Malawi govt employing ‘terror tactics’ to dissenting views – NGO

Forum for New Direction (FOND) says the government of Bingu wa Mutharika is losing popularity and is employing “terror tactics” to dissenting views.

FOND said in a statement made available to Nyasa Times in reaction to the arrest of its members Samuel Lwala and Dickens Ngoma in Mzimba on Friday 23rd July 2010.

The statement issued by the organisation’s spokesman Musenga Mulungu said Ngoma had followed due process by visiting with the Police and the Mzimba District Commissioner’s offices respectively to present a letter and seek authorisation for FOND to hold a rally at Mzimba Boma on 24th July.

Mulungu explained that the rally was intended to civic educate the electorate on the up-coming local government elections but also to brief them on the developments about a new political party that “eminent politicians had entrusted FOND to facilitate”.

“FOND is a registered NGO that has a mandate to make known its activities to northern region residents, its geographical area of operation. As such, the arrest of its members does not only indicate lack of political tolerance by the current government, but also another good example of the lack of rule of law,” reads the statement.

“ FOND also takes it that the government is aware of the fact that it is losing popularity with the people of Mzimba and indeed many parts of Malawi, and would therefore like to employ terror tactics to put away voices of change that are growing stronger each new day.”

The organisation advised the Mutharika government to leave the police to do their work professionally and independent of any political influence.

“Police arrests of the nature that bars people to associate freely as guaranteed in the country’s Paramount Book of Laws is indicative of a country being dragged back to the Police State of old.

“When will the current government wake up to the reality that Malawi is now a free and democratic state? When will the current government realise that it is no longer in control of the change and choices that Malawians have to make in this free society?”

FOND pointed out to the police and government that “they may break the people’s spirit but will not break their resolve to permanently call for improved government policies and equal development opportunities”.

The NGO said is going ahead to “galvanise unity of people; empower them to speak with one voice and empower them to achieve common objectives together. The arrests will not deter this goal to be achieved with or without rallies.”

In the statement, the organisationis appealing to international bodies to be vigilant in monitoring the political situation in Malawi, especially the numerous incidents of political and human rights abuses that are “becoming rampant in the current administration”.

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