MOZAMBIQUE-POLITICS: RE-BIRTH OF AN ARMY

By IPS Correspondents Reprint | | Print |

JOSEPHINE MASIMBA

MAPUTO, Nov 22 1994 (IPS) - FROM THE REMNANTS OF TWO FORMER OPPOSING ARMIES, ONE UNIFIED FORCE HAS BEEN BORN IN MOZAMBIQUE. BUT THE PROCESS OF INTEGRATION AFTER MORE THAN 30 YEARS OF WAR IS PROVING DIFFICULT.

POLITICAL OBSERVERS ARE ALREADY CONTENDING THAT THIS NEW ARMY MAY PROVE TO BE THE ACHILLES HEEL OF THIS FLEDGLING DEMOCRACY.

THEY CITE THE DIFFERENT POLITICAL AFFINITIES OF THE SOLDIERS, SMALL NUMBER OF TROOPS AND RELATIVELY POOR CONDITIONS OF SERVICE AS POSSIBLE OBSTACLES TO THE EFFICIENCY AND EFFECTIVENESS OF AN ARMY IN A LAND SEETHING WITH DISCONTENT.

THE HISTORY OF THE NEW ARMY STARTED IN 1992 WHEN MOZAMBIQUE’S BELLIGERENTS SIGNED THE ROME ACCORD, ENDING 19 YEARS OF CIVIL WAR IN THE SOUTHERN AFRICAN COUNTRY.

FOLLOWING THE AGREEMENT, THE RULING FRONT FOR THE LIBERATION OF MOZAMBIQUE (FRELIMO) AND THE MOZAMBICAN NATIONAL RESISTANCE (RENAMO) CONTRIBUTED TROOPS FROM THEIR OFFICIALLY DEFUNCT ARMIES TO THE NEW ALLIED MOZAMBICAN ARMED FORCES (FADM).

DESPITE ASSURANCES OF GENUINE UNITY IN THE FADM FROM THE COUNTRY’S POLITICAL PRINCIPALS AND REPRESENTATIVES OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY, OBSERVERS DOUBT THE DEEP-SEATED ENMITY OF THE PAST HAS ALREADY BEEN BURIED IN THE ONE-YEAR-OLD ARMY.

A DIPLOMAT FROM SOUTHERN AFRICA INSISTS EX-RENAMO TROOPS OFTEN COMPLAIN OF “BEING MADE TO FEEL OUTSIDERS AND BEING TOLD YOU ARE NOT FROM FRELIMO”.

HOWEVER, FADM CO-COMMANDER LT.-GEN. MATEUS NGONHAMO, RETORTS: “THE MENTALITY OF A SOLDIER IS UNIVERSAL AND TRANSCENDS ANY IDEOLOGY. WE SPEAK THE SAME LANGUAGE. WE HAVE NEVER HAD ANY PROBLEMS SINCE THE ARMY WAS FORMED.

“DURING TRAINING THE SOLDIERS NEEDED ONLY FIVE MINUTES TO GET TOGETHER AND THEN IT WAS DIFFICULT TO TELL THEM APART,” SAYS THE JOVIAL 31-YEAR-OLD FORMER HEAD OF TR

MOZAMBIQUE-POLITICS: RE-BIRTH OF AN ARMY

By IPS Correspondents Reprint | | Print |

JOSEPHINE MASIMBA

MAPUTO, Nov 22 1994 (IPS) - FROM THE REMNANTS OF TWO FORMER OPPOSING ARMIES, ONE UNIFIED FORCE HAS BEEN BORN IN MOZAMBIQUE. BUT THE PROCESS OF INTEGRATION AFTER MORE THAN 30 YEARS OF WAR IS PROVING DIFFICULT.
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