Mugabe is gone, so the Archbishop of York puts his clerical collar back on
Ten years after he dramatically cut up his clerical collar on the BBC's Andrew Marr show in a protest at the rule of Robert Mugabe, the Archbishop of York has put it back on.
Dr John Sentamu returned to the Marr show this morning, to demonstrate that he can finally end his protest, when he pledged never to wear a clerical collar again while Mugabe was in office.
It was about nearly 10 years ago, in December 2007, that Dr Sentamu cut up the collar live on BBC One's Andrew Marr Show, promising not to wear one until Mr Mugabe left office. Just as Mugabe had cut the identity of the people of Zimbabwe to pieces, he said, he was doing the same with his collar.
Today, he put it back on, saying: "Normally I [would] tie the top button and put on my collar, but for nearly 10 years I haven't be able to. It has meant every morning I think of the people of Zimbabwe."
The Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby tweeted that it was a "very moving interview and profound act of solidarity" with Zimbabwe.
Meanwhile on #Marr, @JohnSentamu puts his dog collar back on after 10 years. A very moving interview and profound act of solidarity with Zimbabwe https://t.co/goWONHqAQX
— Justin Welby ن (@JustinWelby) November 26, 2017
Dr Sentamu said: "You've been a very faithful friend, you've kept them - that's lovely.
"I could attempt to put this one back together using superglue, but it would be a pretty ropey collar. And I actually think the message for Zimbabwe is the same. They just can't try and stitch it up. Something more radical, something new needs to happen."
So he pulled a new one from his pocket and put that on instead.
He said Mr Mugabe may have gone but the new President Emmerson Mnangagwa was "implicated in a lot of things".
He said: "It's quite possible that Mnangagwa could be a very, very good president. But he can't simply bury the past - it won't go away."
While it was possible that Zimbabweans might be able to forgive the former president, "Mugabe needs to say at some point to Zimbabweans: 'Forgive me'. He's a very, very intelligent man and I think he is capable of doing it."
The BBC reports that Mnangagwa is associated by many with some of the worst atrocities committed under the ruling Zanu-PF party since the country gained independence in 1980.
