MALAWI's URGENT APPEAL

[anb-bia <anb-bia at village.uunet.be>]

In our last WEEKLY NEWS (14/02/2002) we said that in MALAWI thousands are 
at risk of dying of hunger-related diseases if food does not reach them in 
time.

Here below are two appeals:
- one coming from the priests of Lilongwe Diocese
  to the Nation and to the International Community
- one coming from the AMRIM and the ARIMA (see meaning below)
  to the Episcopal Conference of Malawi and Christian Churches.

Greetings from ANB-BIA
Paolo Costantini
-----------------------------------------


APPEAL OF PRIESTS OF LILONGWE DIOCESE TO THE NATION AND THE INTERNATIONAL 
COMMUNITY.

We, priests of Lilongwe Diocese, meeting in Lilongwe the 14th of February 
have informed each other about the extent of the famine currently affecting 
many Malawians. We have found that the famine is touching practically all 
of our country.

In some of our parishes elderly people who haven't left their village for a 
long time, now struggle to get to our churches and sit down saying that 
they have come to die. They have no food and no means to buy food. In some 
areas e.g. in Dowa District people are feeding themselves by digging roots 
and eating leaves, sometimes with disastrous consequences for their health. 
In Nauchi Village, Madisi, a mother and four children died.  They were 
poisoned because of jealousy. They still had some food, while others did 
not.  On Estate 21, Press Agriculture, one of the tenants went to buy 
husks. He was sold husks mixed with sawdust. He and his family reached 
hospital in time and narrowly escaped death. In Kambuzi Village at Linthipe 
1, home to one of the Tikondane street children of Lilongwe, on the 8th of 
February, 7 funerals were underway of people said to have died of hunger.

In Lilongwe the number of children running away from the villages because 
of hunger has increased. They prefer to be on the streets. The traditional 
coping mechanisms do not work in this situation. Kusuma, or working for 
food is hardly possible when the famine reaches such a scale. People have 
to sell off their livestock and we have noted that chicken which would 
fetch more than 100 kwacha (US$ 2) now are sold at the price of 30/40 
kwacha and that goats go for less than 300 kwacha (US$ 6). Cattle are being 
sold for as little as 1500 kwacha (US$ 30).

While maize is being sold at some points, it is available in such small 
amounts that it can only be bought in very small quantities. People often 
spent the night queuing up to get their turn to buy 10 or 20 kgs of maize. 
Others are hoarding and selling at exorbitant prices, sometimes for as much 
as 1400 kwacha per 50-kg bag.

Because we have been vested by our calling with the duty to be the Voice of 
the Voiceless,
We denounce:

1. the practice of those who, having bought maize at very low prices, are 
now reaping huge, but illegal and immoral profits.

2. in the strongest terms, the fact that maize has been sold to people of 
means and to other countries while it was known that the harvest 
predictions were very poor.

3. the international financial organizations, the IMF, which pressurized 
Admarc to sell the country's  strategic reserve of maize and use the 
proceeds to pay of debt rather than replace the maize with a fresh  reserve 
stock thus showing more regard for macro-economic principles than for food 
security.

4. the fact that in the face of such a disaster, the government is not 
allowed or unwilling to slash the price of maize through subsidies.

We note:

· That the Constitution of the Republic of Malawi section 30 no 2. Says: 
"The state shall take measures to implement the right to development. The 
measures shall include equality of opportunity for everyone in accessing 
basic resources, education, health services, food, shelter, employment and 
infrastructure."

· That in such a situation rules about subsidies as imposed by 
international organizations like W.B., IMF,  W.T.O., and G 8 cannot 
possibly apply. We have undertaken the following: With the small means we 
have at our disposal, we have been doing what we can. In our parishes and 
hospitals, our clinics and convents we are assisting the hungry. If 
possible we ask for some work in return (food for work).

However we have also started feeding points where those who cannot work 
because of their weakness are helped. This is sometimes done in cooperation 
with other faith communities and civic organizations. But the situation is 
much more serious than the usual njala many Malawians experience every 
year. What we are experiencing is a real human disaster, a famine; it is 
killing many people especially in the rural areas.

The assistance we are giving can never suffice. This situation asks for 
special government intervention.

In view of all the above we urge:

· All the Members of Parliament to report about the real situation in their 
constituencies.

· The government to declare the famine a national disaster.

· The government to exercise price controls and to slash the price of maize 
to the levels of February-March 2001. This measure can be financed from 
extra revenues coming from the sale of fuel. (As long as the process is 
fair, open and transparent, this is a means, which we see as fully justified.)

· The international community to hurriedly assist the Malawian population 
in this human crisis.

·  All churches and other non-profit organizations to be vigilant and 
openly denounce all that is increasing the gravity of the situation. To do 
all they can, kangachepe, even with their limited means, to alleviate the 
suffering of the hungry.

We pledge to continue to assist the most vulnerable people in places, which 
we think are most affected, by using the resources available to us.


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From the Association of Men religious of Malawi (Amrim)
        and the Association of Religious Institutes of Women in Malawi 
(Arima)
        to the Episcopal Conference of Malawi and Christian Churches.

"I have witnessed the affliction of my people. and I have heard their cry" 
(Ex. 3,7)

Dear Pastors of the Catholic Church and all other Christian denominations,

We the members of Amrim and Arima are appealing to you to raise your voice 
in favour of our brothers and sisters. The Government and the President 
himself asked us to be the conscience of the nation. We believe it is 
urgent you speak out for your flocks especially those who feel neglected 
who are now desperate and hungry.

Presently, people are suffering in the villages because food is scarce and 
the little amounts of maize or flour reaching towns, villages and a few 
distribution centres are too expensive for them. Many are surviving on 
selling their livestock such as goats, chickens and in some cases, cows. 
There are being sold off cheaper than usual.

We cannot afford to wait until there is nothing left to sell or until they 
die of hunger or until they start looting the property of those who take 
advantage of their misery to make money, while they squander the meagre 
resources of the country.

We are in an emergency situation and we need to take urgent measures for 
both the short term and the long term.

In the short term, government must ensure that the maize imported is the 
cheapest on the market and reaches the remotest villages in the 
countryside. Prices must be contained as far as possible and maybe need to 
be subsidised.

In the long term, government must start thinking for the future. Many have 
not been able to buy fertilizer because of the increase in price. What will 
the situation be next year if nothing is done now?

The people of Malawi have the right to know why prices have increased while 
the Kwacha has been stable for so long. If the price has increased due to 
better salaries nobody would complain but even in part if this is due to 
mismanagement and corruption then the Government must be called to account 
for this. Malawians must make their voices heard and work for a better 
future without having to wait.

Amid this tragedy emerges a story which gives heart and hope and is an 
example to be followed. In Mchinji the Christian churches and the Moslem 
community have recognized the needs of the local people. They have set an 
emergency feeding centre where each church group and the Moslem community 
take it in turn to feed a large number of people.

There is no doubt that the Mchinji people deserve great praise for their 
charity and ingenuity for the love of God's people.

Yours sincerely,
Fr. Angelo Belotti, M.Afr, Amrim
Sr. Victoria Chirwa, M.I.C. , Arima.