Renamo demands withdrawal of troops before ceasefire

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Renamo demands withdrawal of troops before ceasefire

7:47 CAT | 12 Aug 2016

RM (File photo)

Mozambique’s opposition party Renamo has written to President Filipe Nyusi proposing a ceasefire under certain conditions.

Renamo has been waging a violent armed campaign against civilians and security force members in some parts of the centre of the country.

According to the daily newspaper “O Pais”, the head of the Renamo delegation to the Joint Commission (which is composed of six representatives from the government and six from Renamo) has confirmed that a letter has been sent. The Joint Commission is the body that is discussing the conditions under which President Nyusi and Renamo leader Afonso Dhlakama can meet. This political dialogue is taking place with the participation of a team of international mediators.

However, the Joint Commission did not meet on Thursday, and there has been no reported progress on the very first item on the agenda – the demand by Renamo that it rules in the provinces where it claims to have won the 2014 elections. Mozambique has eleven provinces and Renamo wants to take power in the central and northern provinces of Manica, Sofala, Tete, Zambezia, Nampula, and Niassa.

The head of the government delegation, Jacinto Veloso, confirmed that a proposal regarding a ceasefire had been received by the President. However, he did not have a positive reply to the opposition demand that security forces stationed in the central district of Gorongosa be withdrawn. He clearly stated “the response was given in the Joint Commission by myself, as head of the delegation. We did not speak directly about the letter, but we said that the request for a withdrawal is not accepted”.

The government’s view is that the security forces and the armed men from Renamo should stay in their current locations. He added that “President Nyusi has already stated that as soon as Renamo halts its armed attacks he will immediately, as commander in chief, order the end to all actions by the defence forces.”

Source: AIM