US ready to offer asylum to Malawi people with albinism: ‘They have well founded fear’

February 22, 2019 Pius Nyondo- Nyasa Times 38 Comments

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.

A representative of Malawi’s Association of People with Albinism- Credit: Getty Images

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.

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38 replies on “US ready to offer asylum to Malawi people with albinism: ‘They have well founded fear’”

  1. 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

  2. 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 any leadership skills and age is not on his side. Let someone come who has at least the welfare of his or her people at heart. How can we live like this, he has failed to deal with corruption and his accomplices are becoming too powerful – look at corruption at Immigration Dept, see what is happening at Macra, the list is endless. Guys, let’s admit, Muthalika has zero leadership qualities and his accomplices know this. I wish people like Nakhumwa were at the helm of the party, at least he demonstrates that he has the energy to deal with the needs of people.

  3. 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 his comments on the crisis.i will be surprised if Malawians vote Dpp government in again.

  4. 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.

  6. “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.

  7. How did we ( collectively) let it get to this point?, we have miserably failed our brothers and sisters…….. sooooooo sad!!!

  8. A Chimulirenji mukuti nayo bwanji nkhani imeneyi. A polofesa akuti bwa?? DPP woyee?? This a national crisis!! please take action

  9. 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!!!!

  10. @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.

  11. I have a major problem with an MP, who is chairing a parliamentry committee and is happy with this arrangement. It just shows how clueless our leadership is.

    Get to the bottom of the issue, let us smoke out all these bruital muderers and ensure the rightful punishment is meted out to them.

    It is ashame when I think that we have entrusted the development of our nation to such people. It is a great shame.

  12. Dziko lino no wonder matembelero ndi migolo…… migolo zinthu zingayende bwanji mwazi wa alubino ukufuula mu nthaka?, its high time Ambuye atipatse utsogoleri oopa Mulungu, tikuyenda muma tsoka ndima tembelero amagazi koopsya , tikulangika chifukwa cha atsogoleri odzadzidwa ndi mphanvu za satana.

  13. I always wonder peter muthalika talks of landslide victory, do u mean what we are seeing now as ur weapon. Bwana muliko Ku state house or cardiac inatenga and Norman Chisale ndi getuludi akutibisa chabe? Ukalamba ndiomwe wativuta APA!

  16. Our government should offer asylum to black Americans being killed by police in their multitudes. What about mass shootings in the USA – how many people are being killed through mass shootings? Has the USA solved this problem? What does their Homeland Security say? Has Dausi, Malawi ambassador to the USA or Amnesty International commented on this? This is why America is hated around the world. It’s wrong for the USA to politicise and interfere in Malawi’s internal problems.

    1. In my opinion, I wouldn’t say that they are politicizing the issue but rather giving people freedom to life. They are making known to the public some of their constitutional rights to the whole world that some cases require special urgency and treatment. Albinos in Malawi are not safe and they shouldn’t be locked up as prisoners. We were all created in the image of God as such, we are all free. No man has authority over another but God. Our albino brothers and sisters all they need to do is get in touch with the UNHCR not AMERICA and the rest will be history. What we don’t know, can hurt or help us. Politics does not give life, but it does need life for it to survive.

    2. It was a Malawian who said they will seek asylum in other countries. At least in America perpetrators are caught and tried. Nobody walks away. Justice is served.

      1. So, America should shut the fuck up. Some of you read about America in the news. We know America from living there. White police officers who kill black people are shielded from facing justice.

        1. In other words, so you are trying to say you’re backing your government for maintaining mum on the matter…………………….? Mwana wa satana iwe………..!! US is not forcing all albinos to go to their country……….! All they have said is everybody is ready to seek asylum to US is welcome! Period! Am seeing you mad on this becoz your master won’t have prey tomorrow….!! Shame on you cadet…………….

  20. People alway think USA (or the west) is heaven. They will face other hurdles once they get there: isolatio from relatives and support system; economic problems etc.

    1. Ndeumati atani? If you were an albino would’ve you chosen to stay instead when you own relatives and countrymen are scheming to have you killed and the authorities are doing absolutely nothing about it and its rumoured that they are the ones behind it all? Kumaganiza before you speak!

    2. Better face other hurdles than be killed by your own………………….! You seem to be complaining and saying: if they go, who shall we kill next? Mwana wa njoka iwe……………….!! What is wrong with this decision? Albinos, go, go, go, go, go ………………….. remember phukusi la moyo samasungilanaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!! DPP wants to win elections thru jujuuuuuuuuuuuuuu and key chithumwa is your parts!! Run away brothers and sisters!!

  22. God will always bless America, may he bless you over and over again for this gesture of love to people with albinism.
    While this land (Malawi) is languishing in curse after curse for blood calls for blood. I pray that after 21 may Chakwera should call for national prayers

  23. Alex Major is very useless . As a law maker he is simply reactive other than being proactive. He had to wait until APAM knocked at the doors of diplomatic missions for him to come up with support. Why in the first did he not suggest this as one way of protecting people with albinism? These are the kind of people who will soon be begging us to give them votes again in order to lead us when they do not have leadership qualities. If I were to chose an MP between Kondowe and Major who do you thing would get my vote?

    1. Iwe ndi amene uli useless you havent read the article between lines.Alex Major is just responding to what the US ambassador has said after hearing from APAM president.School ikupindulireni abambo

    2. Ur not just stupid person in fact ur mad man, ur very crazy, u and your family must go to hell! Trust me u were born in the family of zombies, if you are not a witch ur very dad notorious. How can normal person speak like that? Look u and Dausi Muthalika wakoyo ur idiots. People devastated with the death of someone who has been sick for long time, how about abducted and killed does that sound simple to you? In fact shut fuck up.

    3. Chitsiru iweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! Don’t you know that security matters are headed by APM!! If Major rashed into this your stupid government would have been saying………….. wakukaliyala saongolela njingaaaaaaaa………. instead of blaming APM, why target Mejor? Chitsiru ichinso, koma m’mene boma limayendetsedwela umadziwa bakha iwe?

  24. This is a great development. Of course US is not necessarily a “free country,” but they won’t be hunted down like in this country. Malawi government needs to be charged with human rights violations for doing nothing to protect our brothers and sisters. I am embarrassed to be associated with these primitive politicians!

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