The passing of yet another heroic HR Defender

Malawian human rights activist Harold Williams has died at the age of 71 after a long illness.

His step son Peter Makwana said Williams died of cancer Monday night at Mwaiwathu private hospital in Blantyre.

Harold was active in the fight against the one party dictatorship and helped in the establishment of multiparty democracy in the country.

Williams also worked with local human rights movement in 2003 and helped to campaign against the infamous third term presidential bid of Bakili Muluzi.

He remained active in the fight against human rights violations in the Bingu wa Mutharika administration.

Williams has also been blogging - Malawi Concern – critical articles against the oppressive Mutharika regime and recently he had been encouraging Malawians who are saddened with the dictatorship to be inspired with the Egyptian and Tunisia revolutions.

“I admit that my blog under the title Malawi Concern has been deliberately provocative. As one who fought hard for democracy and human rights in Malawi I have become increasingly concerned at the manner in which the current Government is over-riding our rights and attempting to abolish them by dubious legislation,” Williams told Nyasa Times recently.

“Those who fought with me for change for the better put their lives in danger. The sacrifices that were made by the few for the benefit of the many should not be allowed to go to waste. We need to be eternally vigilant and be prepared to put our lives on the line again, if necessary, to defend our rights,” he added.

Williams was also vice chairman of Association of Secular Humanism.

Human Rights Consultative Committee Chairperson Undule Mwakasungula paid tribute to Williams’s courageous fight for rights, saying Malawi has lost “one of the most inspiring and dedicated human rights defenders.”

Meanwhile, the body of Harold Williams has been donated to College of Medicine for research–Nyasa Times