The Malawian Government, in conjunction with the United States of America, last Friday cast dissenting votes against a United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council resolution calling for accountability from Israel over alleged war crimes in the Gaza conflict. This stance has elicited criticism from human rights organizations within the country.
According to a report published on the Office of the UN High Commissioner’s website, Malawi, Paraguay, and the United States opposed the resolution, while eight countries, including Albania, Argentina, Bulgaria, Cameroon, Georgia, Germany, Lithuania, and Romania, were absent during the vote. Thirty-six nations, including South Africa and Ghana, supported the resolution.
Speaking to local media outlets, Michael Kaiyatsa, the Executive Director of the Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation, expressed dismay over Malawi’s decision to vote against the resolution, labeling it as regrettable. “This is an important resolution that is meant to hold Israel accountable for possible war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. As a country that respects human rights, Malawi should have supported this resolution,” he said.
On his part, Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) chairperson Gift Trapence shared Kaiyatsa’s position, saying Malawi’s position is retrogressive.
“HRDC is disappointed with the position of the Malawi Government. Malawi as a member of the Human Rights Council, needs to be on the good side of history in the promotion and protection of human rights by making sure issues of accountability and justice are not selective,” he said.
According to Joseph Masina, a Senior Political and Diplomatic Analyst at Shire Times, the criticism leveled against Malawi by Human Rights bodies is overly simplistic. He argues that Malawi has historically maintained a strong alliance with Israel, dating back to the era of Kamuzu Banda and continuing under the leadership of Reverend Chakwera. Masina highlights the mutual benefits derived from this relationship, including labor agreements that have led to Malawian youth finding employment opportunities in cities like Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. Given these circumstances, Masina finds it implausible for Malawi to vote against its ally Israel at the United Nations.
