Lecturers resume work, but tensions persist

Lecturers in Malawi have resolved to return to work to end nearly a year of academic freedom protests during a long-running impasse with the government. But with tensions and mistrust persisting, lecturers have been firm about setting out the conditions under which they will resume classes.

University World News followed the story of the academic freedom strike in Malawi, which started in February last year, in a development that saw the better part of 2011 being punctuated by court battles, suspensions, sackings and threats as the government unsuccessfully sought to subdue the dons.

As previously reported, it all started with the summoning of political science lecturer Dr Blessings Chinsinga by the police following a report made by a student informant over comments the lecturer had made during a public policy lecture.

The government interpreted Chinsinga's comment drawing parallels between problems in Malawi and in North Africa as well as the Arab world as having been intended at inciting Egypt-style protests, during a period when Malawi was grappling with fuel and foreign currency shortages.

When President Bingu wa Mutharika voiced support for the police actions, chaos broke out, as the state was accused of placing spies in lecture rooms in a bid to stifle academic freedom.

In an exclusive interview with University World News last week, the spokesperson of the Chancellor College Academic Staff Union, Jessie Kabwila, confirmed that lecturers were indeed returning to work as the new year started.

But she added that their differences with the government over academic freedoms had not been completely resolved.

Said Kabwila: "We are very glad to say we are going back to lecture rooms in a Malawi whose government and university employers have been forced to demonstrate that they respect academic freedom.

"We are very proud to have stood for what we believe in and are going back to class on principles of our profession. We have shown the country and world the role of academic freedom, not only in academia but national development and governance."

Kabwila continued: "We are in talks with lawyers of opponents of academic freedom. They are still trying to intimidate and silence us but we are reminding them every day that this is a principle [and that] we have no problem reverting to the academic freedom impasse mode at any time and for longer than 260 days.

"They have not opened the promotions front. They want to deprive us of attending to the issue of promotions but the union is fighting back."

Kabwila added that towards the end of last year, the government had attempted to open a commission of inquiry with the aim of punishing and intimidating lecturers but, as reported, the high court had blocked the move through a verdict stopping the panel from conducting investigations.

This was after lecturers had lodged an application with the Malawi high court in which they argued that the country's leader was abusing presidential powers and had given the commission powers outside the legal limits.

In one communication seen by University World News addressed to the council of the University of Malawi, the ministers of education, science and technology and of home affairs and internal security, and the inspector general of the Malawi police service, the lecturers set out some of their conditions for resuming work.

The communication indicated that there would be a double stream for students this year, to accommodate both those who are incoming and those affected by last year's impasse.

It added that lecturers and the government, through their lawyers, would review all pending cases before the courts with a view to reaching "appropriate settlements".

They added that the other condition of returning to work was based on the unconditional withdrawal of the decision to dismiss four academics involved in opposition to the academic freedom infringement, including Chinsinga, and no further reprisals against staff and students with regard to the former impasse and their participation in academic freedom protests.

The lecturers said in their communication: "Government will never place spies or deploy intelligence [officers] in classrooms, hostels or anywhere within or outside university campuses to report on activities of university lecturers and students.

"It is also our understanding that this extends to intelligence gathered and relayed voluntarily by the government's sympathisers.

"We expect that the council of the University of Malawi and other government departments or agencies will employ their good offices to develop appropriate understanding and practices regarding their interactions and conduct of business in a university."

Related links
MALAWI: Commission ordered to cease inquiry
MALAWI: Collapsed dialogue, campuses stay closed
MALAWI: Closed campuses set to reopen
MALAWI: Academic calls commission a 'gimmick'
MALAWI: Academics call for reform amid repression
MALAWI: Court overrules president on lecturer strike