Malawi, Mozambique to form committees to curb border crimes
Governments of Malawi and Mozambique have agreed to establish committees in the border areas of Mangochi and along the Ruo River in Mulanje to amicably resolve border issues that ensue so often.
The resolution was made Tuesday during the 11th session of Mozambique and Malawi Joint Permanent Commission on Defence and Security (JPCDS) held in Mangochi this week.
Malawi’s Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security, Cecilia Chazama, told journalists that the committees would also be dealing with border conflicts which sometimes affect economic activities of the two countries along the border lines.
“We would want to have committees in neighbouring districts both at local and higher levels just to ensure that conflicts or issues that arise from the two sides of the border line are resolved amicably with speed,” the minister said.
She added the two governments also tackled issues of immigration, border reaffirmation and cross border crimes.
Mozambican National Defence Minister, Atanasio Salvador Mtumuke, said the meeting had consolidated the two countries’ bilateral relations, adding that it also accorded the two countries opportunity to discuss issues surrounding the water bodies shared between the two countries.
“Most of the issues have been discussed but on the border reaffirmation, our two sub commissions, dealing with the matter will finalize everything by this December,” said Mtumuke.
The resolutions made during the meeting are expected to be implemented soon. The two governments also condemned the ritual attacks on bald-headed people, persons with albinism, and those suspected to be bloodsuckers which the two countries witnessed recently.
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Apart from those issues in Mangochi and Ruo as a matter of urgency, the committee should also look into the manner in which Mozambican Immigration officers routinely demand and receive R 50s from Malawians each time they are passing through their territory on the way to South Africa. Those that resist paying R 50s are sternly told that they will not be allowed to pass through. They often explain that Malawians should pay R 50s because Malawians killed Samora. Is the money meant to be damages for loss of dependency for Samora’s children working in the Immigration or it goes… Read more »