die riot touching in Mozambique’s capital, Maputo, there is no limit. On Thursday (November 7, 2024) there was a large demonstration in which tens of thousands came together to put pressure on the government and “liberate the country”. The atmosphere was tense and security forces were on the scene with armed police and armored vehicles.
Before the demo there were strike actions and protests in many parts of the country for days, most of them violently suppressed by security forces grew. Human rights groups are afraid. According to Human Rights Watch, citing reports from local civil society groups, the Intensification of unrest since 9 October has already resulted in the death of at least 20 people. Hundreds more demonstrators were injured and thousands were arbitrarily arrested. Since the election results were announced, the government has shut down the internet across the country and blocked social media to prevent the spread of information, reports Amnesty International.
Death threats against the leader against Mondlane
The opposition party PODEMOS and its candidate Venâncio Mondlane are accusing the ruling party FRELIMO (Mozambican Liberation Movement). election fraud. In the vote on October 9, the party that has been in power for 49 years won an absolute majority in parliament. Presidential candidate Daniel Chapo (47) he emerged as the winner with more than 70 percent of the votes.
Venâncio Mondlane is taking legal action against the decisions. EU observers also talk about irregularities and “unwarranted changes to the election results.” Mondlane has fled to nearby South Africa for safety reasons. In an exclusive interview with DW, Mondlane spoke about possible talks with FRELIMO and death threats against him after Mondlane’s close confidant and lawyer were killed in their car in Maputo along with a spokesman PODEMOS a few weeks ago.
DW: Mr. Mondlane, the President of the Republic, Filipe Nyusi, called on Mozambicans to come together to protest on November 7 ahead of opposition protests, and at the same time the Minister of Defense sent a message of fear to the protesters. How would you explain this tactic of the FRELIMO government?
Venâncio Mondlane: This is typical of “cynical” governments. Lack of vision is typical when it comes to negotiation processes. They refuse to admit that FRELIMO’s policies over the last 50 years have been disastrous.
This is not only about the electoral equality that we want, but also about a whole range of social and economic indicators that have been terrible for the people. That is why the people of Mozambique joined this protest movement.
The demands raised at the demonstrations are largely related to the selection process, but also to other concerns. That is why people from different professions and social classes have joined the movement, including doctors, teachers, military men and even police officers. The election question was, after all, the force that led the people to protest against a whole series of public administration disasters that have accumulated over 50 years.
The government has threatened to declare a state of emergency, which would put an end to the mass demonstrations. Would you be willing to submit to the threats?
Mondlane: I think the timing is bad. A state of emergency would have made sense if it had been declared earlier as a precautionary measure. Now that people have been moved and demonstrations are already taking place across the country, I believe that a state of emergency would have no effect.
Many people say that your life is in danger. Are you worried about a possible assassination attempt?
Mondlane: I have been a target for 20 years, so attempts on my life and physical integrity are nothing new to me. What is important is my deep conviction that I defend values that go beyond physical life, which is unstable and fluid. Values are timeless. They last for generations. So it’s worth fighting for what exists and stands the test of time. And not for what is slow, like our physical life.
Has the FRELIMO party ever officially requested an interview with you?
Yes, various people from the FRELIMO party contacted me. Some said they were coming to me on their own behalf, while others said they had a mandate to speak to me. Others were an opportunity. They have come to me and I have no problem engaging in communication as long as it is structured systematically, regularly and sensibly. At this time everything is scattered and chaotic.
What do you hope to achieve from FRELIMO?
My goal, which is not only mine but shared by many, is that the government of FRELIMO would introduce. That he accepts that he has to restore electoral reality and accept a set of conditions that people have been asking for for more than 50 years. What we want in Mozambique is simple. First: restoring reality to the elections. And secondly, we must put an end to a historical mistake made and abolish the two-party system of the Mozambican state.
The interview was conducted by Nádia Issufo.
2024-11-08 12:42:00
#Chapo #bring #truth #November
