[ 2011-04-27 ]

Malawi expels UK envoy over cable
Malawi has reportedly ordered the UK's High
Commissioner to leave the country after he was
quoted in a leaked cable as saying the president
does not tolerate criticism.

A British diplomat warned of "serious
consequences" over Fergus Cochrane-Dyet's
expulsion, according to an internal memo seen by
the BBC.

Some 40% of Malawi's budget comes from abroad; the
UK is the largest donor.

No Malawian officials were available to comment on
the reported expulsion.

The British Foreign and Commonwealth Office could
also not confirm that Mr Cochrane-Dyet had been
ordered out of Malawi.

But a spokesman said that Malawi's charge d'
affaires had been summoned last week and told of
the UK's concern at reports of the decision to
deport him.

According to the diplomatic cable published by the
local Weekend Nation newspaper last week, Mr
Cochrane-Dyet described Malawi's President Bingu
wa 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.

"I am sorry to pass on the news that the Malawi
Government have officially informed the Foreign
and Commonwealth Office today [Tuesday] that
Fergus is being declared persona non grata," reads
the memo signed by British High Commission
Vice-Consul Lindsay McConaghy.

In the memo, Foreign Affairs Minister Etta Banda
was quoted as telling Mr Cochrane-Dyet that
"Malawi has lost confidence in you".

Malawi government spokesman Vuwa Kaunda told the
BBC's Raphael Tenthani in Blantyre that the issue
was "highly sensitive".

Ms McConaghy said no Malawian government
representative would be invited to the celebration
of Queen Elizabeth II's official birthday.

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.

Mr Cochrane-Dyet was quoted as saying that these
would be the people who would suffer most if aid
was cut.

Source - BBC

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