Mtambo meets Asian community Thursday

Representatives of the Asian Business Community have petitioned Minister of National Unity Timothy Mtambo to tackle a rising racist tone against them.

In an interview on Sunday, Mtambo confirmed receiving a letter from Malawians of Asian descent requesting a meeting to discuss racist slurs against them.

The sentiments were whipped up by a case in which one Ashok Nair has sued Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) director general Martha Chizuma for allegedly defaming him in a phone conversation that leaked in January.

However, Mtambo said he would meet envoys of the aggrieved Asian Business Community on Thursday.

He said: “My ministry is open to dialogue with any section of the population seeking to strengthen national unity.

“We have also received a petition from Forum for National Development, who have raised a number of issues. We may meet them at some stage. We shall never run away from engaging and discussing the real issues at hand. We must confront our challenges.”

The meeting with the Asian Business Community is set to be held in the boardroom at his office in the capital city.

The Nation has seen a letter signed by Manzoor Bheda, the chairperson of the community, which reads in part:  “The Asian Community has been present in the country since the late 1800s and has been part of the fabric of Malawi.

“Recent events have changed the perception of our community in extremely bad light within various sections, of society that we believe is twisted and based on lies and half-truths.  We would be glad if your office could grant us an appointment to discuss the issue with a mind to change things for the better.”

Recently, the ministry issued a statement warning against racist slurs targeting the community.

Political analyst Ernest Thindwa said the appeal was timely because far from the racist generalisations, not all members of the targeted community are operating illegally.

“Some are good, so it is unfair to paint the whole community with one brush because of a few bad apples,” he said.

However, Thindwa said the rising rage against the community could be a sign of growing frustration by citizens who feel the government is too slow to prosecute suspects.n