CSOs refuses to be cowed by Malawi govt ‘intimidation’: CHRR, Cedep say won’t be ‘hand clappers of mediocrity’

Civil society organisations (CSO) have declared that they will not be intimidated by government through Solicitor General Janet Banda that they reported human rights abuses to the United Nations (UN) to please donors.

CHRR and Cedep executive directors Timothy Mtambo and Gift Trapence: Petitioned the President over Nacgate
CHRR and Cedep executive directors Timothy Mtambo and Gift Trapence: We will not be hand clappers

A letter from the UN rapporteur on human rights angered Solicitor General after it contained information that police and government officials harassed CSO leaders in the run up to the January 15 2015 demonstrations which took place across the country.

Banda accused the CSOs who submitted reports, saying they ambushed government with issues which were not raised at country level with her government.

In both the media interview and during her opening speech at the working session of Malawi’s taskforce on Convention against torture (CAT) at Lilongwe hotel on 15th April 2015, the Solicitor General took a swipe to label the CSOs who “frequent” Geneva as unpatriotic who are only hell-bent at portraying a bad picture of government while neglecting the remarkable progress made by government in human rights realm.

The Secretary to the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs further alleged that the CSOs were just trying to sustain their own donor funding.

Reacting to the accusations, two of the CSOs who have consistently reported human rights violations to rights bodies—Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation (CHRR) and Centre for Development of People (Cedep)— told Nyasa Times that they not surprised with the “unpatriotic” accusations considering the fact that some other prominent government politicians including the Minister of Gender Patricia Kaliati, Minister of Information Kondwani Nankhumwa and Minister of Health Jean Kalilani have of the recent past made similar rants especially following the joint anti-‘NACGATE’ [abuses at National Aids Commission] advocacy with the climax of it being the 13th January 2015 demonstrations against bad governance and political abuse and interference.

“Coming from another highly ranked government official is no surprise but rather confirms the existing collective philosophy in the current [Peter Mutharika’s] regime that any actor/stakeholder who decides to expose the current regime gaffes, especially on the international scene, is unpatriotic. Patriotism, according to [Mutharika] regime’s dictionary is merely singing praise of the current regime in the midst of shortfalls requiring urgent national and international response to remedy the same,” reads the statement signed by CHRR executive director Timothy Mambo and Cedep executive director Gift Trapence.

The two groups argued that the government, by virtue of being party to the various UN mechanisms and treaty bodies like Universal Periodic Review (UPR) and International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCCPR), but also African Commission on Human and People’s Rights (ACHPR) gives CSOs their mandate to present their reports.

“However, what is surprising to us on the other hand is to hear such ill-advised comments being echoed by a respected professional but also well conversant with the international reporting mechanisms including Universal Periodic Review (UPR) and other UN mechanisms.

“This is retrogressive in as far as the government’s committed efforts towards protection and promotion of human rights for all in line with the international human rights instruments to which it is party to are concerned,” the two groups said.

Mtambo and Trapence have vowed that they will “never be part of the docile citizenry that tacitly supports mediocrity in the name of patriotism.”

Reads the statement: “ As human rights defenders, we will never sacrifice the social accountability movement, both locally and internationally, at the altar of a professed patriotism.  We will never be part of those hand clappers who entertain mediocrity under the guise of patriotism. Malawians of good will are the best judges of who a true patriot is.”

They argue that Instead of suppressing the CSOs voice in international human rights mechanisms, the government should put its house in order and address the concerns.

The groups said it is “misleading” on the part of government to suggest that CSOs only dwell on the “negatives” while deliberately ignoring the “positives” registered by government.

They said government and the general republic can be referred to all the shadow reports and statements they have presented to appreciate the blend of “positives” so far registered and areas requiring improvement.

“ However, it is imperative to point out that while some positives have been registered there is still more work, even outweighing the positives, in human rights realm that needs government’s attention, and it would be suicidal on our part as a country (government and civil society included) to dwell on singing praise on a few registered successes to the extent of turning a blind eye to areas that require our urgent attention.

