LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-The World Congress of Families (WCF), an international Christian movement on Tuesday says Malawi government is playing hind and seek on abortion and minority rights issues due to donor’s pressure.
The grouping claims that Western monies have cornered government to advocate laws that undermine the value of the family and nature.
Addressing the news conference in the capital Lilongwe, WCF president Brian Brown said Africa, Malawi inclusive, is under pressure from the West to adopt what he termed “evil cultures” which are not in line with traditional values.
“We follow the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights of 1948. There is no clause which talks about minority rights,”said Brown.
Reverend Zac Kawalala of Word Alive Ministries International, who was one of the speakers, said government does not want to take a clear position on the matter because it does not want to lose donor support.
Reverend Kawalala claims that the recent Global Fund Malawi has secured has an element of abortion and sexual minority saying that its what is putting government to push for passing of the law.
“During a march organised by the Church, government, through the Solicitor General [Janet Banda], pleaded that we cancel the match because there was no bill on abortion.
” We want to make clear here that this hind and seek is exposed. Surprisingly, its the same Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) that told Malawians to hold a referendum on the same but now, it has changed the tune,” wondered Kawalala.
But Solicitor General Janet Banda denied playing double standards, stressing that there is no bill on abortion.
“The Law Commission has given us recommendations and that is different from a bill. Government has no position, this is why we had asked for a public inquiry on the matter by the Malawi Human Rights Commission,”Banda said.
Reacting to this, Centre for the Development of People (Cedep) executive director Gift Trapence said government has a position on LGBTI issues.
Trapance advised the Church to promote love and not violence and discrimination against LGBTI persons
“We have an HIV policy that is inclusive and we have HIV programmes that are reaching out to every Malawian. Government also accepted two recommendations at the UN in Geneva to address violence against LGBTI people,” said Trapence.
WCF, an American–based coalition which promotes Christian values and is known for its stand against LGBTI and abortion rights.