CIP Mozambique Elections: Police killed 13 demonstrators yesterday, as protests spread

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CIP Mozambique Elections: Police killed 13 demonstrators yesterday, as protests spread

10:10 CAT | 05 Dec 2024

Image: Miramar

Police killed 13 demonstrators yesterday

The day after Interior Minister Pascoal Ronda warned that there would be “zero tolerance” for demonstrators, police shot and killed 13 demonstrators yesterday (Wednesday 4 December).

At a press conference Tuesday (3 December), Ronda accused Venâncio Mondlane of calling “demonstrations that, although allegedly peaceful, have become violent and subversive in nature because they jeopardise the exercise of other citizens” fundamental legal rights. Therefore, he said, the intervention of the FDS [security forces] to contain demonstrations and marches should not be seen as ‘excessive use of force’. (LUSA 3 Dec)

Most deaths yesterday were in the Nampula Province (7 deaths). Others were in ⁠Inhambane (2), ⁠Cabo Delgado (2), Maputo Province (1), and Sofala (1). Five platforms and civil society organisations monitoring demonstrations have come together to record casualties. They are CIP, Decide, CDD, Amnesty International and the Bar Association. The say that the deaths to date are 89, slightly lower than the number we gave in the previous bulletin.

The Minister’s warning seems to have served as fuel for the demonstrators, which were larger and in more places across the country yesterday. Early on Wednesday morning (4 December) the streets of Maputo and Matola were blocked. Cars were abandoned in the middle of the street, with their engines switched off. But the greatest surprise came from Gaza province, regarded as a stronghold of Frelimo, particularly in Chibuto and Xai-Xai.

Gaza: the revolt of a stronghold?

In Chibuto, Gaza, it all began in the local secondary school. The pupils refused to sit their annual exams in support of the protests by their teachers who are demanding payment they are owed for the overtime worked. The pupils demonstrated on the patio of the school, and then gathered in the centre of the town, particularly at the local roundabout. The Police were called to the place and began to open fire against the pupils. The video shows the police shooting and spectators yelling “You are shooting at children”: https://drive.google.com/file/d/19rLIdUwBukW8-cN-cnnnZD8pSqyeno9_/view?usp=sharing.

Another video shows the pupils challenging the Police to fire, standing in front of them shouting: “duvula! duvula!”, (meaning, “shoot! shoot!”).

During the afternoon, when more demonstrators marched along some avenues of the city. Later, the demonstrators invaded the swimming pool of a local tourist complex, where they swam for several hours. A policeman was injured after he was attacked by demonstrators. He received medical care at the district hospital.

In Xai-Xai, the epicentre of the demonstrations was the Limpopo Market, and in the evening the demonstrators attacked and set fire to the provincial headquarters of the Frelimo Party. The fire brigade intervened but the fire damaged part of the building. Demonstrators then threw stones at the firemen, breaking the windows of their vehicles. The police arrived and began to fire against the demonstrators, who then left.

Gaza has been a Frelimo stonghold, but in this election there was a major Frelimo boycott. In Chibuto and Xai Xai turnout was only 36% of registered voters. https://bit.ly/Moz-El-335

Police stations and Frelimo offices vandalised

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The Frelimo party office in Cariaco, Pemba, was attacked and vandalised, as shown above. In Muecate (Nampula), the Frelimo office was also vandalised, as was the home of the Frelimo First Secretary. On Tuesday, the Frelimo office and the home of the Frelimo First Secretary were burnt down in Moma, Nampula province.

In Morrumbala, Zambézia, demonstrators assaulted the district police command and hijacked a police vehicle to drive through the town. Several Frelimo Party offices were also vandalised and set on fire.

In Matola and Maputo

In Matola, the centre of confrontation was the neighbourhood of Malhampsene, at the crossroads between EN4 and Avenida das Indústrias. Police were called early in the day, and fired tear gas. In response, the demonstrators attacked the police with stones, and the police fled. The police station in Malhampsene was set on fire. The demonstrators also set fire to a bus of the company Transportes Lalgy which was being protected by the police.

Also in Matola, the demonstrators tried to attack the Tsalala 9th police precinct, but without success. The police fired several shots, to disperse the demonstrators.

The road from Maputo to Ressano Garcia (the border with South Africa) was cut from 08.00 to 16.00, the period envisaged for the demonstrations.

In Maputo city, as from 08.00, the roads were blocked. No car could circulate between then and 16.00.

Source: Centro de Integridade Publica - CIP Eleições