President Robert Mugabe arrives for meeting (File Photo)
Zimbabwe (MNN) ― Zimbabwe has banned foreign travel by government critics, adding to a deepening crisis over President Robert Mugabe's crackdown.
Mugabe's government is under increasing international criticism for its treatment of the opposition, with activists alleging police have disrupted their gatherings and beaten their leaders.
The regime refuses to permit foreign by leading government critics and imposed other harsh measures. It's an effort to block protests over economic mismanagement and to crush any political opposition, even as the country continues to slide toward an economic abyss.
Neighboring Botswana tightened its border security as fears of political unrest could lead to a renewed flood of illegal migration. In the meantime, the African Union joined the United States, Britain, and the United Nations in criticizing the government crackdown, and called on Zimbabwe to respect human rights.
Bible Pathway Ministries' Ken Sharp says this is similar the crackdown of 2005. In July of that year, we spoke with their partner who told us that the suppression of poverty was in an effort to secure an international aid loan.
"The government has been demolishing people's houses, what they call 'illegal structures', and people's stores. This has displaced close to one and a half million people. That also creates a humanitarian disaster." Called "Operation Murambatsvina," or "drive out trash."
The campaign came at a time when the farms, owned by white citizens, were being seized. At this point, the BPM partner, unnamed for security reasons, stepped in. This pastor had many of the effected families in his congregation, and began offering them aid.
"The church has been involved in taking care of the needy. I think the last two months, numbers have swollen." Explaining how their team works, the pastor explained, "When people are hungry, they are really open to the Gospel. We don't bring the help saying, 'It is our help', we say, 'The Lord has enabled us to help you'.
But, when word got out that he was helping white families, the threats began. In fact, the situation soured so much that their partner fled Zimbabwe. Sharp says, "Our representative that was doing so much mission work both in Zimbabwe and in surrounding countries, has had to flee the country finally, after many death threats, threats to his family, a lack of any assistance from the government or from the police."
Sharp says they just sent in a large shipment of Bible Pathway resources to Zimbabwe and surrounding region. However, "We are trying to do the best we can, right now, to get Bibles in while the door is still open somewhat. But, with the political unrest, the way the government is going, it could very easily close the doors down tomorrow to a lot of the materials that are going in."
