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| BY :NEGRACIOUS AL MAJJIDUH |
The seemingly trifling issue about the Lake Malawi, that has generated a persistent wrangle between Malawi and Tanzania, has boiled down to a tense atmosphere with the Taifas running barbaric on Malawians. Chinese rumors have it that the on-going talks on the Lake Malawi issue is favoring Malawi hence this act by the Tanzanians.
Impeccable sources indicate that not less than 300 Malawians have been trapped in this siege sustaining deaths and/or severe beating in the process. Paradoxically, in reaction to this nasty development, which in my view qualifies to be a crisis, Malawi-based Youth and Society (YAS) in conjunction with Young Politicians Union (YPU) and Africa Enterprise Mission (AEM), yesterday the 23rd day of September 2013 produced a statement to the Government of Malawi and the public in general calling for the government to protect Tanzanian citizens currently residing in Malawi.
In that Paper, entitled: A STATEMENT ON VIOLENT DEPORTATION OF MALAWIANS BY THE TANZANIAN GOVERNMENT, some issues raised, leave a lot to be wrapped home. I sincerely behold that Malawi should learn to differentiate between cowardice and warm-heartedness. If the sole intention of Malawi as a nation is to uphold this ‘stupid impression’ of warm-heartedness be assured that we will be reduced to no less than cowards who are ready to serve their thirsty enemies with the only remaining glass of water sacrificing our need.
It is regrettably in the wisdom of this Statement Paper, signed by Mr. Charles Kajoloweka, (of YAS), Tiyane Nyirenda (of AEM) and Mr. peter Mumba (of YPU), that Government of Malawi should protect the Tanzania citizens who they said they [the signatories] fear that they [the Tanzanians living in Malawi] might be a target for mob justice by some ruthless citizens.
What I am failing to understand is the fact that these stake-holder organizations fail to understand that our dear brothers and sisters staying in Tanzania are being subjected to this ruthless act by the Tanzanians.
This Statement Paper chooses to ignore the fact that some of those Malawians tortured in Dodoma, were not protected by the Tanzanian Government. I have personally watched some footages which are showing a police officer beating the unfortunate lady whose only crime was to be a Malawian in that land.
I am also failing to understand why there was no immediate reaction by the government of this republic to that development. Are all these gestures by the Malawi government and bearers of this Statement Paper pointing to the accolade that Malawi is very “peaceful”? “Warm-hearted”? “Hospitable”? Oh my foot! We need to do away with this rave review and wake up to reality lest we be tossed left, right and center.
It has to be brought to the attention of every Malawian concerned or not concerned by these attacks that our security and welfare as a nation cannot and should not be left to such ‘dogs’ unguarded for. It is a total insult to the dignity of Malawians if our government fails to take a bold stand against this selfish development paraded by the Tanzanians.
Perhaps now it is high time the Malawi Government appreciated the need to unlock the access to the sea through the now frustrated Nsanje World In-land Port. Why I say this is because I suspect that the Malawi Government is head-tight in taking action considering the damage it can cause to its access to the Indian Ocean through the Dar es Salaam.
The late Bingu envisaged all this happening hence he contemplated on developing the Nsanje In-land Port that would surely eliminate our staggering dependency on the Tanzanian route. In that way, Malawi Government, I guess, would not waste time kneeling down and offering praises for a maintained bilateral relationship with the aggressive Tanzania.
Finally, in consolidation with this issued Paper, the Malawi Government should issue a strong communiqué to the Tanzanian Government openly condemning the xenophobic attacks on Malawians in that country. Effectively, the Tanzania Government should be urged to immediately put the situation under sustainable control with specified dead line, failing which, the Malawi Government should retaliate.
May the departed souls as a result of these xenophobic attacks rest in perpetual peace!
NEGRACIOUS AL MAJJIDUH IS A FOURTH-YEAR LAND SURVEYING STUDENT AT MZUZU UNIVERSITY
justnegracious@yahoo.com
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