Mozambique post-election protests: Why so many dead in Nampula?

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Mozambique post-election protests: Why so many dead in Nampula?

5:23 CAT | 09 Dec 2024

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

The latest protests in Mozambique against the election results have been particularly violent in the province of Nampula. Analysts and activists blame the police and the government, because the people are “tired” and want change.

The latest protests in Mozambique against the election results have been particularly violent in the northern province of Nampula. In the first two days of this new phase of demonstrations alone, eight people died in Nampula, according to data from the Decide Electoral Platform.

“We want to know why they’re shooting at us. Did we vandalize something? This fire, the Rapid Intervention Unit is who is responsible for this fire, they came to shoot us. They’ve already shot two of our colleagues,” says a citizen living in Nampula, who saw his compatriots killed by the security forces during protests against the election results.

Violence is increasing in the protests called by presidential candidate Venâncio Mondlane. Frelimo headquarters have been set on fire all over the country, there are reports of vandalism of state buildings, stone throwing and even a prison in Morrumbala being invaded. At the same time, the number of deaths in the protests is rising.

“The police are to blame”

Gamito dos Santos, provincial coordinator of the Mozambican Network of Human Rights Defenders in Nampula, says that the police are to blame for such a high number of deaths.

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“The police continue to be the reason for the violation of basic human rights principles, and continue to carry out violent repressive action against protesters. The demonstrations have often been peaceful, but suddenly we have started to see unnecessary police shootings,” he complains.

And, according to several witnesses, the shootings have been with live ammunition.

Since the protests began in late October, Nampula province has already recorded more than 50 deaths. It leads the statistics at the national level, according to the survey carried out by the Mozambican Network of Human Rights Defenders.

The police admit that they have used live ammunition against protesters. But, according to police spokesman Dércio Samuel, these bullets would only be used to disperse the protests. There are no orders to shoot to kill, adds Samuel.

“In fact, we have our rubber bullets, which are used to disperse individuals, but in a situation where there is a flagrant crime, those bullets have already run out and we end up using real bullets. But our objective is always to shoot into the air, not to shoot individuals directly,” Samuel explains.

“The main way out is dialogue”

Why such a high number of deaths in Nampula? Are the protests here more intense than in other regions of the country? Gamito dos Santos, from the Mozambican Network of Human Rights Defenders, believes so.

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“The people of Nampula have never been peaceful. The military issue began to be addressed in the province of Nampula and, [after the fight against] the Portuguese military power; the only Military Academy [Marshal Samora Machel] in the country was built here in the province of Nampula. The issue of population resistance is predominant in the province of Nampula,” dos Santos says.

Journalist and academic Aunício da Silva sees the situation from another perspective. He recalls that the Nampula people are “tired” of Frelimo and have already experienced the benefits of having another party in power.

“All people who are tired [of the regime] are violent, and Nampula has the particularity of having experienced a very successful municipal government, that of the late Mahamudo Amurane [of the MDM, assassinated in 2017]. So, the people of Nampula saw that it is possible, when well governed, for the lives of the communities to improve. However, historically, the Macua people are very peaceful,” he adds.

The journalist warns of an even worse scenario in Mozambique – with more clashes and more chaos – if the Constitutional Council validates the results of the National Electoral Commission, which gave victory to Frelimo.

He proposes a solution:

“The main way out is dialogue. The parties involved need to talk with some sincerity and honesty. Obviously, the population is tired of the high human cost, and those in power need to see where they are failing,” he concludes.

Source: Deutsche Welle