WISE NEWS

Bunge team backs State in border row with Malawi

Dodoma. The parliamentary committee for Defence, Security and Foreign Affairs has supported the government’s stance on the on-going border controversy with Malawi on Lake Nyasa.Its chairman, Mr Edward Lowassa, told the media here that the government’s explanation and position were right. His team would stand by them at any stage of the standoff, he said, declaring: “We expect this conflict will be solved diplomatically using the committee of foreign affairs ministers from both countries and using the mediator whenever needed. Malawi is our neighbour and therefore we would not like to go into war with it.” “However, if it reaches the war stage then we are ready to sacrifice our people’s blood and our military forces are committed in equipment and psychologically. Our army is among modern and stable defence forces in the world,” declared Mr Lowassa. However, the Monduli MP did not respond to a curious reporter who wanted to know if the government had sent troops to the border, saying that it would not add value to anything. “That one I cannot answer. Who will I help by answering that question?” wondered Mr Lowassa. He emphasised that the committee supported the government and said the explanation it gave was correct and sufficient. On Monday, the minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Mr Bernard Membe, strongly warned Tanzania’s southern neighbour, Malawi. He ordered an immediate stop to all gas and oil prospecting activities on the portion of Lake Nyasa that falls on the Tanzania side. The government was categorical that Malawi should respect agreements and remove all aircraft landing on the lake to pave the way for further negotiations. The border conflict between the two countries about Lake Nyasa has existed for a long time, but it changed direction as both countries wanted negotiations to review the boundary. The area is said to have signs of significant oil and gas reserves that have attracted a number of prospecting firms. The border was drawn during the colonial era with the Anglo-German agreement of 1890 showing that the entire lake was in Malawi. However, the same document confirms the presence of illogical borders. It allows both countries to meet and adjust the borders under the auspices of relevant border commissions. Tanzania wants 50 per cent share of the lake, but Malawi claims to own the whole of it. Since 2005 the two nations decided to form a committee to negotiate the border and therefore ownership of the water body. However, even as negotiations continued and both sides agreed to suspend oil and gas exploration in the disputed areas it was reported by Tanzania security organs that Malawi leased some firms to carry out oil exploration in the lake. That is when the Tanzania government started to react, and as a result the two sides have been in verbal exchanges with each sustaining its position. The defence committee had an unusual meeting yesterday that cost some non-fasting MPs time for lunch and attending the Parliamentary evening session late. Mr Lowassa, who is a former Prime Minister, was very brief to the media, but that was after a long meeting between his team and some high-ranking military officials in a Bunge room. The meeting took about two hours from 1.30 pm to 3.30 pm. It involved the committee’s members and some army officials who left the boardroom when journalists were allowed to enter for the press conference. The committee also warned the media about writing sensational articles on the matter as it was a sensitive and delicate topic that involved people’s lives.