Renamo activities in Inhambane paralysed by fear of more killings – Mozambique

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Renamo activities in Inhambane paralysed by fear of more killings – Mozambique

1:49 CAT | 07 Nov 2016

DW / Renamo district headquarters in Maxixe

Members of Renamo, Mozambique’s largest opposition party, have practically suspended activities for more than eight months in Inhambane province for fear of being kidnapped and murdered by government forces.

The whereabouts of several Renamo members in Inhambane province have been unknown since March this year, when senior member Aly Jane was murdered. Around that time, several elements of Afonso Dhlakama’s party in the city of Maxixe and other districts were also shot.

The death of Aly Jane, who rented one of his properties to Renamo for its provincial offices, left the party without headquarters. Thereafter, Renamo business was conducted by phone.

Violência em Nhampoca, Sofala, atribuida à RENAMO — Violence in Nhampoca, Sofala, attributed to Renamo

Everyday terror

Party members even fled their homes for places they considered safe, senior party member in Inhambane Pedro Nhabanga told DW Africa.

“We walk in terror. When dawn comes, it’s dawn; when night comes, it’s night, and it’s not easy to know where this one sleeps and where that other one is, because, in fact, life as anopposition politician is difficult in the province. It’s bad.

“Look at how our members are persecuted. Some kidnapped, shot. in Maxixe, for example, many have been killed because of their politics. In fact, we are spread around.

“Every week that passes, there is more news of abductions and the murder of Renamo members in Mozambique. Fear has settled over Inhambane province,” Nhabanga says.

“If every day when you turn the TV on or switch on the radio there is talk of killing here, kidnapping there, you are afraid. So we are just stopped dead, when the only way to go is forward.”

Sede da RENAMO encerrada em Morrumbene — Closed Renamo headquarters in Morrumbene

Appeals to calm

The senior Renamo member in Inhambane appeals to party members and the public in general for calm, asking them not to get carried away by the desire for revenge and to wait for justice to be done in good time.

“The only way to get revenge is for us to wait four or five years and take revenge at the polls. We will vote on who is right; we will do justice in our turn.”

Speeding up progress at the political dialogue taking place in Maputo between Renamo and the government will help achieve effective peace, Nhabanga says.

“We urge the negotiations between the parties to quicken so that we can gain relief from this mess we live in. Let’s put out trust in the dialogue. I am sure it will bring peace and calm to Mozambique, and after the polls, we can take revenge.”

Source: Deutsche Welle