Mozambican police unaware of attack on Renamo Military Junta

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Mozambican police unaware of attack on Renamo Military Junta

3:16 CAT | 10 Sep 2019

File photo: Voa Portugues

The commander-general of the Police of the Republic of Mozambique (PRM) said on Monday he was unaware of any attack by the defence and security forces on Renamo’s self-proclaimed military junta, and underlined that the government did not intend to take any action against the group.

“Whether it was attacked or not, we don’t know. The police’s job is to chase down murderers, not the junta. The junta is Renamo’s business, and Renamo will deal with it,” Bernardino Rafael told reporters.

Last Friday, Mariano Nhongo, the leader of the self-proclaimed military junta of the Mozambican National Resistance (Renamo – Mozambique’s the largest opposition party), said that some of his men were attacked at a base in Chipindaumwe, Gondola district, in central Mozambique.

“My men at the base were attacked and responded,” Nhongo reported, attributing the attack to the defence and security forces and adding that the clash lasted into the early afternoon in bush some distance from the village.

Asked about this case yesterday, the PRM commander general said that he was unaware of the attack, but assured that the forces did not intend to undertake any onslaught against the Junta because the creation of the group is an internal affair of the main opposition party.

BERNARDINO-1 — Bernardino Rafael. [File photo]

“The police are not interested in the Military Junta,” on its own account. They may however be interested “in a group of criminals who threaten order and security”, he said, adding: “The country didn’t stop [because of the self-proclaimed Junta].”

Background

Although hostilities between the government and Renamo ended in December 2016 and peace was formally sealed through agreements signed a month ago, a group led by Mariano Nhongo remains in the woods.

Renamo’s self-styled military junta does not recognise party leader Ossufo Momade, nor the agreements signed by him, notably those concerning disarmament and reintegration into society, threatening violence if their demands are not met.

Renamo president Ossufo Momade characterises the movement led by Nhongo as a group of undisciplined deserters, and last week said: “Mariano Nhongo is a Mozambican citizen and member of Renamo and all we can do now is ask him to see reason.”

Source: Lusa