Mtambo warns against xenophobic stereotypes

The Ministry of National Unity Timothy Mtambo has appealed against surging discriminatory verbal attacks on Malawians of Asian origin amid calls for demonstrations against corruption suspect Zuneth Sattar’s aide Ashok Nair.

A group calling itself Citizen Movement against Impunity and Corruption is agitating to march to the home of Nair, a suspect who has sued Anti-Corruption Bureau director general Martha Chizuma for defamation weeks after her leaked conversation.

Mtambo said his ministry regrets rampant social media outbursts that “promote hate speech, racially-motivated violence and xenophobic statements against Malawians of Asian descent” and their business community.

On Saturday, he issued a statement which reads in part: “While the ministry acknowledges the right to peaceful protest according to Chapter 4, Section 38 of the Constitution, we also wish to appeal to everyone against instigating racially motivated violence and any form of discrimination  

 “Let us be reminded that Malawi is governed by laws and whatever we are doing should happen within the confines of the law.”

Mtambo said the tone of those opposed to Nair’s lawsuit against the ACB chief could ruin Malawi’s image as a peaceful nation and affect the country’s fragile economy which thrives on foreign aid.

He urged all citizens to respect the rule of law and exercise their freedoms of opinion and expression with caution “without having to infringe on other people’s human rights and freedoms”, including the right to economic activity stipulated in Section 29 and citizenship outlined in Section 47 of the Constitution.

“Having an issue with one or two members of a grouping should not amount to profiling the entire race of the Malawian-Asian descent. Citizens are encouraged to respect the rule of law and always allow the due process of the law to take its course,” Mtambo said.

He warned the organisers of the demonstrations and the rest of the citizenry to desist from using statements that have the potential to instigate racially charged violence against a section of the population

 saying: “Two wrongs do not make a right.”

But lawyer James Ayuba, one of the organisers of the planned demonstrations, said the group has not done anything out of order to trigger the ministerial statement.

“My quick response is that this is what you do when you are a minister in a ministry without a clear portfolio or mandate. When you have nothing to do, you jump on petty issues that do not deserve a minister’s attention and start writing statements on matters that don’t require your response,” he said.

In an interview yesterday, political analyst Enerst Thindwa said the statement from the minister responsible for peaceful coexistence is timely because there is a surge in anger, hate and stereotypes which could morph into social conflicts if not well managed.

However, he said the line ministry needs to do more to strengthen social cohesion among all Malawians regardless of their descent.

“Certainly, the best approach is not to prevent people from holding opinions or demonstrations, but helping them to enjoy their rights within the confines of the law so that we don’t end up painting the entire Asian community with one brush.

“Certainly, not all people of Asian origin are corrupt. Some are good citizens and others may not be law-abiding. As such, we have to leave it to the legal process to pass its judgement, not

 propagating hate or stereotypes.”

However, the political scientist said the toxic tone gaining sway on social media could be a reminder for the government to ramp up the fight against corruption.

“The silent message for the government could be that Malawians are frustrated by the slow pace in prosecuting people they believe to have inflicted untold pain on the nation through corruption, so the government has to show that it is not relenting in its promise to end corruption,” he said.

The ACB dragged Nair to court on accusation that he was the distributor of Sattar’s alleged bribes to politically exposed politicians, including ex-minister of Lands Kezzie Msukwa who is currently on trial. The High Court quashed the arrest.

Now Nair has filed a defamation case against Chizuma.

Meanwhile, the Association of Asian Malawians has welcomed the initiative taken by Mtambo.

In a statement yesterday, the association said the action of a few should not and cannot condemn a whole community.

“We agree that channels of communication need to be strengthened to clear confusion. The Asian community has joined hands in the development of the nation and there is a lot more we can do together,” the statement reads in part.