Dhlakama accuses government of slowness in peace negotiations – Mozambique

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Dhlakama accuses government of slowness in peace negotiations – Mozambique

3:55 CAT | 11 Nov 2016

Getty (File photo) / Afonso Dhlakama, Renamo leader

In Mozambique, Renamo leader Afonso Dhlakama says that his party does whatever is needed to speed up the peace dialogue, while, according to Dhlakama, “Frelimo, for its part, up to this day says that it is learning, considering and analyzing”.

In an exclusive interview with DW Africa, the president of Mozambique’s largest opposition party expressed satisfaction with the work of the international mediators and, in addition to speaking about the political crisis, told DW Africa about the successive murders of his party members, attributing them to ruling party Frelimo.

DW Africa: Can you confirm that international mediators tried to meet you but drew back due to confrontations or attacks in the region where you are staying?

Afonso Dhlakama (AD): It’s true, but the story was not well told. It was a matter I dealt with with the President of the Republic, my brother Nyusi, at his request – that some mediators could come here secretly, so as not to hinder the process. I accepted that they would come, and two came, without much publicity. But to make the meeting possible, I said that the military would have to withdraw from some government positions along the way the mediators would pass by and he said he was ready [to do that]. He [Nyusi] told me that they [government troops] had already left, when in fact they had not really withdrawn. When the mediators got close [to the meeting place], Frelimo groups started firing in the direction of those who were coming to the meeting, so the meeting did not happen. They went back and caught the plane back to Maputo.

I would say the government, and the president himself, who is Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, have broken their word. He was the one who was secretly dealing with the issue and saw the security forces rail-roading him. I do not know if it was a manoeuvre, because I do not want to believe that a commander would disobey Nyusi’s orders. I no longer know, and I cannot accuse him of wanting to kill me and to say categorically that they wanted to kill the European mediators because that would create a very serious situation; they would have all of Europe against them.

DW Africa: Should we understand by this that there are two voices of command within the Frelimo government?

AD: I do not want to believe that the military is doing things beyond Nyusi’s decisions as Commander-in-Chief. I am politician and a general and I headed the war of 16 years. I grew up in war and I know what a commander is. No one undertakes an operation without the boss knowing. Nyusi may be dissimulating, or being advised to do things in a certain way. So I cannot say that military factions are working against the commands of the Commander-in-Chief. If they carry out orders, but orders they are given secretly, that, in terms of democracy, implies that they are not involved.

Mosambik Friedensverhandlungen (DW/L. Matias) — Mario Rafaelli, head of the international mediators in the negotiations

DW Africa: Is Renamo satisfied with the course of the peace negotiations and with the work of international mediators?

AD: There is slowness from our side, Mozambicans, in particular the Mozambican government itself. The international mediators are not in charge, they are helping us Mozambicans at our request. What is noticeable is that since August, when the negotiations began, things moved quickly. They made proposals for decentralisation, even Renamo’s proposal to govern the six provinces and Renamo’s military cadres reintegration in leadership positions in the FADM. Our brothers on the other side of Frelimo have been very slow; they have not answered much yet. Renamo has responded promptly to all the proposals and suggestions made by these international mediators. Frelimo, for its part, says until this day that it is learning, is considering, is analyzing.

DW Africa: So, is it more likely that the negotiation process will continue into 2017?

AD: I am not sure anymore because I was optimistic in August and September. I did not think the conflict would last even to today (November 9), because things were moving fast. I think if we do not push hard, negotiations will last through into 2017 – which is unfortunate for the people of Mozambique. In addition to needing our own peace, democracy, human rights, free and transparent elections, there is now a wave of murders that Frelimo has adopted as a course of action. They kidnap Renamo members in rural areas, and kill them in cold blood in addition to shooting. Things typical of Nyusi, which we never saw with Samora Machel, Chissano or Guebuza. And we’ve yet to hear of anyone being arrested because he shot a member of Renamo. There are daily murders – two to three people – in the centre and south of the country. And recently, one of our colleagues Jeremias Pondeca, who was even part of the negotiating team, was murdered.

Mosambik, Oppositionspartei Renamo (DW/L. Matias) — Jeremias Pondeca (left) member of RENAMO murdered in October 2016

DW Africa: Is Renamo taking any steps to protect members being targeted by these hitmen?

AD: It is a bit difficult because the country is so big. If it were a district or a place where we could all go together and patrol against death squads, we would certainly do it. But look at the size of Mozambique; it is not easy. What is happening has a name, which is terrorism. Although we are feeling very nervous, we have decided not to go back to the fight. If others do this – they combine the smartest and the strongest as a way to silence or intimidate – then our strategy is, when we take revenge, we always demand democracy. We know that in the future it [democracy] will take revenge; justice will hold them accountable, and history never rots. So this is our strategy. Otherwise, many would leave the Renamo ranks for fear of being killed, but no one is quitting. On the contrary, academics and graduates are flocking in en masse to the party; it is not just the population of rural areas.

DW Africa: Given the increasing number of murders, are you not afraid that the families of the victims will seek revenge on their own account, or that there will even be some sort of urban warfare?

AD: As to conflicts and the theft of votes from 1994 until today, if there have been no revolts against the regime, it is because, in fact, I have been exercising a lot of restraint as leader. I am under great pressure to take up the strategy of revenge in cold blood against Frelimo members. There have been academics who called me to ask why I do not make a list [of Frelimo members], and give it to my men to cut off their heads. And my answer is: I am a democrat and not a terrorist.

We know that this difficult situation is a sacrifice, but the future will make everything right. And it would have happened already [but for me]. There are elements who say: Dhlakama, this negotiation thing is taking so long, we want to pick up our machetes and axes. We know the [members of] Frelimo, we want to put an end to them. And I say, please, I beg of you on my knees, do not do this. History will condemn all the criminals.

Source: Deutsche Welle