‘Protest Organizers are to Blame for the Damages’ – Botomani

Malawi Government through the Ministry of Information, Civic Education and Communications Technology has said that the Demonstration organizers are the ones to blame for the damages caused by protestors in the country.

This has been said in a statement released today by the minister responsible for Information Mark Botomani.

In a statement available to Face of Malawi reporter, Botomani the Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) accepted that the demonstrations they organized turned violent.

“Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC), organizers of demonstrations which took place in some districts of the country on July 4, 2019 and other previous demonstrations, accepting that the protests turned violent.” Reads part of the statement.

The statement continues by saying that the organizers should be accountable to the actions and pay for the damages they caused.

“Government wishes to remind the organizers that they had accepted the terms of the demonstrations among other things paying for the damage caused during their so called peaceful demonstrations,” the statement reads.

In the statement Botomani said government, finds it ironic that the organizers have started distancing themselves from the looting, damage and assault that have been characterizing their demonstrations.

“Government wants to make its position clear that the organizers remain responsible for the damage caused during the demonstrations and that they will be answerable at the appropriate time,” the statement reads.

The Information Minister, further called on Malawians to maintain peace and calm during these demonstrations period.