Activists report HRDC, opposition leaders to ICC over post-election violence

… Say protests could culminate in civil war

A group of Malawi rights activists has asked the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate opposition leaders and the Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) over possible crimes against humanity.

The group of 11 individuals under the banner Malawi Human Rights Activists claims that the Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC), leader of  Malawi Congress Party (UTM) Lazarus Chakwera and UTM president Saulos Chilima have been inciting violence  and their conduct is slowly leading to crimes against humanity in Malawi.

The HRDC – led by Timothy Mtambo and Gift Trapence – have been organising demonstrations against the outcome of the May 21 elections. Chilima and Chakwera who lost the presidential elections and are challenging the outcome in court have been joining the protests together with their supporters.

The post-election protests have been characterised with acts of violence including arson attacks, pelting stones at buildings and blocking roads.

In its letter to the ICC dated July 31, 2019, the group of activists said the acts of violence include beating of political opponents, displacement of citizens who comes from other regions of the country, and hate speech by opposition parties against other political parties and people from other regions.

The group of activists accused MCP of coordinating the violence acts, UTM of financing the post-election protests and the HRDC of being used by the two parties to subvert democracy and lead the regime change agenda through demonstrations.

“HRDC has vowed to continue to push for these civil unrest which we fear if not stopped might end up into civil war. Already the two parties that are supporting the HRDC in the demos, have been releasing hate audios which is urging the killing of other people. Further, there has been hit list of different people that are being targeted to be killed and urging their supporters to use the coming protest to carry out their actions,” reads the letter in part.

The group of activists then invited the ICC to Malawi to investigate as they did in other countries.

Individuals who have signed the letter include Fryson Chodzi, Unandi Banda, Luther Mambala, Ms Carol Mvalo, Peter Mumba, Emily Banda, Bright Kampaundi Phillip Kamangira Kulimbamtima, Chiotcha, Mervin Nqumayo, and Moses Chione.