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Archbishop cuts up clerical collar in Zimbabwe protest

09 Dec 2007 12:17:56 GMT
Source: Reuters

LONDON, Dec 9 (Reuters) - Angry Anglican Archbishop of York John Sentamu theatrically cut up his clerical collar on live television on Sunday to protest Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe's continuation in power.

His dramatic move came amid a controversy over Mugabe's attendance at a weekend European Union-Africa summit in Lisbon that has been boycotted by British Prime Minister Gordon Brown over allegations of human rights abuses in the former British colony.

"As an Anglican this is what I wear to identify myself," Sentamu, a former judge in Uganda who fled Idi Amin's regime, said as he pulled off his white collar and picked up a pair of scissors during an interview on BBC television.

"You know what Mugabe has done. He has taken people's identity and literally cut it into pieces," he said as he cut up the collar. "As far as I am concerned from now on I am not going to wear a dog collar until Mugabe has gone."

Mugabe, in power since the former Rhodesia won independence in 1980, has presided in recent years over the complete collapse of the country's once thriving agrarian economy.

Inflation is now officially the world's highest having hit an annual rate in September of 7,982.1 percent and unemployment is around 80 percent.

There are widespread shortages of basic foodstuffs in a country that used to be known as Africa's breadbasket, and people are dying daily from hunger.

Mugabe, 83, accuses foreign powers -- in particular Britain -- of undermining his country's economy in an attempt to oust him, and says his nationalisation of former white-owned commercial farms is simply righting the wrongs of the past.

His critics say in response that his determination to hold on to power and crush any opposition is the cause of the wholesale suffering in the country.

(Reporting by Jeremy Lovell; editing by Mary Gabriel)

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Last updated:Sun Dec 9 12:17:27 2007