By Alex Chitwere, MANA
Malawi President Professor Peter Mutharika on Wednesday hit back at the Amnesty International and other human rights groups for blaming government after arrests of leaders of Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC).
HRDC’s chairperson Timothy Mtambo, Gift Trapence and McDonald Sembereka were arrested this week for planning to close down State residences, a move deemed treasonous.
Addressing people during the launch of the Shire Valley Transformation Programme Phase One at Chikwawa community ground, a visibly charged Mutharika called on the human rights bodies to exercise fairness in their criticisms.
Mutharika said there was no way one would describe the activities of the groupings as human rights because they have been destructive to the country.
“What they are doing is not human rights, it’s criminal,” he challenged. “I am an international law expert and I have been teaching human rights law at reputable universities in the world and I know what human rights are,” Mutharika said.
He added: “You cannot close down the state house; then you are putting the president under house arrest, that’s treason.”
Mutharika said he will advise all security agencies to stop the demonstrations using force.
Paramount Chief Lundu expressed dismay over the recent developments in the country and said that it is now time for the president to act and put to an end all the lawlessness.
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Regional Governor for the South, Charles Mchacha said Malawians and churches should be cautious with some of the HRDC leaders, saying most of them have a hidden agenda as they are the same people that were advocating for legislation of homosexuality in the country.
