Human Rights pressure group ZimRights has called on church leaders not to disseminate conspiracy theories about the deadly Covid-19.
In a weekly report on Covid-19, ZimRights said spreading of conspiracy theories about the pandemic have a danger of people shunning hospitals.
“Reports of church leaders disseminating conspiracy theories about COVID 19 raise a real danger of the return to those early days of religious defiance to medical health facilities, raising fears that these may lead to people undertaking dangerous behavior, like treating COVID 19 as a myth,” read the report
The lobby group says church leaders have a role to play in fighting against falsehoods.
“While the constitution guarantees freedom of worship, ZimRights further believes that church leaders have a role to play in helping protect societies against disinformation.
“It is dangerous to disseminate information that is likely to place people in danger. If because of dissemination, lives are lost, leaders must be held accountable for such loss,” said ZimRights
Bishop Ambrose Moyo of the Ecumenical Church Leaders Forum has encouraged his congregation to heed the message of the World Health Organisation to avoid humanity being wiped out by COVID 19.
“What is being asked of us is not difficult, but if we follow carefully, many lives will be saved. This is a call to national dialogue. To promote national unity in the fight against COVID 19.” Bishop Moyo said
ZimRights urged non-state actors including Church to provide leadership in countering conspiracy theories that may encourage people not to take seriously COVID 19.
