By Duncan Mlanjira
Following the killing of Police Mobile Service Superintendent Usumani Imedi, who was team leader during violent protest at Msundwe in Lilongwe on October 8 along Mchinji-Lilongwe road, has appealed for public calm and the respect for mechanisms for conflict management and resolutions rather than opting for violent acts in addressing grievances.
In a press statement issued by PAC co-signed by its chairperson, The Very Reverend Dr. Felix Chingota and publicity secretary, Rev. Fr. Peter Mulomole, says they are appalled by this loss of life created in the image of God.
“PAC believes that human life is sacred and irreplaceable and, therefore, the mob killing of security officers is a dangerous path taken by those who are disgruntled by the current political situation.
“Violence will never bring durable solutions to our political deficits we experience today.
“We further note that the current spate of violent acts seem to have created an atmosphere of retaliatory behavior.
“Let us be clear. The current political situation is nothing to do with any specific tribe or region. We also observe that careless statements are being advanced even in social media bordering on tribal or regional attacks or targets.
“We caution that the use of social media for divisive objectives runs counter to conflict prevention and management.
“PAC condemns those who wish to use tribal and regional lines as weapons against social cohesion in Malawi.
“Let us not create fertile ground for war among tribes and regions [because] tribalism and regionalism as mechanisms for solving political problem have never been successful.
“We take this opportunity to link the current wave of violence to slowness on the dialogue process. PAC is fully convinced that while dialogue is a slow process for dealing with the current political situation, it remains the only correct path for managing this complex situation.
“It is our conviction further that no dialogue can tackle all current challenges within a day or just a week — if dialogue is understood as a process and demands inclusivity at various levels.
“In this vein, PAC reiterates that it cannot divulge specific details discussed with parties in the dialogue process. This would be a fundamental departure from the basic principles of dialogue facilitation.
“PAC can only share specific conversations with the public with permission from the parties concerned.
“We call all Malawians to be calm and to respect the rule of law. As leaders in our respective institutions, we must call upon our followers to refrain from violence. We are all Malawians and must respect divergent views,” says the statement.