Report: Bishops threatened, abused

HARARE (AP):

Anglican bishops are receiving death threats and one worshipper who refused to follow an excommunicated leader was killed, according to a document viewed by The Associated Press yesterday that the worldwide head of the Anglican church gave to the country's long-time ruler.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, handed over a report to President Robert Mugabe this week detailing incidents of intimidation. The church here has been divided since 2007, when a pro-Mugabe bishop was excommunicated for inciting violence in his sermons.

Followers of Nolbert Kunonga maintain he is still the church's legitimate leader, and they have taken over the main cathedral, hospitals, the church's bank accounts and some 55 schools with the help of police loyal to Mugabe.

"In Harare, the police have disrupted church services and have been using tear gas and baton sticks to drive people out of church buildings," the document read.

"As a consequence, most churches lie empty each Sunday, except where a handful of Dr Kunonga's priests and their families are able to occupy them."

Priests and deacons are arrested without charge on a weekly basis, often on a Friday, allowing the police to hold them over the weekend without charge, so that they cannot minister to their congregations, the report said. Anglican bishops in Zimbabwe have received death threats over the phone, in person and at gunpoint, it added.