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At the same time, the United Nations Human Rights Commissioner, Mary Robinson, said on 16 March in Pretoria, South Africa, that she believed Zimbabwe was in "deep trouble." She expressed concern about the erosion of the law in the troubled southern African nation.

She told a South African newspaper, the Star: "Zimbabwe is in deep trouble at the moment. … if a country sees the crumbling of the fundamental integrity of the rule of law, the administration of justice, the integrity of the judges, the police, those in uniform, then that is the beginning of a terrible cycle of violence and disintegration."

She told AFP that as an Irish citizen, she understood the plight of Zimbabwe's landless majority. "Nevertheless, what I really worry about acutely at the moment is the erosion of all of that and the fact that there is an undermining of the fundamental integrity of the rule of law. That is the worst thing that can happen in a country after a system has been built up over a number of years so that people feel protected and secure under the law."

Copyright © 2001 ENI.

More background and media coverage of the continuing land dispute can be found at the BBC, allAfrica.com, and Yahoo's full coverage.

In addition to today's related story, "Evangelicals Attempt to Defuse Crises in Zimbabwe," our earlier coverage of Christianity in Zimbabwe includes:

Clergyman Forced to Leave Zimbabwe After Criticizing Mugabe Government | Authorities revoke work permit of Presbyterian missionary who accused the government being involved in killings. (Mar. 19, 2001)

Zimbabwe Church Officials Tell Mugabe to Respect Judiciary and Rule of Law | Catholics, Baptists, and others criticize presidential pressure on Supreme Court. (Mar. 19, 2001)

Churches Call for Inquiry Into Zimbabwe's Pre-Election Violence | "In the meantime, accept the election results" says Zimbabwe Council of Churches (July 14, 2000)

Zimbabwe President's Party Refuses to Join Church-Sponsored Talks to End Violence | At least 10 dead in country's escalating political violence (May 2, 2000)

Evangelicals Abstain from Zimbabwe's Interfaith Body | Christian group opposes blending of Christianity and traditional African religion. (Apr. 18, 2000)

Church Council Urges Swift Resolution of Zimbabwe's Row over White Farms | Land redistribution must be done "in a systematic, just and transparent manner" (Mar. 23, 2000)

Zimbabwe's Black Anglican Priests Claim Exclusion at White Ceremonies | Four priests resign, alleging widespread racism (Nov. 24, 1999)

Gun-Toting Missionaries Given Light Sentences (Nov. 15, 1999)

Missionaries or Mercenaries? (May 24, 1999)

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March (Web-only) 2001, Vol. 45