Malawi activists unveil ‘plan B’, IBAM gets injunction

Civic groups in Malawi said they  decided against holding street vigils because they feared for their safety following government threats of "bloodshed" but unveiled what they said was 'plan b' to urge people to be indoors, initially for three days and then indefinite stay-away.

The activist said this at a news conference convened in the capital city Lilongwe after winning a court battle allowing them to hold vigils.

But later in the evening Indigenous Business Association of Malawi (IBAM) led by its president Mike Mlombwa obtained another court injunction against "any form of vigil."

Peter Chinoko said the 'plan B is that vigils should be done in one’s own home.

"Vigil is a Latin word which virtually means awake," explained Chinoko, coordinator of the Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP).

Ngoma: We will fight on

"Planned vigils should be done in one’s own home," he said.

"Instead of converging on designated places. People should conduct vigils at home, "he said.

"Stay-way from work. Pray and reflect on issues affecting our country," Chinoko said.

The activists said after three days of stay-away they will regroup and strategise.

Dorothy Ngoma, the Leader of the National Organisation of Nurses and Midwives
of Malawi, said the home vigil will also "help stop behaviours of looting."

Ngoma said government and its agents had threatened "bloodshed" during street protests and they needed "to protect our sons and daughters from that."

She said: "Each one of us as Malawians we have a responsibility to protect our interests, our lives."

Ngoma however said by staying away from work, Malawians will be making a statement to government o make greater political and economic reforms.

"We are going to do everything that is possible for now to ensure that our voice is heard," she said, adding "They will still feel it. It will be very quite."

She appealed to security forces not to shoot nurses and doctors, saying they will be out to go to help patients in hospitals despite noting that there is medication crisis.

"Nobody is safe. We have been warned that there will be bloodshed. Please don't shoot the nurses," she said.

Ngoma said Malawians by staying home, they should be praying to God to help the country come out of its current mess.

"God does not fail. In this case the almighty God will also not fail," she said.

Malawi Health Equity Network (Mhen) executive director Martha Kwataine said the home vigils will be "joining university students "who are at home not learning due to long-drawn impasse over academic freedom.

"We want to cry and pray with them. Let's mourn with them and reflect," said Kwataine.

Spokesman of the organisers, Billy Mayaya, also dismissed government assertions that the activists were agitating for regime change.

"The issue of regime change does not come into play," said Mayaya.

“This is the best option at this time, this is our contingency plan we have decided on it and we will stick by it," he said.

Nyasa Times 21 Sep, 2011

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Source: http://www.nyasatimes.com/malawi/2011/09/20/malawi-activists-unveil-%e2%80%98plan-b%e2%80%99-ibam-gets-injunction/
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