UPR: Malawi must protect Phanga village community
The Center for Social Concern in Malawi has submitted a parallel report to the UN Human Rights Council, with support from FIAN international, under the Universal Periodic Review mechanism.
The report builds on the previous report submitted to the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and highlights the current situation of the affected community members who have returned to Phanga village in the central Malawi district of Dedza a decade after they were forcefully evicted.
The community members’ land was sold to Crown Plantations, a Southern African company, but was never exploited by the company and was subsequently sold by village chiefs to several new owners. The affected community members contest these transactions and claim they are the original owners, under traditional customary ownership rules.
“Community members in Phanga village, have shown the courage to defend their human rights by deciding to retake their land and defend it,” says Tobias Jere, Project manager at the Center for Social Concern.
One of the key recommendations provided by the UN ESCR Committee requires the State of Malawi to:
“Accelerate the implementation of comprehensive land titling and registration systems to secure titles for individual and communal landowners, promptly resolve overlapping claims through transparent mechanisms, and pay special attention to Phanga village community members in Dedza district.”
Valentin Hategekimana, Africa Coordinator at FIAN International says it is crucial that the Malawi state implements the UN ESCR Committee recommendation to ensure that the community members in Phanga village are adequately compensated.
“They must be protected from any further forced evictions and their customary rights over their land must be protected,” he adds.
Read the full UPR parallel report on Malawi here.
For more information, please contact Valentin Hategekimana hategekimana@fian.org
