The Episcopal Conference of Malawi (ECM)’s Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP) has condemned the acts of violence that have resurfaced in the country as evidenced by the fracas and subsequent loss of life in Thyolo-Goliati over the weekend.
In their statement issued on the 18th March 2014, and signed by CCJP National Secretary Chris Chisoni stated that no one must lose his or her life or get disfigured due to violence emanating from political rallies.
The statement further read that the right to life and safety supersedes the right to political association and assembly as such; no amount of political differences and verbal provocation should lead to any acts of violence and sudden deaths or wounding of any person.
“We, the Justice and Peace Commission, therefore, call upon all political leaders, their supporters, the state security functionaries, traditional leaders and the general citizenry to remember always to work for peace and calm at all times; and that during these hyped- elections times, all must ensure safety and security of all that come to listen to campaign issues that seek to ensure an informed citizenry that will make its choice of leaders on May 20, 2014 based on their assessment of the leaders that have successfully won their hearts not by intimidation, nor coercion. We also call on the youths to refuse to be abused by political leaders to perpetrate violence,” read the statement.
The statement came about following the violence that erupted on Sunday shortly after an election rally led by President Joyce Banda at Goliyati village in a stronghold of her rival Peter Mutharika of the former ruling Democratic Progressive Party.
Reports from Malawi said a police officer was axed to death and a protester was shot dead in clashes with stone-throwing opposition activists after police fired tear gas to disperse the hostile crowd. The protester was killed when police fired into the crowd in what a police spokeswoman described as an act of "self defense".
The President of Malawi Mrs. Joyce Banda said she was saddened by the killing of a police officer who was enforcing peace, calm, law and order. She said that the clashes between opposition protesters were politically motivated and called for a thorough investigation.
Malawi heads to the polls on May 20 for presidential, parliamentary and local elections.
SOURCE: ECM Communication Office and News Agencies
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