(MALAWI) Malawi sets ablaze 40 houses for Zambians
Malawi sets ablaze 40 houses for ZambiansBy Nyasa Times
Published: November 17, 2010
Officials from Kasungu National Park in Malawi have set ablaze 40 houses for Zambians over a border dispute, top government officials in Blantyre have confirmed. The misunderstanding between the two neighbouring countries has remained unresolved for over 30 years.
Kasungu National Park borders the eastern side of Zambia.
Zambia President Rupiah Banda and his Malawians counterpart Bingu wa Mutharika
Malawi’s Director of Parks in the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Culture Leonard Sefu said the park officials warned the Zambians, who encroached the park several times since February, to no avail.
“But the Zambians ignored the warnings. They even started preparing more land to grow crops, so the national park officials forcibly removed all their belongings from the houses, removed everybody out of the houses, and set them ablaze,” said Mr Sefu.
Kidnapped
He said during the operation, the Zambians kidnapped five members of staff and confiscated two Malawi Government vehicles. The five and the vehicles have since been surrendered.
Asked if the operation would not cause a diplomatic row between Malawi and Zambia, Mr Sefu said the officials were forced to act after the boundary between Malawi and Zambia was clearly marked.
“But the discussions are still going on between Malawi and Zambia through the Foreign Affairs ministries,” said Mr Sefu, adding before the exercise, the district commissioners and police chiefs from Kasungu and Mchinji were involved in the discussions.
— (Reporting by Rex Chikoko, Africa Review)
Labels: BINGU WA MUTHARIKA, BORDERS, CHIEF CHANJE, KASUNGU NATIONAL PARK, LEONARD SEFU, POLICE CORRUPTION
posted by MrK @ 4:03 AM
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