Mozambique: Writers association suspends former health minister

Login

Register

http://www.clubofmozambique.com/

Mozambique: Writers association suspends former health minister

4:26 CAT | 14 Jul 2021

File photo: O País

The Mozambican Association of Writers (AEMO) has suspended former health minister Hélder Martins, accusing him of having plagiarised the bill of the Mozambican Academy of Letters (AML), and of submitting it to parliament on behalf of another academy.

AEMO Secretary General Carlos Paradona told ‘O País’ on Tuesday that Hélder Martins deposited in the Assembly of the Republic (AR) a proposed law for the creation of the Mozambican Academy of Arts and Letters (Amocal) identical to the proposed law for the foundation of the AML.

The text of the AML was prepared by an installation commission created by AEMO and chaired by the former minister of health, also a writer. It was dissolved after the conclusion of its work and submission of the document to parliament.

“Surprisingly, AEMO learned that the documentation produced and sent to AEMO by the president of the installation commission was taken by the writer Hélder Martins for the creation of another academy in which he appears, once again, as chairman of the installing commission. This violates AEMO statutes,” said Carlos Paradona.

He accused the former health minister and writer of dishonesty, saying that Martins’ behaviour left the organisation with no option but suspension.

Speaking to ‘O País’, Martins said that Amocal has the support of 41 associations and has a broader scope than the AML, because the latter focuses only on the area of letters.

The former government official said he had announced his intention to create a more inclusive academy to the AEMO board, and received support from the writers’ organisation.

“It was only later that they went back on their word, because they don’t have a word,” he said.

Martins accused the AEMO of displaying a “fascist and authoritarian attitude” and attempting to curtail the freedom of its members.

“With regard to the accusation that we have appropriated an idea from AEMO, it’s an accusation without reason, because it was the commission who did the work of producing the bill, not the AEMO,” he said.

Neither the AML and Amocal bills have been debated by parliament, which is suspended for the usual break between sessions.

In February of this year, Hélder Martins resigned as a member of the Technical-Scientific Commission for the Prevention and Combat of the Covid-19 Pandemic in protest at the entity’s methods.

Martins is a veteran of the Mozambican liberation struggle and a historical member of the Mozambique Liberation Front (Frelimo), the ruling party, and served as Minister of Health between 1975 and 1980, He later worked for the World Health Organisation (WHO).

As a writer, Hélder Martins has several published works.

Source: AIM