Ten die in Malawi anti-government protest

Malawi’s president lashed out at anti-government demonstrators today, as two days of protests left at least 10 people dead in unprecedented levels of unrest in this southern African nation.

Hospital officials and activists said the victims had been shot with live ammunition, and that at least 44 others in the northern city of Mzuzu alone were being treated for gunshot wounds.

President Bingu wa Mutharika vowed to “ensure peace using any measure I can think of” as protesters gathered for a second day in the impoverished country hit by fuel shortages and price hikes.

“If you break shops and banks will you have fuel? You demonstrated yesterday and throughout the night until today, but is there fuel today because of the demonstrations?” the president asked.

“I think God will do something to help us, will bless us, because these people are not being led by God, they are being led by Satan,” he added.

Malawi, which has enjoyed relative peace and stability in the past decade, may be better known as the place where Madonna has adopted two children and launched a development project for orphans.

Mr Mutharika first came to power in a 2004 election, and was re-elected in May 2009. But tensions have been growing this year over worsening fuel shortages. And high unemployment alongside a deteriorating economic situation also threaten to reverse development gains made in the early years of his presidency.

Yesterday, protesters attacked businesses belonging to the president’s political allies. Looters in the capital of Lilongwe had targeted shops belonging to ruling party officials, witnesses said.

Human rights watchdog Amnesty International said eight journalists were beaten by police during yesterday’s protests, and a female radio reporter was seriously wounded.

Amnesty researcher Simeon Mawanza said the president’s regime is becoming increasingly intolerant of dissenting voices.

“The tension there won’t die down just because of yesterday’s events,” he said. “It could intensify, as people died at the hands of police.”

The situation was tense but calm today amid a heavy military and police deployment on the streets in the country’s two main cities.

Tim Hughes, a political analyst at the South African Institute of International Affairs, said the unrest is wholly uncharacteristic of Malawi.

“Certainly since democracy in 1994, while there’s been sporadic outbursts of inter-party violence, there’s never been a violent protest like this on the streets,” he told The Associated Press.

“This form of public protest, taking on the state, expressing this degree of frustration, it’s a new phenomenon.”

Mr Hughes believes the wave of protests is spurred by a sharp decline in the Malawian economy.

“Global factors have kicked in,” he said. “The country is now running short of scarce foreign exchange, and imports such as fuel are limited.”