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Church slams state violence

    JOHANNESBURG

    Malawi’s protestant churches on Sunday accused ruling party youth activists of being “terrorists”, in a broadside against alleged state-sponsored violence. “We are aware of a group of terrorists which is being controlled by some in the president’s office,” AFP quoted a letter, read in churches throughout the country, as saying.

    The statement came after leaders of the Malawi Council of Churches which groups 20 protestant churches announced last week that its members had begun to fast and pray to protest against violence against clerics. The “terrorists” is a new term the churches have used to brand the self-styled Young Democrats of the ruling United Democratic Front (UDF) of President Bakili Muluzi, known for harassing and attacking Muluzi’s opponents, AFP reported. “The church wants to bring to the attention of the powers that be (that) terrorism does not build a nation, it breeds anarchy and Somalia is a good example of state terrorism,” the statement said. It called on the UDF “to deal with the evil in its own rank and file”.

    This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions

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