Malawi 2004 - 2007 |
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A Return to Chaos
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A letter home following a visit from Namibia I am now back from Malawi, where things are not feeling too good. A few days before I arrived there were huge protest marches in Lilongwe, Blantyre and Mzuzu, which led to the usual rioting and looting. 19 people were killed by the Police and, in Mzuzu, there was nearly a confrontation between the Police and army after a soldier's child was shot. The cause of the disturbances was the increasingly dictatorial attitudes and behaviour of Bingu Wa Mutharika, who, having been supported by civil society, received a large majority in the last election. It feels like he is trying to become Robert Mugabe (Floris says an applicant for a job at his farm used to be Mugabe's gardener and told him that Bingu is a regular visitor). As a result of his actions the British High Commissioner had been expelled, he has lost almost all foreign aid and takes the line that Malawi doesn't need the imperialists. Now there are severe fuel shortages and almost no foreign exchange in the country. Fuel stations are closed most of the week and when a tanker arrives queues up to a kilometre long form. Many queue all day. In the supermarkets prices have risen dramatically and Bingu has also taxed foods, which makes life for the poor almost intolerable. In the riots, Neddy from CEYCA was beaten by thugs who were paid by politicians to disrupt protest and then handed to the Police who beat him some more until a crowd of youths started throwing stones at the police, which allowed him to escape. Luckily no serious damage, though he went to hospital. Desmond had to take shelter in the Teachers Union and Rogers was arrested at the CCAP church with other civil society leaders, but released when a senior police officer arrived and told them to go home. Next day Desmond took all day to return to his home as he had to avoid road blocks and trouble spots. The Police were internationally criticised but were not trained or able to cope with large scale disturbance. One police woman in Lilongwe was grabbed by youths, stripped naked, assaulted and paraded around. Shops, businesses and police and politician's houses were looted and burned. Two police stations will be closed as a result. By the time I arrived some 4 days later things had, predictably, calmed down although people I spoke with were universally against the President and there was tension, reinforced by erratic and unpredictable speeches by Bingu, one day conciliatory, the next threatening war and arrests. Since then, some talks have started, but the outcome is unclear yet. ***************************
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