annual retreat.

[Martin Vickers]

The attacks on the Christian community should be roundly condemned. The Christian community in Zimbabwe will have valued and felt greatly strengthened by the archbishop’s recent visit, but, as the Bishop of Harare observed recently, the persecution continues. Can my hon. Friend assure me that the Church Commissioners, in co-operation with the Government, will continue and, indeed, increase the pressure?

[Tony Baldry]

I can certainly give that assurance. I think it particularly despicable that it is now necessary to obtain police permission to gather for prayer in Zimbabwe: that is exceptionally sad. We will continue to co-operate with whoever can help us to exert pressure to ensure that Christians in Zimbabwe and elsewhere in the world are free to worship as they wish.