Malawi expells UK diplomat for saying Pres is 'intolerant of cricism'

[plekhanov]

This reads like an Onion article but sadly its for real:

 

Malawi president says UK's expelled envoy insulted him

 

The president of Malawi has explained his decision to expel the British High Commissioner for the first time.

 

Fergus Cochrane-Dyet was told to leave after he was quoted in a leaked cable as saying President Bingu wa Mutharika does not tolerate criticism.

 

President Mutharika said he would not accept insults just because Britain was the country's largest aid donor.

 

Britain ordered the acting High Commissioner of Malawi to leave the UK in response to the move last month.

 

According to the diplomatic cable published by the local Weekend Nation newspaper last month, Mr Cochrane-Dyet described President Mutharika as "becoming ever more autocratic and intolerant of criticism".

 

He said local civil society activists were afraid after a campaign of threatening phone calls and said the government was restricting the freedom of the media and minorities.

 

Following the move, Foreign Secretary William Hague said: "It is a worrying sign that the Malawian government is expending its energies in this way, rather than focusing on the real and substantial challenges facing it, including the need for improved governance."

 

Malawi is one of the poorest countries in the world, with an estimated 75% of the population living on less than $1 (60p) a day.

 

The UK recently expressed its disappointment with Malawi and reduced aid after the government purchased an extravagant presidential jet.

 

It is also among the countries which condemned a new law which gives ministers power to ban publications deemed not to be in the public interest.

[HeadingNorth]

What better way to prove the diplomat was telling the truth?

[Kaimani]

it's their country, they can do what they want, to be fair.

[HeadingNorth]

it's their country, they can do what they want, to be fair.

 

True, but we can also stop giving them any money, and they get more of it from us than anybody else.

 

Annoying our foreign office is probably not a wise move.

[plekhanov]

it's their country, they can do what they want, to be fair.

Well obviously they can just as we can point & laugh at the Malawian government for acting in a manner which makes satire redundant.

[Kaimani]

True, but we can also stop giving them any money, and they get more of it from us than anybody else.

 

Annoying our foreign office is probably not a wise move.

 

perhaps, but taking what they consider unacceptable from the foreign office coz of the money is probably just as unwise.

[Frank Sidney]

Problem is it'll be the poorest people in the country that will suffer. Instead of invading countries at the drop of a hat we'd be better off assassinating dip sticks like this...

 

edit - perhaps assassinate is a little strong, but you know what I mean...

[Kaimani]

Well obviously they can just as we can point & laugh at the Malawian government for acting in a manner which makes satire redundant.

 

true. and i'm right there laughing with you. just saying their rules their way. if we don't like it, as we didn't, we leave. and withhold aid if we see it fit

[mizzfitt265]

i'm a malawian, and our president is an absolute idiot! u cant say a single negative thing about him without getting into a court case. he's not God so he should stop acting like he is! like malawi doesn't have enough problems already!

[Kaimani]

Problem is it'll be the poorest people in the country that will suffer. Instead of invading countries at the drop of a hat we'd be better off assassinating dip sticks like this...

 

agreed, to a point. only problem is that these guys are usually the only people capable of keeping their countries together. history teaches us as much.