ZAMBIA: BRITISH CLERGYMAN ON HUNGER STRIKE MEETS VILLAGERS OF CHIPAPA

Record ID: 342116

  • Title: ZAMBIA: BRITISH CLERGYMAN ON HUNGER STRIKE MEETS VILLAGERS OF CHIPAPA
  • Date: 3rd June 1969
  • Summary: CAR DRIVES OVER BAD ROAD; PEOPLE SEATED IN FRONT OF HUT; REV. TEMPLE, REPORTER AND VILLAGERS; GROUP TALKING. Initials JH/VS/MR/PC Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 18th June 1969 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: CHIPAPA, ZAMBIA
  • Country: Zambia
  • Reuters ID: LVAIKMO8LAZ8ME7ZBGC6HTM9YAA
  • Story Text: THE REVEREND MERFYN TEMPLE, A BRITISH CLERGYMAN, IS FASTING TO GET BETTER CONDITIONS FOR THE VILLAGE OF CHIPAPA, 18 MILES (29 KMS) SOUTHEAST OF LUSAKA. YESTERDAY (MONDAY), HE SPOKE WITH VILLAGERS AND A REPORTER FOR THE TIMES OF ZAMBIA. THE 49-YEAR-OLD CLERGYMAN, WHO HAS LIVED IN ZAMBIA FOR THE PAST 25 YEARS, STARTED FASTING ELEVEN DAYS AGO AS PART OF HIS CAMPAIGN TO GET THE AUTHORITIES TO PROVIDE A BETTER ROAD FROM THE CAPITAL TO CHIPAPA.

    MR. TEMPLE, A LAND RESETTLEMENT OFFICER IN THE MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT, SHOWED THE REPORTER THE ROAD, AND THE NEWSPAPERMAN THEN DROVE HIS CAR OVER IT.

    HE HAS SAID THAT HE IS PROTESTING THE "NEGLECT OF THE AUTHORITIES". POOR ROADS ARE REPORTED TO VIRTUALLY ISOLATE THE TOWN OF 1,000 PEOPLE FROM THE CAPITAL.

    MR. TEMPLE, OF THE UNITED CHURCH OF ZAMBIA, SAID THAT THE ROAD IS THE LIFELINE TO THE HOSPITAL AND THE MARKET, "YET IT IS SO BAD WE CAN'T GET THE SICK TO HOSPITAL".

    THE ROAD, WHICH JOINS THE MAIN LUSAKA-KAFUE HIGHWAY, HAS REPORTEDLY BEEN PARTLY WASHED AWAY IN RAINS.

    OVER THE WEEKEND A ZAMBIAN GOVERNMENT MINISTER THREATENED TO TAKE DISCIPLINARY ACTION AGAINST MR. TEMPLE, BUT THE CLERGYMAN HAS SAID HE WILL CONTINUE TO FAST UNTIL HE ACTUALLY SEES MEN WORKING ON THE ROADS.

    MR. TEMPLE REVEALED THAT HE HAD LIVED ENTIRELY ON FRUIT JUICE FOR A WEEK, BUT ATE BANANAS AND PRUNES ONE DAY WHEN HE BECAME TOO WEAK.

    THE TIMES OF ZAMBIA TODAY (TUESDAY) CAME OUT IN SUPPORT OF MR. TEMPLE'S ACTION, SAYING THAT HE WAS QUITE ENTITLED TO GO ON HUNGER STRIKE IN HIS PRIVATE CAPACITY AND AS A MEMBER OF THE CHIPAPA COMMUNITY.

    "ACTION MUST BE TAKEN NOW. NO MORE STATEMENTS," THE NEWSPAPER SAID. "LET US HAVE BULLDOZERS AT CHIPAPA. INACTION HAS BEEN THE STUMBLING BLOCK TO RURAL DEVELOPMENT IN THIS COUNTRY. MEANWHILE THE RURAL COUNCIL CONCERNED AT RUFUNSA HAS PROMISED TO REPAIR THE LUSAKA-CHIPAPA ROAD.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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