Catholic church condemns raid

2008-02-01 12:01

Johannesburg - The Southern African Catholic Bishops Conference on Friday condemned the actions of the SA Police Service in its midnight raid this week on Johannesburg's Central Methodist Church.

"We join Bishop Paul Verryn of the Methodist Church in decrying the violation of the status of the church as a place of sanctuary," said Cardinal Wilfrid Napier.

"By providing shelter to the homeless, the stranger and the refugee the church was carrying out the injunction of Jesus Christ."

During the raid on Wednesday night police rounded up hundreds of immigrants sheltered by the church.

Napier said Zimbabweans should be regarded as prima facie refugees because, under the terms of the OAU Refugee Convention, they had left their home because of 'events seriously disturbing public order'.

"Police action was entirely inappropriate, uncalled for and an unwelcome manifestation of xenophobia. It is not how refugees should be treated.

"Indeed, it is not how any human being should be treated by officials of a state committed to upholding human dignity," Napier said.

- SAPA