Malawi

Liberian women lay foundation for strength and progress

from Josh Perry's entry on African Faith and Justice Network: ....Women who were directly affected by the civil war related injustices used the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) as their platform to demand, among other things, quality, justice, and freedom of speech.

Greenbaum, Bryant and Amoah, Jewel. Has Everything Been Done? The Nature of Assistance to Victims of Past Political Atrocities in Southern Africa.

In this research report, Jewel Amoah and Bryant Greenbaum review the availability and character of victim support services for survivors of political violence in the context of political transition and reconciliation in the following countries: Namibia; Mozambique; Zimbabwe; Malawi; and South Africa. They begin their paper by looking at relevant theoretical and international considerations with respect to international obligations and victim support services. They then profile each of the five countries in the following areas: historical background; the nature of political violence and the current political situation; views of the public, victims, and ex-combatants; government policy; and the role of civil society.

Southern African Reconciliation Project. Memorialisation and Reconciliation in Transitional Southern African Societies.

The aim of this report is to assess the role of memorialisation in the process of transition from colonial rule to independence (Namibia, Zimbabwe), from apartheid to non-racist democracy (South Africa), from colonial rule and post-colonial dictatorship (Malawi), or from colonial rule and post-colonial civil war to peaceful, multiparty political contest for majority support (Mozambique). We focus on questions like: Did we or did we not put the past behind us? Is there national reconciliation in our countries? And, if so: How did and does memorialisation contribute to it? We also aim to understand the effects of government policies upon local and national reconciliation activities regarding memorialisation and how civil society organisations engage in this field. (excerpt)

Cammack, Diana. Reparations in Malawi

"Malawi's five methods of paying reparations (court awards; the government's Disaster Preparedness, Relief and Rehabilitation program; civil service grants; special payments to the political elite; and especially the National Compensation Tribunal (NCT) have not brought public closure to past rights abuses and the antipathy they engendered. Nor have NCT procedures, which included neither public truth telling nor the identification of perpetrators, fostered democratic consolidation. Growing out of a political compromise during the transition, the NCT has received nearly 20,000 claims and paid interim awards to less than one-third. Eligible are Malawians of any age who, between July 6, 1964 and May 17, 1994, were born in detention or exile or were subjected to wrongful imprisonment, forced exile, personal injury, lost property or business, lost educational opportunities and/or employment benefits. An autonomous body within the judiciary, the NCT has been underfunded consistently and has limited the bulk of its payments to symbolic 'condolences'. While the public is generally ignorant of the NCT, claimants are frustrated by its procedures, its 'trivializing' their pain and suffering, and its 'favouritism' as well as by its failure to offer them full compensation, information about future payments, or a 'sincere' apology. Yet the existence of the NCT has allowed politicians to counter periodic public demands for a truth commission by asserting that the NCT is addressing the past and nothing more is needed." (excerpt)

Capito, Benjamin and Goredema, Charles and Fundira, Bothwell and Goba, Ray and Munyoro, Joseph and Banda, Jai. Confronting the Proceeds of Crime in Southern Africa: An Introspection

The six authors all address money-laundering in Southern Africa, with each author concentrating on a different country. Banda describes legislation in Malawi designed to fight money-laundering. Munyoro posits that there is still much work to do in Zambia and then considers what areas specifically need improvement. Fundira examines three scenarios that have particular application to Zimbabwe. Goredema reviews what South Africa has done to stop money-laundering and financing terrorism. Goba analyzes the state of money-laundering in Namibia. Capito explores what measures have been implemented in Mozambique.

DEGABRIELE, Dorothy. REVIEW OF THE FUNCTIONS AND PURPOSES OF REFORMATORY SCHOOLS IN MALAWI

The aim of this study is to review the purposes and functions of the two reformatory institutions. The terms of reference were to assess the present situation of the institutions, to assess what support or resistance to change actually exists in the country, and to make suggestions for best practice. This review has been commissioned by UNICEF. (excerpt)