By Iommie Chiwalo
The Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI) has warned government to desist from employing delaying tactics and futile attempts to shield Chinese national Lu Ke over his perceived racial discrimination conduct.
The suspect is believed to be behind video recordings, that have gone viral, containing racial attacks and child exploitation incidences that were filmed at Njewa in Lilongwe.
In a statement signed by CDEDI Executive Director Sylvester Namiwa, the organization has challenged both the Malawi and the Chinese governments to treat the matter with the urgency and seriousness it deserves.
The organization has emphasized that any attempts to downplay the issue or help the suspect to beat the long arm of the law will only succeed in stirring avoidable actions with far-reaching consequences.
However, according to CDED’s investigations the suspect, who, reportedly, was previously charged with human trafficking offences, is no longer in the country.
Namiwa says if CDEDI investigations are anything to go by, it speaks volumes about the status of the country’s security and lack of its seriousness on cracking down criminal acts.
CDEDI has therefore given authorities seven (7) working days to bring to book Mr. Lu Ke and that if the suspect has really bolted as feared; the onus is on the Chinese Government to
bring him back to Malawi to face the law.
He has also demanded that the Chinese Ambassador must make a public apology to Malawians, in particular the black community.
Additionally, the CDEDI Boss has given state agencies such as the Immigration Department, the Malawi Police Service and the Malawi Trade and Investment Centre 48 hours to flush out all Chinese nationals staying or doing business in the country illegally.
“Failure by the stated institutions to act as demanded above will leave CDEDI with no choice but to mobilize the masses to hold peaceful demonstrations against Mr Lu Ke and like-minded racists.
Recently CDEDI issued a statement challenging authorities to immediately work with the Immigration Department, the Malawi Police Service and the Malawi Trade and Investment Centre in tracking down the racist Chinese national, and other like-minded bad apples among so-called investors who are dehumanizing Malawians.
But according to Namiwa, there has been a lukewarm response from the authorities in dealing with the matter.
He said since the Chinese Embassy in Lilongwe, through a social media post, is on record to have strongly condemned racism while urging a crackdown on such incidences there is need to spell out actions taken against their national or ensure that the video didn’t go viral.
The remarks come after, the Embassy has revealed that they were aware that the video was recorded in 2020.
The video recordings have been made public through an investigation done by ‘Africa Eye’ of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC).
More stakeholders have condemned the conduct and have asked government to act with speed in addressing the matter by arresting the perpetrator.
