Malawi cracks whip on refugee rights group

Malawi Government has ordered Inua Advocacy, a refugee rights grouping, to leave Dzaleka Refugee Camp in Dowa District and immediately stop meddling in affairs of refugees at the facility.

Refugee Department legal adviser Ivy Chihana, in a letter to the agency dated June 10 2024, said the decision means that Inua Advocacy should no longer be seen within and around the camp.

She said it further means that Inua Advocacy cannot involve partners working in the camp with government and refugees in its dealings.

Reads in part the letter: “This is following the non-compliance to the communication referred to above from government on the revocation of partnership which meant that Inua was no longer allowed to position itself in dealing with refugee issues.

“Government, which coordinates all refugee issues through the Department for Refugees in Malawi, reserves the right to allow partners the permission to work in the camp as such it can revoke the same.”

Chihana said granting of permission to an agent to work at the camp does not give the entity 100 percent ownership of the facility and the same can be withdrawn at any given time.

Commissioner for Refugees General Ignatius Maulana (retired) confirmed the decision in an interview.

He said government appreciated the support and role partners play in the management of refugees.

Said Maulana: “But as per its prerogative, partners may be enlisted or delisted depending on the primary objective they are to undertake in supporting the refugee programme.

“Inua played an important role in advocating for the rights of refugees, however, their strategic direction was found not to be in line with that of the government and hence the termination of partnership.”

Inua Advocacy executive director Innocent Magambi has since written to the Malawi Human Rights Commission (MHRC) seeking intervention before taking any legal action.

In a letter dated June 17, he argued that the actions by the Malawi Government were unlawful, especially in a democratic nation.

He said the action was a direct violation of Inua’s right to freedom of association as enshrined in Section 33 of the Constitution.

According to Magambi, this decision puts at risk all refugees who have court cases and are being represented by its lawyers.

Maulana initially wrote Inua in March terminating the partnership.

But Magambi said the Refugee Department is not the NGO Regulatory Authority, as such, does not have authority to stop legally registered entities from supporting refugees outside the camp.

MHRC executive secretary Habiba Osman yesterday said she was yet to get the letter from Inua, but promised to follow up on the matter.

Inua collects complaints from the refugee population about the services they receive, produce and disseminate reports.

It also provides emergency relief such as food, access to medical care and support towards dignified shelter to refugees and asylum-seekers in need, among others.