MOZAMBIQUE-POLITICS: RUMOURS OF VIOLENCE IRK POLITICIANS

By IPS Correspondents Reprint | | Print |

JOSEPHINE MASIMBA

MAPUTO, Nov 15 1994 (IPS) - MOZAMBIQUE’S MAIN OPPOSITION PARTY, DIPLOMATS AND THE HEAD OF UN OPERATIONS HERE HAVE DENOUNCED MEDIA REPORTS THAT THE COUNTRY’S FORMER BELLIGERENTS PLAN TO RETURN TO VIOLENCE.

“THERE IS NO REASON FOR RENAMO TO RETURN TO THE BUSH NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS,” SAID MOZAMBIQUE NATIONAL RESISTANCE (RENAMO) LEADER AFONSO DHLAKAMA. “I DON’T WANT TO HEAR ABOUT GUNS AGAIN.”

“THE STRONGEST ENTERPRISE IN THE COUNTRY SEEMS TO BE THE PRODUCTION OF RUMOURS AND FALSE DOCUMENTS,” SAID ALDO AJELLO, HEAD OF THE UN OPERATION IN MOZAMBIQUE (ONUMOZ). “WE SEE A KIND OF STRATEGY TO MOUNT TENSION IN THE COUNTRY AND WE’D LIKE TO REFUSE FIRMLY AND TRY TO STOP IT.”

THE LOCAL DAILY ‘NOTICIAS’ AND THE WEEKLY ‘DOMINGO’ RECENTLY CITED DOCUMENTS WHICH THEY CLAIMED WERE “PROOF” THAT BOTH THE RULING FRONT FOR THE LIBERATION OF MOZAMBIQUE (FRELIMO) AND ITS ARCH-RIVAL RENAMO WERE PLANNING TO USE VIOLENCE TO GAIN THE POLITICAL UPPER HAND AFTER LAST MONTH’S ELECTIONS.

ONE ARTICLE CLAIMED PRESIDENT JOAQUIM CHISSANO AND PRIME MINISTER MARIO MACHUNGO WERE INVOLVED IN A PLOT TO BOMB DHLAKAMA’S HOUSE, WHILE OTHERS SAID RENAMO WAS RECALLING FORMER FIGHTERS IN PREPARATION FOR WAR IF IT FAILED TO SECURE A PARLIAMENTARY MAJORITY.

THE ARTICLES HAVE SPARKED ANGRY DENIALS FROM KEY PLAYERS IN THE ONGOING UN-SUPERVISED PEACE PROCESS WHICH KICKED OFF WHEN THE FORMER BELLIGERENTS SIGNED A PEACE ACCORD IN ROME IN 1992, ENDING A 17-YEAR CIVIL WAR THAT KILLED MORE THAN A MILLION PEOPLE.

AJELLO, WHO IS ALSO A SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE OF UN SECRETARY GENERAL BOUTROS BOUTROS-GHALI, HAS DESCRIBED THE SO-CALLED “EVIDENCE” ON WHICH THE ARTICLES WERE BASED AS “PERNICIOUS AND COMPLETELY UNFOUNDED.”

“THINGS ARE GOING THE RIGHT WAY,” AJELLO SAID. “THE OUTCOME WILL BE A PEACEFUL SETTLEMENT AND A GOVERNMENT THAT WILL GUARANTEE NATIONAL RECONCILIATION.”

THE UN DIPLOMAT STRESSED THAT REPORTS OF RENAMO’S IMPENDING RETURN TO WAR WERE CLEARLY BASED ON A DOCUMENT PRODUCED BY THE PRESS RATHER THAN THE MILITARY.

“IT INCLUDES A LOT OF USELESS ELEMENTS THAT ARE CONFUSING AND WHICH ARE ABSOLUTELY USELESS FOR MILITARY PURPOSES BUT VERY USEFUL FOR THE DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION.”