(NYASATIMES) Malawi govt repeats warning on NGOs ban

Malawi govt repeats warning on NGOs ban
By Nyasa Times
Published: April 6, 2010

The Malawi Government has warned again to shut down non-governmental organizations (NGOs) operating “without following proper procedures”.

Presidential advisor on civil society and NGOs, Bessie Chirambo, rattled the sabres of banning the operations of NGOs during an interview with Straight Talk presenter Brian Banda on Capital Radio.

In the programme aired on Tuesday evening, Chirambo recalled her earlier threat after the Human Rights Consultative Committee (HRCC) which represents 91 civil society organizations petitioned President Bingu wa Mutharika in an open letter over what they say “government is intimidating, harassing and threatening all dissent”.

“I reached that particular stand just because I have been listening to media whereby the NGO could criticise government even before consultations. They could just stand up and start blaming government that they are not listening,” she said.

She said the civil society and NGO community should be consulting government before criticising it in the media.

“They have never come up with the blame but they just go to newspapers. Do you mean, Brian, a newspaper can solve issues? If you really need an answer you have to ask somebody who will have answers,” she said.

Chirambo said as public watchdog, the NGOs should seek contact and discuss with government especially that President Mutharika appointed her on as advisor and opened the office for their interaction.

“They have to come to my office with issues. They cannot have an answer from newspaper. We want to make our Malawi a good living country.

“I am not saying they should not criticise the government but before they criticise they should bring those issues to government,” Chirambo said.

The presidential aide warned that government would close ‘noisy’ NGOs.

“We as government will not tolerate any NGO which is working in Malawi not meeting the agenda and the missions they promised the people at the grassroots. We will only tolerate those NGO which are meeting the mission of the Malawians.

“Some NGO are making noise. They are begging money from people like an NGO that was asking K200 to secure places for secondary schools yet up to now nothing has been done. We are going to close them.

“We are going to ban; we are going to close those NGOs. We cannot tolerate that. Time will come whereby I want to give a list of NGOs which we have closed or we are going to close. As of now I am scrutinising them,” she said.

She said her office was consulting with the Council of Non-Governmental Organization and other stakeholders before shutting down the ‘noisy’ NGOs.

Commentators say the Bingu government wanted to copy the Robert Mugabe strategy which banned all NGOs operations in Zimbabwe on June 4, 2008. When asked about it, Chirambo denied the fears.

“That is very untrue, Am I Zimbabwean? Ngwazi Dr Bingu wa Mutharika is a very flexible president. He has that listening ear. You will never see him change a face just because you have brought a contrary report.

“If people are saying that President is difficult, they are liars they are just cheating you. We welcome criticism, we welcome praises but now we have opened their office. The office is there for them to come to sit, to discuss together,” she said.