Mozambique: “We no longer have the patience to go and ask the traitors for favours” – Nhongo

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Mozambique: “We no longer have the patience to go and ask the traitors for favours” – Nhongo

4:43 CAT | 02 Sep 2020

FILE - Mariano Nhongo, leader of the self-proclaimed Renamo Military Junta. [File photo: DW]

The Assembly of the Republic is encouraging the Renamo leadership to talk to the self-proclaimed Military Junta, made up of dissident former guerrillas, but the Junta refuses to have any contact with Mozambique’s largest opposition party.

The Assembly of the Republic of Mozambique, through its Defence and Security Commission, is encouraging the leadership of the Mozambican National Resistance (Renamo) to persist in attempts to make contact with the self-proclaimed Military Junta, composed of dissident former Renamo guerrillas.

The objective would be to convince them to lay down their weapons and join the ongoing disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration (DDR) process.

But the Military Junta refuses to have any contact with the country’s largest opposition party.

The parliamentary Defence and Security Commission, led by MP Diolinda Chochoma, noted last Friday (28-08) that the Defence and Security Forces (FDS), on the ground to ensure the safety of communities in the central province of Sofala, remain relentless in their fight against the enemies of peace.

The commission however recognises that it is difficult to fight the self-proclaimed Military Junta, because its members are embedded in local communities.

Security

Momadepic.dw_ — *Ossufo Momade, leader of Renamo*

“Security in Sofala province is good and people and goods are circulating,” Diolinda Chochoma said. She recognised that “there really are attacks by the so-called Renamo Military Junta”, but “work is moving forward, with the Defence and Security Forces at work”.

“They are strong and aware that our people cannot live in insecurity,” Chochoma said about the FDS.

The parliamentarian considers that the only solution to instability in Sofala and Manica is to include the Renamo deserters in the DDR process and, in her view, responsibility for ensuring this falls solely on the leadership of the largest Mozambican opposition party.

“We appeal to the leadership of Renamo to continue raising awareness. They are raising awareness but [it is necessary] to continue raising awareness and [promote the] mobilisation of those few, or many, who stayed with Nhongo. Let them come and join those who are waiting for the DDR currently underway, to which many are coming,” she explained.

Renamo president Ossufo Momade has already stated in public that there is no room for negotiation with the Nhongo group, and recommends the voluntary return of the former general and the group he leads.

“Refusal of any approach”

In an interview with DW Africa, Nhongo declined any approach by Ossufo Momade, accusing him of being a traitor, an accusation he extends to party Secretary General André Majibiri.

“We no longer have ‘patience to go and ask for patience’ [favours] from the traitors, because no one from the Renamo Military Junta will go to Majibiri. Did he ever fire [a] weapon?” Nhongo asks, adding: “We know him [Majibiri]; we refused him when he was young, in 1989.”

“Ossufo left Frelimo, he was captured. The two agreed to destroy Renamo. But Renamo is not destroyed. We have no time to kneel [in front of] the comrade, in front of Frelimo […] Kneel, ask for favours for what? We are going to beat Frelimo until it takes all the weapons,” the Military Junta leader added.

While the exchange of accusations between the Frelimo government, the Military Junta and Renamo drags on, abductions, murders and armed attacks in the provinces of Sofala and Manica continue.

Last Sunday (30-08), an armed attack on a bus resulted in injuries to two passengers. The incident occurred in the border area between Chibabava and Machanga, in the south of Sofala province, the location of frequent military clashes from 2013 to 2017.

Source: Deutsche Welle