By IOMMIE CHIWALO
BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-Communities in Dyeratu, Chikwawa are up in arms over what they call “mockery” compensation from ethanol producer PressCane Limited, with some households offered as little as MK1,171.85 for crops, land and livestock destroyed by two decades of toxic waste dumping.
Three civil society groups have now written Chikwawa District Commissioner Frank Mkandawire demanding an immediate halt to the disclosure and disbursement of the payouts until “all the aggrieved communities’ concerns are addressed.”
The Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI), Citizens League and Dyeratu Concerned Citizens say the ongoing compensation exercise lacks transparency and is being done under duress.
“Some are to be compensated as little as MK1,171.85 amid allegations that they signed, under duress, for such figures in documents that are in a foreign language which they do not understand,” reads the joint statement signed by CDEDI’s Sylvester Namiwa, Francis Mazinga and concerned citizen Rose Stain.
For 20 years, villagers say PressCane has dumped vinasse, locally called dossi, a by-product of ethanol, into open evaporation ponds in Launji Village — “a stone throw from Dyeratu Primary School.”
The groups say the waste has caused health risks, injuries, destroyed soil and crops, corroded iron sheets, killed livestock and vegetation, and produced “a very offensive smell that affects residents, and visitors passing through Dyeratu.”
After January protests at PressCane premises, the firm signed an MoU in February with the Chikwawa District Council and communities to address the crisis.
But the activists say PressCane has resumed operations despite a Malawi Environmental Protection Authority directive that it remain closed until all affected people are compensated and the waste disposal problem is fixed.
“Unless proven otherwise, PressCane is still discharging its vinasse at the same place. If this is not open defiance to MEPA, we wonder what would be,” the statement says. “Who has authorised them to continue endangering the environment and lives?”
The groups were also alarmed by pictures of PressCane CEO Bryson Mkomaanthu presenting a compensation cheque to the DC “before assessment of damage was done on all affected people” in Mitawa area.
According to an assessment report seen by the groups, the same documents villagers signed for compensation also served as contracts, giving credence to claims the process was unfair.
Stakeholder meetings had earlier agreed PressCane should relocate its evaporation ponds from Launji to the council’s designated dumpsite at Fombe, but this has not happened.
In a related twist, the groups accuse Katunga-Maseya Cane Growers Association of forcing villagers in the same area to register ancestral land for sugarcane farming under a cooperative.
“We are totally against forcing villagers to use their ancestral land for this purpose,” the statement says, citing Section 28 of the Constitution which prohibits arbitrary deprivation of property.
“If the people are not interested in sugarcane farming, why force them in this manner?”
The groups warned that communities in Chisanja and Kasinthula who gave up land for cane “are regretting the decision as dividends for the same are as low as K30 per year” compared to food crops they previously grew.
“No one should take the villagers for a ride.
They are entitled to their customary land, but if need be that they give up the land for any common good, then the matter must be handled fairly, not short-changing them,” Namiwa said.
PressCane Limited and DC Frank Mkandawire had not responded to the letter by press time. MEPA could not immediately confirm if it had lifted the closure order but during Press conference in Chikwawa CDEDI Executive Director Sylvester Namiwa confirmed that PressCane factory is now operational.
Concerned citizens have also confirmed the same.
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