STATEMENT ON WORLD REFUGEE DAY 2025
June 20, 2025
Theme: Solidarity with Refugees
A Moment of Reckoning for Malawi’s Refugee Commitments
On this World Refugee Day, the Civil Society Coalition on Migration (CCM) stands in firm solidarity with the millions of people across the world who have been forcibly displaced by war, conflict, persecution, and climate-related disasters. We honour their courage, resilience, and humanity — not just as victims of circumstance, but as survivors, contributors, and leaders with untapped potential.
This year’s commemoration comes at a time when 1 in every 67 people on the planet is forcibly displaced, including over 42.7 million refugees. These are not mere statistics — they are people with names, dreams, families, and futures. Each refugee carries a story of loss — of homes abandoned, communities disrupted, and lives upended — but also of survival and the will to rebuild.
And yet, as the world rallies under the theme “Solidarity with Refugees,” we in Malawi must confront a painful truth: our current treatment of refugees is a betrayal of the values of compassion, international law, and regional solidarity that this day seeks to promote.
1. A Disgraceful Denial of Refuge: Refugees Turned Away at Chitipa
CCM is deeply appalled by the reported refusal of entry to refugees at the Chitipa border, following an alleged government directive to halt all new asylum admissions. This action is not only illegal under international and regional law, but also morally indefensible.
To deny sanctuary to individuals fleeing persecution, violence, or instability is to reject the most basic tenets of humanity. Malawi is a signatory to both the 1951 UN Refugee Convention and the OAU Refugee Convention, and we are duty-bound to uphold the principle of non-refoulement — the prohibition against returning people to places where their lives or freedoms may be at risk.
Denying asylum is not policy — it is a breach of law and conscience.
2. UNHCR and WFP Withdrawal: A Looming Humanitarian Collapse
In a deeply troubling development, the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) is set to close its Malawi office by June 30, 2025, due to severe funding challenges. Simultaneously, the World Food Programme (WFP) — the main food provider for refugees at Dzaleka Refugee Camp — has drastically reduced its operations and may soon shut down altogether.
This is not just a funding issue. It is a full-blown humanitarian crisis in the making.
Refugees who already face overcrowding, food shortages, and limited access to services are now on the brink of being completely abandoned. The Government’s continued silence in the face of this impending disaster is deeply irresponsible. We demand urgent action to mobilize domestic resources and international support to avert what could become a catastrophic failure of protection.
3. Violent MDF Raids and Unlawful Deportations
CCM is gravely concerned about reports of violent raids by the Malawi Defence Force (MDF) at Dzaleka Refugee Camp, involving serious human rights abuses — including theft, sexual assault, and unlawful detention. These abuses have been corroborated by both the Malawi Human Rights Commission (MHRC) and victim testimonies, including from women survivors.
Particularly alarming is the MDF’s blatant defiance of court orders, such as its refusal to release a refugee from military custody despite a lawful ruling. Such impunity undermines the rule of law and raises serious questions about civilian oversight of security forces.
Equally disturbing are allegations of illegal deportations and extraditions of refugees during the relocation exercise and subsequent raids — actions that breach both Malawi’s Constitution and international obligations.
CCM commends the MHRC for launching an independent investigation into these abuses and urges the Commission to immediately publish its findings to ensure public accountability.
4. Refugee Relocation Abuses: Where is the Justice?
The 2023 forced relocation of refugees from urban centers back to Dzaleka Camp was marked by gross violations of due process and property rights. Law enforcement officers reportedly confiscated vehicles, household items, and business equipment — often without warrants or explanation.
Despite government promises of accountability:
- The committee report on the exercise has not been made public.
- The fate of proceeds from the sale of confiscated property remains unknown.
- Affected refugees have received no restitution, no answers, and no justice.
This is state-sanctioned expropriation disguised as relocation. CCM demands that the Ministry of Homeland Security, the Commissioner for Refugees, and all relevant agencies release the report immediately and account for the confiscated items and funds.
5. Progress on Law Reform Must Be Supported
In the midst of these troubling developments, CCM acknowledges the positive step taken by government to establish a Special Law Commission to review the Refugee Act. This reform is long overdue and vital to bringing Malawi’s legal framework in line with international refugee protection standards.
However, we urge both government and development partners to ensure the Law Commission is adequately funded and supported so that this process can proceed with urgency and integrity.
Time for Moral Courage and Legal Compliance
Solidarity cannot be symbolic. It must be structural. Refugees are not criminals. They are not a burden. They are human beings entitled to protection, dignity, and justice.
On this World Refugee Day, CCM calls for:
- An immediate reversal of any directive denying asylum seekers entry into Malawi. Immigration officers must process all asylum claims lawfully and without political interference. Any instruction to the contrary is illegal and violates the principle of non-refoulement.
- An urgent, coordinated humanitarian appeal to rescue Malawi’s refugee response from collapse.
- Full funding and support for the Malawi Law Commission to complete the Refugees Act review.
- The public release of the 2023 relocation committee report, full disclosure of all confiscated assets, and a transparent framework for restitution.
- Renewed commitment to the Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework (CRRF), including fulfillment of Malawi’s pledges at the Global Refugee Forum to integrate refugee issues into national development, reform legal frameworks, improve registration and documentation, and support refugee self-reliance through livelihood opportunities.
As a nation, we are being tested — not by war or catastrophe — but by our response to those fleeing from it. To turn away from refugees is to turn away from our own humanity. Let us not fail this test.
Signed,
Victor Chagunyuka Mhango
Chairperson
Civil Society Coalition on Migration (CCM)
