Luisa Nhatumbo / EPA
Protesters cut the main border with South Africa
The demonstrations that began in October have already closed the main border with South Africa and caused 45 deaths. With sticks and flags, people take to the streets and the police respond with repression and violence. There is already talk of terrorism.
The new wave of protests incited this week by Venâncio Mondlanecandidate for the October 9 presidential elections in Mozambique, has seen an escalation of violence.
The Mozambican non-governmental organization Centro de Integridade Pública (CIP) reported today seven more dead and a dozen injured in Wednesday’s demonstrations in Nampula, north of the country.
“All seven dead and a dozen injured reported by our correspondents in Nampula were victims of shooting in the famous neighborhood of Namicopo, on the outskirts of the city of Nampula. THE death toll approaches fifty since the demonstrations began on October 21st,” said a statement from the CIP, which monitors the electoral processes.
The police reportedly stopped the protesters and immediately began firing tear gas,” leading to their dispersion.
“Two of the six fatally shot and two of the injured were found by police in a backyard, where they had fled after tear gas was fired. A member of the plainclothes police escaped death by stoning after being identified among protesters. He fled to a residence. The protesters entered and violently attacked him until he lost consciousness, but the intervention of the family he entered prevented the worst,” explained the CIP.
The same report stated that the administrative post of Namicopo, the most populous in the city of Nampula, was later set on fire by protesters: “In addition to breaking glass, protesters set fire and burned the building inside. Also, some goods that were inside were burned, such as chairs and other objects.”
“That’s what we’re seeing, I think every day tends to increase the number of police officers, yesterday it wasn’t like that (…). I think they were pulled here from the city, in Maputo there shouldn’t be any more police,” the man told Lusa. merchant Finiz Matavelaaged 27, before joining the march, explaining why shortly afterwards: “We voted for who we want, so things aren’t working the way we want, that’s the reason we’re here”.
Protests by Venâncio Mondlane supporters, demanding the “restitution of electoral truth”, today they cut off circulation in Ressano Garcia, the main border between Mozambique and South Africaheavily guarded by dozens of military and police officers.
In the early hours of the morning, the strong presence of the Defense and Security Forces was already visible at the border, the entry point for imports to the Mozambican capital and the exit point for South African exports, which use the Maputo port, with heavy vehicles to be escorted along the entry route into Mozambique by military and policeheavily armed. The border receives around a thousand heavy vehicles per day, and is located almost 100 kilometers from Maputo.
A group of dozens of protesters, declared supporters of presidential candidate Venâncio Mondlane, They gathered at the border and marched through the town, blocking the passage of heavy vehicles, some retreating in the middle of the National Road 4given the proximity of the protests, involved by dozens of police and military personnel, who did not intervene.
The general commander of the Police of the Republic of Mozambique (PRM) Bernardino Rafaelsaid on Tuesday that “enough is enough” with the demonstrations and strikes, saying that they are “urban terrorism” with the intention of “changing the constitutional order”.
The Mozambican Interior Minister, Pascoal Ronda, mentioned the same word: “this is terrorism, when they say we want to reach the red tip [residência oficial do Presidente da República]what does this mean? It means the removal of bodies that were democratically established and this is serious”, said the government official, noting that the “dosage of measures” to stop the marches “must be appropriate to the patient’s illness”.
The Mozambican Public Ministry (MP) has already opened 208 criminal proceedings to hold the perpetrators accountable “moral and material” violence in post-election demonstrations, the Attorney General’s Office (PGR) also announced on Tuesday, holding presidential candidate Venâncio Mondlane responsible.
A new concern also arises: the Mozambique-Mali football matchto be held this Friday, to qualify for CAN 2025, is being looked at with a bad eye, as it could lead to disturbances.
