Mediators abandon stalemated talks and in the on-going war, regular attacks continue – Hanlon

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Mediators abandon stalemated talks and in the on-going war, regular attacks continue – Hanlon

6:43 CAT | 19 Dec 2016

DW (File photo)

International mediators left Mozambique last week, giving up on the stalemated talks between Renamo and the government. There was no formal statement, but the coordinator of the mediators, Mario Raffaelli, made clear they would only return if there was a formal invitation from the negotiating teams of the two sides.

Renamo has been demanding elections of governors in the six provinces in which it says it won the most votes in 2014 (in fact, it won in only five), and a new integration of Renamo fighters into the army and police with some form of joint control (as was agreed in 2014 for the Electoral Commission). Rafaelli’s strategy was to help the two sides to agree on a decentralisation proposal to submit to parliament, followed by Renamo agreeing a ceasefire.

The two sides did agree in later October to a very general paper by Rafaelli which called for governors “chosen locally”, without saying how or what powers they would have. It also talked of a truce and of possible “provisional Renamo governments” is some provinces. There then followed a period of shuttle diplomacy, with mediators talking to one side and then the other, to try to reach a compromise document with an outline of a proposed law which could be submitted to parliament.

Renamo claimed that the government negotiating team said it did not have a mandate to negotiate details of decentralisation, and that the purpose of the talks was only to organise a meeting between Renamo head Afonso Dhlakama and President Filipe Nyusi. Government then proposed that Dhlakama and Nyusi would appoint a committee of negotiators and Mozambican experts, but not mediators, to thrash out a draft. There were a few joint commission meetings, put that proposal finally failed. Dhlakama told Savana (16 Dec) that he opposed it because it would bypass the mediators. He has always been nervous that the government will use its much greater technical capacity to trick Renamo in technical negotiations, and sees the mediators as a partial protection.

Dhlakama, from his bush camp on the Gorongosa mountain, will not make any concessions – he wants to name six governors and that they should retain the current virtually dictatorial power of governors. Frelimo is divided. One group agrees to decentralisation and elected governors, but with the power sharply limited in a way similar to elected mayors. Another group wants no concessions on governors and is not happy with the talks at all, wanting to defeat Renamo militarily.

Challenged by Savana to declare a unilateral cease fire, Dhlakama refused. With neither side seeing any urgency for a settlement, the mediators went home.

And in the on-going war, regular attacks continue

Gunmen on 7 December shot at a train of the Indian coal mining company Jindal carrying coal from Moatize to Beira; the attack was in Inhamitanga, Sofala, and the train driver was injured. (AIM En & Pt 8 Dec) There have been three attacks on buses in the military convoys on the N7 road in Ncondezi, Barue, Manica. In all, eight people were injured. (Lusa 14 Dec) In an attack on 7 December 15 people were kidnapped by Renamo and later released in Barue. (Zitamar 9 Dec) There are now five accommodation centres in Manica with 650 famlies and 3,166 people who have fled the war with Renamo; the centres are in Vanduzi, Mossurize, Guro, Gondola and Barue. (AIM Pt 15 Dec)

A Renamo member of the Nampula provincial assembly, Jose Almeida Murevete, was shot and killed at his home in Nampula city on 15 December. (Voice of America 16 Dec)

The house of John Chekwa, a journalist with the community radio in Catandica, Barue, Manica was attacked by eight men claiming to be part of the police Rapid Intervention Unit. Chekwa was not at home at the time, so they took his 15 year old son and a friend and threw them in the back of a truck containing other people. The two later escaped. The police also took all of Chekwa’s computers, telephones, etc. Chekwa has been accused of being too critical of Frelimo and of reporting on the fighting between Renamo and the Rapid Intervention Unit in Barue. (Zitamar 9 Dec)

By Joseph Hanlon

Source: News reports & clippings