CEDEP faults Malawi churches on demo ‘for life and family’: March against corruption, lack of drugs in hospitals, joblessness and blackouts

Human rights advocacy body, Centre for the Development of People (Cedep) has criticised  plans for Episcopal Conference of Malawi (ECM) alongside Evangelical Association of Malawi (EAM)  to hold a demonstration against abortion law and homosexuality to be held on  Tuesday 6th December in all districts across the country.

In what  they are terming ‘citizen march for life and family’, ECM and EAM has received backing from Nkhma Synod of the CCAP who have said they will joing thje pro-life demonstrations to serve as a reminder to all people and institutions that human life is sacred and also that the dignity of the human being is the foundation of moral vision for society.

But CEDEP has said the faith groups move is meant to deflect Malawian’s attention from the suffering they are going through with the current economic turmoil.

“There are other things the groups can deal with at congregationa level with their followers than trying to divert Malawians’ attention from the many challenges the country is going through,” Cedep boss Gift Trapence said in a statement made available to Nyasa Times.

He said there are many social evils happening in the country that needs Churches to denounce them and even hold demonstrations against such malpractices.

“We have blackouts, water shortages, our economy has crumbled, corruption is on the increase and the government is not concerned either. There are the issues that EAM could have demonstrated against,” said CEDEP.

CEDEP statement specifically blames EAM which does not condemn governance and other social evils that has political connotation.

The rights group is asking the religious leaders to hold demonstrations against lack of drugs in hospitals, loss of business due to electricity blackouts, and increasing levels of unemployment instead of abortion.

Proposed abortion law is expected to be tabled in Parliament this coming seating of Parliament and advocates of the legislation have been arguing that by denying women of the freedom to procure abortion legally, it is costing government more in treatment effects of unsafe abortion complications.