Blood in their hands: Malawi govt, DPP shun July 20 demo commemoration
Government and ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) officials were conspicously missing at an event to commemorate the mauling of 20 protesters five years ago.
Leader of opposition Lazarus Chakwera was the guest of honour to the event held on Wednesday in Mzuzu.
The police mercilessly gunned down the protesters who were up in arms against escalating cost of life, former president Bingu wa Mutharika’s increasing arrogance, intolerance and dictatorial tendencies.
Families of the victims said at the event that the government is yet to compensate them for the loss of the spouses and relatives.
They asked the government to speed up the payment of the compensation money.
They said the families and the government agreed on out of court settlement but treasury is yet to release the money.
One of the organisers of the July 20 demonstrations said at the function the police who killed the innocent protesters should come out in the open so that a reconciliation process should immediately start.
Reverend Ian Longwe said Malawi is going through turbulent economic times because of the blood shed by the protesters.
“Those involved in the killing spree should indeed come forward so that they are forgiven,” said Longwe.
In an interview, Timothy Mtambo of the Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation said the killings is an indication that Malawi is a country that embraced democracy without transformation.
“There is much to be done, we should keep on confronting evil,” said Mtambo.
People laid wreaths on the graves of the victims.
Presidential aide Mavuto Bamusi said President Peter Mutharika had directed the immediate release of the compensation.
“He told the attorney general to look into this. The government has set aside K30 million for this. Only families which have a convincing case that their relatives were killed due to recklessness of police officers will get the money,” he said.
He also said that Mzuzu City Council was told to construct tombstones for the victims.
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The head of state was never invited. Instead, the organizers decided to make the leader of opposition the guest of honor. Where in the world did you see the presence of govt where non-government entities are presiding over? Neither in the east nor in the West. Everybody knows that this is just a useless political joke. Were those people who died shot dead on the demonstration route? The truth is that those people were shot dead far away from the demos near or in peoples shops. Can someone explain that inconsistency please?
DPP kachipani kakupha aka kamagazi tikachotsa pa 20 may 2019. Tonse kuno kumpoto ndi central tivotera MCP. Akulowa shire nawoso akuti atopa ndi maboza ndi njala ndikachipani ka DPP votera MCP basi tapita.
DPP not to blame. Blame joice banda and or those who organized the demos. Anngotuma anthu kuti akane Ku ma shop Iwo nkumabisala munyumba. Actuality odusafe ndi amene tinaphesa anthu.then we came ndi ma 30000 kumazapepesa achibale. And how do you call a a thief matte. Koma amalawi. God will give you chance to rule this country tidzskuwoneni. Chakwera is in fortunate as well. He is representing a part that killed thousands of Malawians some of whom were fed to crocodiles, killed, imprisoned etc. Did you know a notorious prison wader mchiteni. This was a man who could even tell… Read more »
Blood not only in their hands, but their mouths, noses and brains too! Just look at them carefully they have teeth of vampires and they ooze blood everywhere!!!
The blood of the massacred victims will not stop to cry for Justice until the culprits are brought to justice.
O…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..O The absence of govt officals is quite understandable . . . . . . you see, since the people died under the DPP leadership, the last thing the DPP govt would do or want to see (happen) is commemorate the July 20th. They would rather forget, than remember it. . . . Also, the DPP-govt officials are afraid of people’s anger, not just becoz of the killings, but also failure of govt to compensate the victims’ families (after promising them so). . . . These angry people can do anything. Anything! …………………………………………………………………………………….. However, . . . it is myopic… Read more »
Rev. IAN LONGWE was never and has never been one of the “ORGANIZERS OF JULY 20 DEMONSTRATIONS”, I am sure the reporter wanted to mean “ORGANIZER OF THE COMMEMORATION???”. I stand TESTIMONY as the CENTER of the ORGANIZATION of JULY 20 DEMONSTRATIONS and can supply all the OTHER NAMES (8 to be specific) that TRULY ORGANIZED IT, FRO GROUND ZERO!!!! LET ANYBODY who care dispute this!!!