US ready to offer asylum to Malawi people with albinism: ‘They have well founded fear’
One of Malawi largest development partner, the United States of America (USA), has said it is “ready” to offer to persons with albinism—who have been subjected to immeasurable inhumane attack—asylum on condition that they follow UN procedures.
The US government’s announcement comes few days after Association of Persons with Albinism in Malawi (APAM) president, Overstone Kondowe, announced they would seek asylum since they felt they were no longer safe in the country.
But Minister of Homeland Security Nicholas Dausi dismissed the asylum calls, saying the situation had not yet reached a crisis level.
However, speaking Friday, US Embassy in Malawi head of public affairs, Douglas Johnson, said his country was a “free country” and was “ready to give refugee status” to persons with albinism in the country so they can live in the America
Johnson said the only requirement was that they follow “procedures” as prescribed by the United High Comissioner Refugees (UNHCR).
Parliamentary Committee on Social Welfare chairperson, Alex Major, has since welcomed the development saying they would offer support to persons with albinism should they need any in the process of asylum seeking.
These people are not safe, and we will offer our support should they need it to go elsewhere,” said Major.
Apam president Overstone Kondowe said Malawi needs to accept that security and investigative measures have failed to bring tangible solutions to this national crisis.
Since November 2014, the number of reported crimes against people with albinism in Malawi has risen to 152 cases, including 25 murders and more than 10 people missing, according to Apam.
People with albinism will continue to be born in the country, so it means that once that happens they will be seeking asylum in USA? We need a long lasting solution to this problem in Malawi. This development temporary solves the problem but disgraces us Malawians. Its total stupidity for a government to fail to crack down on these foolish perptrators
This issue has demonstrated that the government has no clue of what it’s doing. The system has failed people with albinism big time. I wonder why this serious matter has never even been spoken by the president. Sometimes, when the president speaks about serious issues like this, the government agencies become active and it gives confidence to everyone that something is being done. But, i guess the president is not really concerned about what’s going on in his country. I am not really bias towards any political party, but frankly, Muthalika has to pack up and go. I don’t see… Read more »
Someone here a concerbed citizen says this MP in a parliamentary committee is wrong to endorse asylum plans for our albino brethren?? No hes not wrong imagine If it was ur teal sister or brother abducted??i wish this happened yesterday all people with albinism in Malawi need to apply for asylum to go to the USA as soon as possible coz they can get killed any day.Malawi is not safe at all.the ministers and presidents have 24 hour security why dnt u guve people wt albinism such securityfrm police or even army??and Dausi minister needs to resign or sacked for… Read more »
Shame on us n most especially our leadership. Zoona inu otchedwa atsogoleri mukungoyang’ana? Dr Chakwera please come out mutithandize. Zoona a Malawi a mzanga tafika pamenepa? Emperor Bokasa out please in the name of Jesus. Zinazi musazivotere zikuziwapo kanthu. UTM? MCP’s Chakwera had the guts to condem the act, zinazi zitayeni.
I hope they don’t go to Chicago, Chiraq is a masacre
“WELL FOUNDED FEAR”. Very well chosen words. Fellow human beings are being hunted, bundled up, slaughtered and sold like chickens. Each and everyone of us Malawians should hang our heads in shame. We have failed our brothers and sisters.
How did we ( collectively) let it get to this point?, we have miserably failed our brothers and sisters…….. sooooooo sad!!!
A Chimulirenji mukuti nayo bwanji nkhani imeneyi. A polofesa akuti bwa?? DPP woyee?? This a national crisis!! please take action
While I applaud the USA government for providing asylum to our brothers and sisters, I’m deeply saddened that we could not protect them in our country. This brings Malawi on the world map for sadly a very inhumane reason, my heart bleeds for my country men and women. Malawi WE CAN DO BETTER! SHAME ON US!!!!
@Concern Citizen u mean u dont know that the siting President is power of determining where the country goes? If any Minister, Govt Official or Army or Police Head does anything without Presidential approval gets a chop thats why Chilima is insisting of reduction of huge Presidential Powers.