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	Zimbabwe: Support Prayers Planned As Rights Groups Defend Ncube By Catholic Information Service for Africa allAfrica July 24, 2007 http://allafrica.com/stories/200707240968.html Bulwayo — Catholics and other Christians will tomorrow hold an ecumenical prayer service in support of Archbishop Pius Ncube of Bulawayo who has been sued for alleged adultery. "There [will be] an interdenominational prayer service for His Grace at 1pm tomorrow at St Mary's Cathedral," Archbishop Ncube's secretary, Rita Normanton, confirmed to CISA. At the same time Zimbabwean human rights organisations have come out in defence of Archbishop Ncube against sensational allegations that he had an adulterous relationship with the wife of a junior civil servant. Archbishop Ncube, the church's leading voice against misrule in Zimbabwe, has said he will challenge the suit filed last Monday. Rights groups said the "sex scandal" involving the archbishop was "well-crafted to divert the people's attention from the real crisis facing Zimbabwe." The groups also said state media had violated Archbishop Ncube's right to privacy and a fair trial by their sensational reports and commentary on the story, the London-based SW Radio reported. The Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) said it believes the drama was a "diversionary tactic". The group said it was aware of the "underhand tactics" used worldwide to silence human rights defenders. These included character assassination and the use of hate speech or propaganda to de-legitimize the work of those who exposed human rights violations. "The recent attempts to draw the public's attention away from the problems bedevilling our society must be exposed for what they are," the ZLHR statement said. It said Ncube was being victimized for his fierce criticism of bad governance, corruption and state-instigated human rights violations. The archbishop has been outspoken against the Gukurahundi massacres, Operation Murambatsvina and the continued socio-economic and political crisis, blamed on Mugabe's administration. The Solidarity Peace Trust of South Africa said it believed the alleged scandal was an attempt by Mugabe's regime to "smear" the good character of the archbishop. "The actions of the Mugabe regime and its Central Intelligence Organisation are reminiscent of the Apartheid Security Police during the dying days of Apartheid in its efforts to cling to power." In Harare, ZimRights castigated Mugabe for finding Ncube guilty before he had appeared in court. Mugabe offered last week to pray for Ncube, saying "the archbishop's failure to uphold celibacy was unfortunate." Last week the Southern Africa Catholic Bishops Conference said "Zimbabweans and the international community will not be sidetracked by these allegations in their efforts of finding a lasting solution to the serious problems bedevilling the country at present."
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