The CSOs have vowed that they will not be stampeded from fulfilling their human rights and governance obligations as human rights defenders.

“No dictatorial sentiment, let alone political threats, shall succeed in wooing us to depart from the path of reason. We remain charged up for the noble service in the best interest of human rights for all. We are, and shall remain human rights servants,” concluded the statement.

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Cymru
Cymru
8 years ago

Mr Mtambo and your friends (CSOs), government is not intimidating you but is just expressing surprise on the way you have reported to the UN. I believe, there is nothing that could be hidden if there were abuses of CSOs in Malawi even dogs and cats would know it. Many citizens are surprised to hear the claims you are making. Your approach is like gossiping and the UN like what others have already said should have a system of checking what you are claiming. There is UN office here in Malawi and I don’t believe that they can agree to… Read more »

Biyisikolo
Biyisikolo
8 years ago

What is happening to Chasowa’s death? Malawians why did you vote for murderers? Why? If one reports this to the UN, is that being unpatriotic? What has happen to 20 July victims? CSO are guardians for our rights its only a mediocre who has a quota system certificate that can’t see this. Why support blood sucking satanists? Are you a satanist?

pwt
pwt
8 years ago

guys youshld not lie, who blocked you as youconducted your demos? the lying shows that you have nothing to criticise. you mean if you say things are moving well you wont get funds?

Wanga Woyikonda
Wanga Woyikonda
8 years ago

Guys these CSOs are not only fools but also killers. They are coming up simply because IMF has shown us its all teeth by $18 mita. They want the IMF and World Bank to stop supporting Malawi. Unfortunately if that happens its the very same useless homos who blow their trumpet the loudest that Malawi should win the donor confidence. Now the government has received such support and look at the CSOs. Without thanking the government for its effort in winning the donor confidence, fancy what they are doing. I thought these CSOs would have thanked the government and encourage… Read more »

Penani Unenesko
8 years ago

Both government and CSOs are organisations that need to monitored and evaluated.Both of these are liable to errors.In order to have good governance, we need CSOs.CSOs also need government.They are stakeholders to each other.

Chibwe
Chibwe
8 years ago

It is surprising that these morons of CSOs believe it is in order to be confrontational, reporting anything to international organizations and donors and then come back to government and demand transparency/accountability when the damage has already been done and expect the working relationship to be nice? What type of leadership begins with antagonism then dialogue?

CSO wa CSO
8 years ago

CSOs, please be patriotic to your country Malawi which God gave you to live in. If you have any issues, please bring them forward to govt and never be fooled by Chakwera who cannot be president of Malawi.

ENOCH
ENOCH
8 years ago

mbuzi za anthu izi osalimbana nazo in two years time tawona ana a primary akupanga ziwonetsero anyaniwa alipo koma anali zii kodi atumbuka mwatani? dzikoli ndilathu simupindula kanthu kalikonse pa izi za chamba

mwana mulopwana
mwana mulopwana
8 years ago

As of now everything is going smoothly in Malawi but Mtambo and his gay companion are stupid pigs whose actions need to be condemned, They don’t wish the country good and to my look of things, they are lazy pigs who just want easy money from donors, I also want to ask their donors to come and audit their institution because what they are doing is donorgate, it seems they cant work in Malawi and the only thing they can do is to lie about mother Malawi

wochenjera
wochenjera
8 years ago

Gay rights idiots and Tumbukas: Which is closer to you, Lilongwe or Geneva? Why should stuff get to Geneva before it has been shared with Lilongwe. Mtambo, when Brian Banda asked you in a recent Times TV interview about your perchance for smuggling trivia to Geneva, your body language showed that you were guilty and you insincerely tried to defend yourself. Last time you idiots went to Geneva and smeared ill advised dirty against Bingu Mutharikas government, you had thought only Bingu would suffer. The whole Malawi queued at service stations because you imbeciles negatively reported your government to bodies… Read more »

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