The Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI) has demanded authorities including Chinese Embassy to facilitate the arrest of Chinese national Lu Ke, also known as Susu, saying failure by authorities to act as demanded will leave the organization with no choice but to mobilise the masses to hold peaceful demonstrations until Lu Ke faces the law.
CDEDI Executive Director Sylvester Namiwa said the push comes after CDEDI has sadly uncovered tactic and shameless attempt by some sectors of the society, who are trying to defend Lu Ke by twisting information to suit their selfish interests, and issuing threats to well-meaning citizens who are urging authorities to bring the suspect to book.
He added the tactics are aimed at diverting attention of the general population on the sins committed by Lu Ke.
Namiwa said some misguided individuals seem to have taken advantage of CDEDI’s calls for justice on the matter and are reportedly busy scheming attacks on some innocent Chinese nationals.
He said he feels the conduct is just a deliberate ploy to divert Malawians’ attention from real issues raised by CDEDI and other human rights bodies within and outside Malawi as regards the dehumanizing said videos.
“It is worth putting on record that the filming incident as it stands is an isolated case by an individual, and not the entire Chinese community in Malawi; therefore, it is not a matter that affects all Chinese nationals staying in this country; hence, we should not use one brush to paint all,” he said.
He has since condemned such plans and those behind them saying by giving the seven-day ultimatum, CDEDI and any of the concerned citizens and human rights campaigners are not in any way calling on anyone to take the law into their hands.
Namiwa further reiterated his organisation’s earlier stand of calling on authorities to desist from any attempts to employ delaying tactics and/or downplaying saying doing so amounts to serious crime against humanity.
He also suggested that since the matter also borders on aspects of profit-making, it is important for relevant authorities to ensure that survivors of the exploitative filming should benefit by way of compensation.
The CDEDI boss therefore said the zeal employed in blocking South African Dancer Zodwa Wabantu by Minister of Tourism and culture should also be demonstrated in this child exploitative matter.
“Malawians are missing the efficiency of the responsible Minister Hon. Michael Usi, and the Department of Immigration, including the Malawi Police Service, who exchanged memos until Zodwa, whom the authorities reportedly feared posed a threat to Malawi’s culture, was barred from entering the country,” he says.
The same Malawi police witnessed the arrest of Erik Aniva after a BBC investigative report and this is the kind of swiftness Malawians expected to see in Susu’s case.
“It is against this background that CDEDI and all well-meaning Malawians will stop at nothing but push for the arrest of Susu,” he said.
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