Mozambique Police Commander calls for dialogue with protesters

MAPUTO, Mozambique

The recently appointed general commander of the Mozambican police force (PRM), Joaquim Sive, declared on Friday that the police should resort to dialogue rather than bullets to disperse crowds of protesters.

Speaking to finalists who were awarded ranks at the end of a degree course in the police science academy (Acipol), on the outskirts of Maputo, Sive said he had followed with concern the clashes between police and demonstrators that began last October.

Initially the demonstrations were against fraudulent results from the 9 October general election, but later the main target for protests became the cost of living, with crowds demanding that shopkeepers reduce their prices.

The death toll in the clashes is now more than 300, and the great majority of these victims were killed by police bullets.

Sive called for “balanced measures” from the police, seeking, as far as possible, “mediation and dialogue”.

“Faced with conflict, police agents should act as facilitators of dialogue, as a bridge through which citizens can find consensus”, said Sive. “To this end, they should work closely with the people, undertake activities of public education, and revive the community security councils”.

Sive challenged the course graduates to set examples of integrity. “Each one of you should be an example of integrity, respect and empathy”, he said. “Fighting crime and guaranteeing public safety is a difficult task, but a gratifying one. Every citizen has the right to live in a safe environment, and it is your responsibility that this right be respected”.

Sive was echoing remarks made last week by the Justice Minister, Mateus Saize, that the use of live ammunition by the Police in order to contain protesters during mass demonstrations “is not normal.”

According to the minister, in the event of disorderly situations, “the government advises the use of rubber bullets and tear gas, not live ammunition.”

Yet the use of real bullets has become normal procedure, particularly for the Rapid Intervention Unit (UIR, the Mozambican equivalent of the riot police).