MOZAMBIQUE-POLITICS: NEW ARMY, OLD GUNS

By IPS Correspondents Reprint | | Print |

JOSEPHINE MASIMBA

MAPUTO, Nov 18 1994 (IPS) - THE TRANSFER OF WEAPONS TO A NEW UNIFIED NATIONAL ARMY FROM MOZAMBIQUE’S FORMER BELLIGERENTS KICKED OFF FRIDAY, AMID CONCERN OVER REPORTS OF ROVING BANDS OF GUNMEN IN THE COUNTRYSIDE.

THE PROCESS WAS FORMALISED AT A CEROMONY THURSDAY INVOLVING OFFICIALS OF THE U.N. OPERATION IN MOZAMBIQUE (UNOMOZ), REPRESENTATIVES OF THE RULING FRONT FOR THE LIBERATION OF MOZAMBIQUE (FRELIMO), AND THE FORMER REBEL MOZAMBICAN NATIONAL RESISTANCE (RENAMO).

UNOMOZ, WHICH OVERSEES THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE 1992 ROME PEACE ACCORD WHICH ENDED 17-YEARS OF BLOODY CONFLICT, COLLECTED THE ARMS FROM THE ASSEMBLY POINTS OF THE TWO FORMER ENEMIES.

THE EXERCISE TO HOOVER UP THE REMAINING MILITARY HARDEWARE STILL IN THE HANDS OF THE TWO NOW DEFUNCT ARMIES IS PART OF THE DEMOBILISATION AND DISARMAMENT PROCESS WHICH PRECEDED THE CREATION OF THE NEW, UNIFIED 11-000-STRONG NATIONAL ARMY.

THE PRESIDENT OF THE CEASE-FIRE COMMISSION (CCF) WHICH MONITORED THE PEACE, COL PIER SEGALA, SAID SOME 23,000 WEAPONS AND A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF EXPLOSIVES AND MUNITIONS WERE COLLECTED DURING THE VERIFICATION PROCESS.

ACCORDING TO SEGALA, SEVERAL ARMS HAD BEEN DISCOVERED AND DESTROYED AS UNOMOZ COULD NOT TRANPORT THEM TO ITS REGIONAL DEPOTS AROUND THE COUNTRY.

HE SAID 17,000 GUNS, MUNITIONS AND EXPLOSIVES IN 26 CACHES BELONGING TO RENAMO AND FOUR CACHES WHOSE OWNERS WERE UNKNOWN HAD ALSO BEEN COLLECTED.

UNOMOZ HAS DRAWN SHARP CRITICISM FOR FAILING TO ACCOUNT FOR ALL ARMS IN THE COUNTRY BEFORE THE FIRST MULTIPARTY ELECTIONS WERE HELD BETWEEN OCT 27 AND 29.

THERE IS A BOOMING BLACK MARKET TRADE IN WEAPONS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY, AND GROWING FEAR THAT IT MAY CULMINATE IN ARMED BANDITRY OR EVEN A RE-PLAY OF THE ANGOLAN FIASCO IN WHICH REBELS DEFEATED IN U.N.-MONITORED ELECTIONS RETURNED TO WAR.

ALREADY THE CAPITAL MAPUTO IS AWASH WITH RUMOURS THAT ARMED RENAMO SUPPORTERS ARE ON THE MOVE IN VARIOUS PARTS OF THE SOUTHERN AFRICAN COUNTRY PREPARING FOR BATTLE.