Mozambican police crack down on march in Quelimane – DW

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Mozambican police crack down on march in Quelimane – DW

4:07 CAT | 16 Dec 2019

FILE: For illustration purposes only. [File photo: DW]

At least three people were injured when police fired bullets into the air and used tear gas to disperse a Renamo march in Quelimane city, central Mozambique.

Mozambican National Resistance (Renamo) members in Quelimane, where Renamo is the governing party, were about to start a march marking the end of the year’s youth activities this Friday (13.12), when they were caught by surprise by the severity of the security forces’ response.

Witnesses report that police dispersed them with tear gas, and shooting real and rubber bullets into the air. Many protesters had to be treated for tear gas inhalation, and at least three persons sustained minor injuries.

Several of the march’s leaders fled, saying the police were hunting them down.

“I’m the organiser of the march, and when I arrived at the scene, ten policemen and the head of provincial operations of the PRM [Police of the Republic of Mozambique] showed up. They chased me, and I fled,” Director of the Youth Department at Quelimane Municipal Council Helder Uajonda said.

Uajonda said the authorities were informed of the march on the previous week, and that he sees no reason for the police to react so violently.

“The PRM received the letter and today (Friday) the young people of the city of Quelimane gathered. Suddenly, we found the police blocking the march, [claiming] it was illegal and we had no right to march,” he says.

“They thought we were protesting against the results of the October 15 election, but the march had nothing to do with that. The police are supposed to protect us. I don’t know if they aren’t perhaps Frelimo police.”

“There is no freedom of assembly or right to protest”

Renamo’s political delegation in Quelimane has not yet commented on events, while police command in Zambezia province declined to comment, spokesman Sidner Lonzo only saying that the police would have obeyed the law.

Another march organiser, Jonathan Suleimane, told DW Africa by telephone that he had fled because police officers surrounded his house early Friday afternoon.

“We have the right to speak out and protest, but, in practice, there is no freedom of assembly in this country,” Suleimane said. “Once the shooting started, I had to flee the scene; they [PRM] were looking for the march organisers. [It’s] a way of showing strength and trying to intimidate people. I had to leave because the situation was not looking good for me.”

This is not the first time that police in Zambezia have suppressed a Renamo march. In February, several party members were beaten and 14 detained for nearly five days when they marched in support of Quelimane’s current manor, Manuel de Araújo. A journalist from Diário da Zambézia was also assaulted.

Source: Deutsche Welle