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| Malawi's Bingu wa Mutharika halts protesters' funeral | Malawi's Bingu wa Mutharika halts protesters' funeral |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The authorities in Malawi have halted the mass funeral of seven protesters who were killed during this week's anti-government protests. | The authorities in Malawi have halted the mass funeral of seven protesters who were killed during this week's anti-government protests. |
| President Bingu wa Mutharika ordered the Mzuzu city council to stop the funerals to avoid further unrest. | President Bingu wa Mutharika ordered the Mzuzu city council to stop the funerals to avoid further unrest. |
| At least 18 people have died, many reportedly shot by police, in nationwide demonstrations. | At least 18 people have died, many reportedly shot by police, in nationwide demonstrations. |
| Protesters accuse Mr Mutharika of plunging Malawi into its worst economic crisis since independence. | Protesters accuse Mr Mutharika of plunging Malawi into its worst economic crisis since independence. |
| After the funerals were blocked, religious leaders and civil society members agreed to hold the funeral at the Heroes Acre in the northern city of Mzuzu. | After the funerals were blocked, religious leaders and civil society members agreed to hold the funeral at the Heroes Acre in the northern city of Mzuzu. |
| But the head of Mzuzu's council said the protesters could not be buried at the Heroes Acre because they were looters. | But the head of Mzuzu's council said the protesters could not be buried at the Heroes Acre because they were looters. |
| "We have been stopped by the government with our arrangements to bury the seven heroes," Moses Mkandawire, director of the Church and Society rights group, told AFP news agency. | "We have been stopped by the government with our arrangements to bury the seven heroes," Moses Mkandawire, director of the Church and Society rights group, told AFP news agency. |
| Graves had already been dug at Zolzolo cemetery and mourners had started gathering when the funerals were blocked, AFP reports. | Graves had already been dug at Zolzolo cemetery and mourners had started gathering when the funerals were blocked, AFP reports. |
| Mr Mkandawire said the government itself had promised to arrange transportation for the bodies. | Mr Mkandawire said the government itself had promised to arrange transportation for the bodies. |
| Some of the mourners insist they must bury their dead at the city's Heroes Acre. | Some of the mourners insist they must bury their dead at the city's Heroes Acre. |
| Rising cost of living | |
| The protests began on Wednesday, with organisers saying Malawi was facing a "series of catastrophes". | |
| There has been unrest in the capital, Lilongwe and the biggest city, Blantyre, as well as Mzuzu. | |
| The country was facing rising prices and acute shortages of fuel, electricity and foreign currency, they said in a statement. | |
| They accused the government of failing to listen to the concerns of people, and they feared Malawi was turning into an "autocratic kleptocracy". | |
| Mr Mutharika - who was elected in 2004 - said he was prepared to enter into dialogue with the opposition but they should stop "sending your boys" on the streets to cause chaos. | |
| "By allowing these people to demonstrate violently, have we solved our problems? Do we have fuel or forex [foreign exchange]? Is this democracy? Not so," he said in a national address on Thursday. | |
| Several buildings and businesses belonging to members of the security forces and government allies have been attacked during the violence. | |
| The government passed an austerity budget recently, raising taxes to reduce dependence on aid. | |
| Several donor countries have cut aid recently, accusing the government of mishandling the economy and not respecting human rights. | |
| 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. |