Civil society organizations, individuals families of the victims, faith organizations among others continue to remember 20 July as a dark day in the history of multiparty democracy as 20 peaceful and unarmed protesters were mercilessly gunned down by DPP regime just for standing up against the repressive administration.
The death of these people were of the result of the order from the government to use excessive lethal force on poor masses. The people were demonstrating against poor economy, fuel shortages and autocracy.
Though many years have passed but still many Malawians remember this day in their hearts as a day of pain and darkness.
During the demonstration, police launched a crackdown on reporters who were beaming the situation from the ‘battlefield’ and MACRA switched off radio stations for several hours on that day which is the violation of free press.
Representative of the bereaved families, Mercy Mbesuma on many memorial services said that families of the deceased are in dire need of financial support.
“Currently, most of the widows and children of the deceased are struggling to make ends meet. We would like the government to assist the widows with soft loans to start various business ventures and put their children on bursary scheme,” she said.
During the event which takes place every year at Zolozolo Cemetery, it was learnt that most of the promises made by government authorities in previous commemorative events like fencing the deceased’s burial places and putting their children on bursary scheme have not been fulfilled.