MALAWI: CCJP Queries State on Disturbing Trends of Lawlessness and Social Injustices
Stella Zulu Kaferapanjira
The Episcopal Conference of Malawi’s Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP) has expressed dismay over lack of respect for the law, public insecurity especially for vulnerable groups and the neglect of long standing and entrenched social injustices in the country despite Malawians hope for a new era with the ushering in of new government almost four months ago.
The Catholic justice and peace arm has therefore asked government to execute actions beyond political rhetoric to combat the vices.
In a statement issued on the 24th of October, 2020, CCJP has observed that there is indifference towards safeguarding of the sanctity of life, effective protection of the vulnerable groups and observance of the value of the common good despite renewal of State duty towards citizens.
“Continued cases of witchcraft-based violence, defilement of young girls, the soaring numbers of teen pregnancies and child marriages and increased incidents of theft demonstrate systemic defects in the protection systems to safeguard the rights of the elderly and youths are clear manifestation that duty bearers are not doing enough to protect these vulnerable groups,” reads part of the statement signed by the CCJP National Coordinator Boniface Chibwana
The statement has cited a number of recent barbaric acts in some districts of the country such as the exhumation of a dead body of a person with albinism in Ntcheu, the horrendous raping of a minor in Chikwawa and the merciless killing of an elderly woman in Dedza based on witchcraft allegations as illustrations in the frailties in protecting the vulnerable members of society.
Inequalities and social injustices such as challenges to access land by the poor; politicization of public loans and other social protection programs which can lead to mob violence, increased lawlessness, entrenched socio-economic inequalities and deepen mistrust of citizens on their leaders have also been condemned.
On corruption, the Commission has asked the current government to refrain from selective justice and suspend those perceived to have been corrupt in the previous DPP regime and are now aligned to the present political regime, the Tonse Alliance, for effective investigations.
CCJP has among other things, recommended that Malawi Police Service should strengthen community protection systems to safeguard the rights of vulnerable groups and that there be speedy handling of cases involving killings, attacks and abductions of persons with albinism as there are serious delays to dispose the cases.
According to the statement, both public institutions and non-State actors should scale up efforts to raise awareness on the rights of vulnerable groups at the community level, and government should holistically address the land issue problem through participatory law, policy and institutional reforms.
