Mozambican analyst Jaime Macuane shot – Deutsche Welle

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Mozambican analyst Jaime Macuane shot – Deutsche Welle

3:20 CAT | 24 May 2016

José Jaime Macuane, Professor of Political Science at the Eduardo Mondlane University in Maputo, was beaten and shot by unknown individuals on the morning of Monday May 23 and dumped in Maputo Marracuene’s district. He is now in a stable condition in a private hospital in the capital.

According to Mozambique’s STV channel, quoted by Lusa news agency, the academic and TV commentator was shot in both legs and left on the Maputo ring road, and his car stolen.

Quoting the victim, Pedro Guambe, Macuane’s father-in-law, says that the analyst was stopped by a car in the up-market Coop neighbourhood before being beaten and driven by the attackers to a little-frequented part of Marracuene, where he was shot.

Macuane was rescued by people in the area and taken to the Maputo Central Hospital, from where he was transferred to Maputo Private Hospital.

Fernando Lima, journalist and fellow commentator on STV’s “Pontos de Vista” programme, says he spoke to the clinic director who said that the analyst was “stable”.

“José Jaime Macuane was shot four times, three of which caused no major problems. However, one of the bullets hit his femur and shattered the bone,” Lima reports, adding that this is a “complicated fracture that requires José Jaime to have an operation”.

Guambe said his son-in-law had told him “the criminals said they were sent to make me lame”, and that the attackers were not masked and took his identity documents and phone. “As far as we know, he was not threatened [before the abduction],” Guambe said, adding that it is now up to the authorities to catch the perpetrators.

The attack is no surprise

Lima believes that the attack came in response to Macuane’s criticism of governance in the country, and views the incident “with concern but not surprise”.

“In the current climate, nothing surprises us. We know that we take these risks so it’s no big surprise. Bit it’s sad that we are living in a situation like this,” said the journalist.

Lima feels it’s important that people maintain their integrity and not be intimidated by incidents like these.

“People are shot in one or another part of Mozambique by nameless and faceless people on a daily basis. This is not a recent thing, it dates from way back. If they want to hurt us, they will hurt us. The important is that we keep our integrity, because if we show fear and retreat, we are granting the goals of those who want to intimidate us,” he said.

“This is a violation of the Mozambican constitution.”

Ivone Soares, head of the Mozambican National Resistance (Renamo) bench in parliament, deplores the attack, saying that freedom of speech is under threat in Mozambique.

Ivone Soares, the parliamentary group leader of RENAMO

“It was with shock and horror that we became aware of the infamous abduction and attack Dr. José Jaime Macuane was subjected to this morning,” she said.

“What is happening in our country is a violation of constitutional norms that we ourselves as Mozambicans defined. Shooting a citizen because he freely expresses his opinion is unjustifiable,” Soares says.

Soares says her party is “deeply shocked that the room for Mozambicans to speak out on matters of public interest in this country is being steadily reduced”.

The MP recalled some of the kidnappings and attacks on personalities recently, asking: “Who is next?”

“It seems that there is a list that is being followed. That we may all be on that list, and perhaps it is just a matter time before we find ourselves in the same situation or worse. What is happening is inhuman. Mozambicans can’t even demonstrate or protest,” Soares complains.

Jaime Macuane is regularly invited by the media, including DW Africa, to comment on the Mozambican political situation. The Sunday evening STV program “Pontos de Vista” in which he participates, is one of the most viewed in the country.

Source: Deutsche Welle