Refugee Rights Advocate Calls for Understanding in Container Confiscation Case
Ralph Jooma, the Chairperson for the Parliamentary Committee on Defence and Security, assured that the committee would closely monitor the entire process.
Lilongwe, Malawi - Innocent Magambi, the CEO of INUA Advocacy, a nonprofit organization that focuses on protecting the rights of refugees, has appealed to the government to empathize with the fears of the container owners whose belongings were confiscated earlier this year, writes Esther Banda.
Magambi expressed his concerns at M'gona in Lilongwe during a force-opening operation of 125 containers confiscated from refugees and asylum seekers in April 2023,
"The government needs to understand the fear that these people have, not because they are criminals, but because of the mistreatment they have endured," he said on 28th August 2023 during the operation.
Magambi emphasized the importance of involving the affected individuals in the decision-making process, stating, "We should bring them to the table, rather than making announcements and taking action without their presence. It is only fair."
Ralph Jooma, the Chairperson for the Parliamentary Committee on Defence and Security, assured that the committee would closely monitor the entire process.
He acknowledged the allegations that the container owners might be involved in illegal activities, saying, "We are witnessing the opening of these containers due to suspicions that they may contain not only the intended goods but also illegal items such as firearms and foreign currency."
The Public Relations Officer (PRO) for Homeland Security, Patrick Botha, explained that the container owners were summoned to verify the contents of their containers.
Botha clarified that the next step following the force-opening operation would depend on the legal process and the presence of valid documentation for the container owners' businesses.
One of the container owners, Fanny Hadassah from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), expressed gratitude to the government for the operation, despite some of her stored soya beans being damaged.
"It's unfortunate that some of my soya beans have been damaged. I invested a significant amount of money in purchasing them, so I am unsure of the government's plans to address this issue," Hadassah lamented.
Hadassah revealed that she and her husband owned three containers, two for storing soya beans (containing approximately 900-1000 bags of 50kg each) and one for groundnuts (containing around 350-400 bags of 50kg each, located in area 30).
Representatives from the judiciary, Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), United Nations (UN), civil society organizations, and some container owners were present to witness the force-opening operation.
Deputy Inspector General of Police, Happy Mkandawire, assured the public that the contents of the containers would be thoroughly inspected in a transparent manner.
As the legal process unfolds, the public will have the opportunity to follow the inspection process and gain insight into the operation's transparency, according to Mkandawire.