MOZAMBIQUE-ELECTIONS: WHY MILLIONS VOTED FOR RENAMO

By IPS Correspondents Reprint | | Print |

EDDIE KOCH

JOHANNESBURG, Nov 23 1994 (IPS) - MILLIONS OF PEOPLE VOTED FOR RENAMO, A MOVEMENT THAT, ACCORDING TO THE U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT, CARRIED OUT “ONE OF THE MOST BRUTAL HOLOCAUSTS AGAINST ORDINARY HUMAN BEINGS SINCE WORLD WAR LL”, IN MOZAMBIQUE’S FIRST MULTIPARTY ELECTIONS.

WHY THE PARADOX ?

OFFICIAL RESULTS ANNOUNCED THIS WEEK SHOW PRESIDENT JOAQUIM CHISSANO COMFORTABLY DEFEATED RENAMO (MOZAMBIQUE NATIONAL RESISTANCE) LEADER AFONSO DHLAKAMA IN THE PRESIDENTIAL POLL BY 2.6 MILLION VOTES TO 1.7 MILLION.

BUT DHLAKAMA’S FORMER REBEL MOVEMENT DID REMARKABLY WELL BY WINNING 33.7 PERCENT OF THE PARLIAMENTARY VOTE WHILE THE RULING MOZAMBIQUE LIBERATION FRONT (FRELIMO) PARTY GOT JUST 44.3 PERCENT.

SOME COMMENTATORS BELIEVE THIS RESULT WAS SHAPED BY A MORAL AMNESIA THAT AFFECTED MOZAMBICAN POLITICS AT THREE LEVELS: IN THE FOREIGN POLICY OF THE WESTERN POWERS, IN SOME OF THE MEDIA REPORTS THAT COVERED THE EVENT, AND, MORE IMPORTANTLY, IN THE COLLECTIVE ATTITUDES OF THE PEOPLE WHO VOTED IN THE POLL.

TAKE THE WESTERN POWERS FIRST. THE BRITISH FOREIGN OFFICE COMMISSIONED A STUDY IN THE LATE 1980S WHICH SHOWED THAT RENAMO INSURGENTS IN MOZAMBIQUE’S SOUTHERN PROVINCES HABITUALLY CUT OFF THE GENITALS, LIPS, TONGUES AND EARS OF PEOPLE THEY SUSPECTED OF BEING FRELIMO SUPPORTERS.

ACCORDING TO THE REPORT, THE REBELS REGULARLY DRAGOONED YOUNG BOYS INTO THEIR ARMY AND INITIATED THEM BY FORCING THE CHILDREN TO KILL THEIR PARENTS, CUT UP THEIR BODY PARTS AND EAT THEM.

ANOTHER STUDY CONDUCTED BY U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL, ROBERT GERSONY, CAME UP WITH SIMILAR FINDINGS. HIS REPORT NOTED RENAMO WAS MORE BRUTAL THAN THE POL POT REGIME IN CAMBODIA.

YET THE WESTERN GOVERNMENTS, ALONG WITH OTHER EUROPEAN POWERS, BACKED THE IDEA THAT RENAMO SHOULD BE TURNED INTO A CREDIBLE POLITICAL FORCE SO THAT IT COULD SHARE POWER WITH FRELIMO.

TO ACHIEVE THEIR GOAL, THEY PUMPED AT LEAST 20 MILLION DOLLARS, INCLUDING MONEY DIVERTED FROM HUMANITARIAN POLITICAL AID TO THE VICTIMS OF WAR, INTO A SPECIAL ELECTION FUND FOR THIS PURPOSE.