Malawi: focus on Reinford Mwangonde and Citizens for Justice

The circumstances in which Citizens for Justice works are challenging. From independence until the mid 1990s Malawi was living under a dictatorship. Whilst Malawi is now a freer society; civil rights, political rights and freedom of expression are not enjoyed by the majority of citizens. 

Reinford believes that the legacy of dictatorship has created a passive society where people no longer question authority. Citizens for Justice is working together with communities to empower them to speak out against the economic, environmental and social injustices they may be facing.

uranium mining in malawi and africa

A large part of Citizens for Justice's work is about creating awareness around uranium mining in Malawi and beyond. Malawi has vast deposits of Uranium and many of its mines are located close to communities. Yet communities living close to these mines are not aware of the impacts they are having on their health. Exposure to Uranium can cause cancer and birth defects. This radiation often reaches the communities in the form of radon gas and water contaminated by the extraction process. 

At a community level Citizens for Justice are carrying out baseline surveys to monitor the environmental impacts of these mines. Nationally they are campaigning to keep Uranium in the ground. Malawians have only felt the negative effects from such operations and Reinford does not believe the industry is taxed sufficiently, if at all.
"The industry is creating an environmental mess that will remain for thousands of years to come" he says.

The group also works with other international partners like the Uranium Network, based in Germany, to campaign against nuclear energy. They belive that this approach can help break the nuclear chain.

“We live in a global village where what happens in the south affect what happens in the north. To bring an end to mining in Malawi we need to stop the life-cycle and end the consumption of nuclear energy in the north. As part of the Anti Nuclear Movement we are working with NGOs in Europe, where some of Malawi's uranium goes, to bring this about,” says Reinford.

Climate change, gm crops and agrofuels

Along with many other African countries, Malawi is being hit hard by climate change. Malawians are having to learn to cope with drought, flooding and unreliable rainfall patterns. 

"When I was growing up my Grandmother would look at the trees and certain birds and she could tell that the rainy season was about to start. Knowing this she could prepare her land in readiness for the season. Now there is no pattern. Without this knowledge farmers do not know when is the right time to plant crops. It's really impacted our food production systems and is causing poverty in Malawi and other countries on the continent.” 

Bio technology companies are now profiting from this uncertainty by selling farmers genetically modified crops that can withstand floods and drought. It doesn't stop at the seeds though. The farmers have to buy a particular fertilizer linked to the seeds and then buy new seeds every year. Without knowing it, farmers are putting themselves in the hands of big business.

Reinford believes developed countries need to do more to address these issues. 

"Africa does not contribute to pollution. It is the West that has been polluting for too long. The World Bank wants to give Malawi a loan to mitigate against climate change but it shouldn't be that way. There should be free money from the West with no conditions attached."

He is equally passionate about carbon offsetting.

"The western world has to pay its ecological debt. The whole business of carbon offsetting is a licence for the West to keep on polluting."

"It does not make sense that some countries are allowed to pollute and then argue that the pollution will be offset by planting more trees in the global South.

"We don't expect the global north to tell Malawi 'we'll give you some money so we can keep polluting'. We are saying enough is enough. Change your habits. What you're doing is affecting people in the global South us and it should stop."

It's not only the GM companies like Monsanto that are targeting Malawi's beleaguered farmers. It's also energy companies buying up land to grow crops, such as jatropha, to be harvested for biofuels. As farmers are finding they can't afford to plant seeds every year, corporations are stepping in and offering to buy their land. Once they sell up they've lost their livelihood and the money they receive isn't enough to cover all their needs.

fighting neoliberlism

Citizens for Justice is working with other Malawian NGOs to oppose the neoliberal institutions and big corporations descending on the country and buying up Malawi's resources and commodities such as water and electricity.  

Citizens for Justice is working with other Malawian NGOs to oppose the neo-liberal institutions and big corporations influencing poor African countries to increase the cost of basic social commodities such as water and electricity.  

"When the global credit crunch happened we found officials from the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank coming from Washingston DC  and telling our governments how to cushion themselves from the global crisis. The real people who has caused the mess though are on Wall Street; why don't the institutions talk to them.

"Citizens for Justice believe that things have to change and the Western world needs to change its colonial mentality if the world is to be a better place.  

Being part of Friends of the earth international 

Reinford believes that as a member of Friends of the Earth International his group can contribute to the strength and diversity of Friends of the Earth International.

"We speak the same language. The objectives of Friends of the Earth Malawi are the same as Friends of the Earth International. Our campaigns are linked. We know that while we're working at the grassroots others are working on the same issues as part of a global campaign” 

About Reinford

Reinford Mwangonde was briefly a diplomat for the Malawian government's mission at the UN in New York.

"I wanted to sit at the UN and talk international politics but once I was there I discovered that the global system is very unfair. The weak countries are crumbling. They're still in the same position. Nothing is changing.

"By heart I'm an activist. Everyday at the UN it pierced my soul. So I left to pursue post graduate studies in international relations.”

On completion of his Masters he volunteered for Citizens for Justice where he felt he belonged and he's been there ever since.

"I could voice my opinions and empower communities in Malawi. I can use my activism and intellect to articulate the issues of social, environmental and economic injustices.”

With the support of other people and Malawi's civil society he believes he and Citizens for Justice are changing things. 

"Our way of using a rights based approach is unique and I believe it's working. We cannot just implement and report we need to stand with the people. Most importantly, social change has to be seen to be happening on the ground."