Mozambique government to use defence forces against protests

MAPUTO, Mozambique

Mozambique’s government promised on Tuesday to use “all the means at its disposal” to prevent the demonstrations called by presidential candidate Venâncio Mondlane, claiming that they are illegal and do not comply with the law.

“The government, through the Defence and Security Forces [FDS], will use all the means at its disposal to ensure that social ceremonies such as weddings, funerals, parties, among others, can take place, including the normal functioning of institutions,” declared Mozambique’s Interior Minister, Pascoal Ronda, at a press conference in Maputo.

A report by the Mozambican non-governmental organisation (NGO) Plataforma Eleitoral Decide published on Monday shows that at least 76 people have died and another 240 were injured by gunfire in Mozambique during 41 days of demonstrations to contest the election results.

According to the report released by the electoral monitoring platform, which includes data from 21 October to 1 December, there were also “more than 1,700 people injured from various causes” across the country in these demonstrations and an estimated “more than 3,000 arrests”.

Presidential candidate Venâncio Mondlane called on Monday for a new week-long phase of electoral contestation in “all the neighbourhoods” of Mozambique, starting on Wednesday. Traffic will be stopped from 08:00 to 16:00 (06:00 to 14:00 in Lisbon).

“All the neighbourhoods in strong activity,” said Venâncio Mondlane, who does not recognise the results announced from the general elections on 9 October, in a statement on his official Facebook account, calling for a new protest period from 4 to 11 December.

“They are going to concentrate in the neighbourhoods and on the main avenues that cross our neighbourhoods – we don’t need to travel far – raising our posters,” said Venâncio Mondlane.

Interior Minister Pascoal Ronda said that the intervention of the FDS to contain demonstrations and marches should not be seen as “excessive use of force”, asking that it be seen as an act to restore “public order, security and tranquillity” to allow the institutions to function normally.

“It should not be confused as an excessive use of force when the police uses its resources for the proportional protection of critical public and private infrastructure,” he said, insisting that the actions of the police forces are aimed at “fulfilling the sacred duty” of protecting the country.

Pascoal Ronda also accused Venâncio Mondlane of calling for “violent demonstrations against the state”, labelling them “illegal and not complying with the requirements of the law”.

“These acts, which are contrary to the law and which, due to their seriousness, jeopardise social peace and harmony, public order and tranquillity, the right of people to move freely and the full exercise of the rights and freedoms of other citizens, are vehemently repudiated and condemned. Zero tolerance for these provocative acts of terror,” he warned.

“This includes demonstrations that, although allegedly peaceful, have become violent and subversive in nature because they jeopardise the exercise of other citizens” fundamental legal rights, for which they constitute a criminal offence,” concluded Pascoal Ronda.

The announcement by Mozambique’s National Electoral Commission (CNE) on 24 October of the results of the 9 October elections, in which it awarded victory to Daniel Chapo, supported by the Mozambique Liberation Front (Frelimo, the party in power since 1975) in the election for President of the Republic, with 70.67% of the votes, triggered popular protests, called by presidential candidate Venâncio Mondlane and which have degenerated into violent clashes with the police.

According to the CNE, Mondlane came second with 20.32%, but the latter does not recognise the results, which must still be validated and proclaimed by the Constitutional Council.