Renamo renews attacks but agrees talks about talks

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Renamo renews attacks but agrees talks about talks

8:22 CAT | 19 May 2016

In File Club of Mozambique

Renamo will today (Thursday 19 May) name a three person team to meet the government team to talk about talks, Renamo head Dhlakama told O Pais (18 May) and STV on Tuesday. Dhlakama said he had only received a letter that day from President Filipe Nyusi suggesting that the two teams should discuss all issues about the talks, including mediation.

Nyusi named his team on 4 March: former Security Minister Jacinto Veloso, former Justice Minister Benvinda Levi, who is now an advisor to Nyusi on legal matters, and Alves Muteque, an official in the president’s office.

Dhlakama puts at the top of the list for negotiation the issue of governing “our provinces – the provinces that voted for Renamo.” And he says he wants provincial elections in 2019 – in what appears to be a modification of his position. He goes on to say that Frelimo claims that his proposals for elected provincial governments violate the constitution, and if so the constitution should be amended. But he sees Frelimo as equally violating the constitution by “falsifying the vote” and packing the Constitutional Council with Frelimo members.

Refuting claims that he is ill, he did admit he was debilitated the last time he appeared in public because he had malaria. But he added “we are old, we have children. We never intended to stay in the bush” but were forced there by Frelimo. He also claimed again that Renamo is not attacking civilian targets but only military ones; he confirmed attacks on Nagi and Etrago buses because he said they carried soldiers.

Meanwhile last weekend, perhaps to add military clout to Renamo’s entry into talks about talks, there were a series of attacks – several in new places, perhaps in an effort to demonstrate Renamo expansion. On Sunday a bus was attacked in Mocuba, Zambezia near a Renamo base; a Philippine woman was killed and five other people were seriously injured. On Saturday a South African registered car was attacked in Chinguno, Mossurize, southern Manica, and a woman passenger was killed. (AIM Pt 18 May) According to Canal de Mocambique (18 May) six buses were attacked in Morrumbala and Mocuba, Zambezia, and two in Gorongosa, Sofala, on Sunday, all on the main N1 road between Nampula and Beira. Three people were killed and many passengers injured, Canal claims. The buses came from five different companies, including the two which Dhlakama said were transporting soldiers.

The Human Rights League (Liga Mocambicana dos Direitos Humanos, LDH) said on 10 May that since the beginning of the year, “the LDH has been notified of 83 summary executions which occurred in Manica, Sofala, Tete and Zambezia.”
http://zitamar.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/LDH-statement-10-May-2016.pdf

By: Joseph Hanlon

Source: News reports & clippings