Mozambique’s government and the main opposition party RENAMO have signed a new peace agreement. Already several attempts to end the violence in Mozambique. Also this time, there is skepticism.
President Filipe Nyusi and the leader of the opposition, Ossufo Momade with the peace Treaty
A week in the sign of peace: On Monday, the Mozambican Parliament passed an Amnesty law, immediately thereafter, the disarmament of RENAMO fighters started and this Thursday President Filipe Nyusi from the ruling FRELIMO party, and Ossufo Momade, the leader of the largest opposition party, RENAMO, signed a new peace Treaty.
“In this document, both parties are obliged to do so, all the enemy actions, or military attacks on armed forces, positions, or property, as well as the General population to leave,” said the Mozambican President, the new Treaty in a speech on the situation of the Nation before the Parliament on Wednesday evening.
Also RENAMO chief Momade was satisfied with the agreement: “the signing of the agreement on the cessation of military hostilities, we want to assure our people and the world that we bury the logic of violence as a means of resolving our differences,” said Momade. “We believe that the peace will be permanent, and that the coexistence will be of different parties, for all political parties to normality.”
Relief to internal conflicts in the RENAMO
“I am very happy!”, said RENAMO member of the Costa Amado in the city of Quelimane, on the re-price in the direction of peace. “We were a little tense, but as we have seen, has started the registration of RENAMO soldiers in their disarmament, demobilization and Reintegration has helped us this much.”
A group of radical dissidents among the armed fighters had caused in recent weeks with death threats against their party chief for voltage. They had turned against Momade, who had taken over the leadership of RENAMO, after the long-time leader Afonso Dhlakama, had died in the past year.
Mozambique’s President Filipe Nyusi, in his speech at the signing of the contract
“It is normal that RENAMO is in a turbulent state that is characterised by divisions,” analyzes the Mozambican political scientist Lourindo Verde.” The military of the RENAMO have problems in Identifying with their new leader because he comes from a tribe with which you are unfamiliar. Since the establishment of the RENAMO party of people from the centre was conducted and now the new leader from the North of the country.”
But, at least at first glance, could prevail Momade and to bring the peace talks, which had already been in the year 2014 by his predecessor Dhlakama, President Nyusi begun, to a successful end.
Fragile peace: third-party calls
This is the third agreement between the RENAMO and the Mozambique government made since independence, in 1975, throughout, from the former Marxist liberation movement FRELIMO. A first peace Treaty was signed in 1992 in Rome and had ended the cruel civil war in which the white government of Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) and later, the Apartheid Regime of South Africa on the side of the RENAMO had intervened.
In 2013, the RENAMO took up the armed struggle again as they felt the FRELIMO marginalized. In 2014, they announced a new cease-fire agreement. “Immediately after that, elections were held, and we got right after the elections, in a crisis,” recalls the Mozambican academics Lourenço do Rosário, which was for a long time as an intermediary between the two parties. For him, it is clear that more needs to happen than just agreement to write: “Today, the political debate is focused on the concept of actual peace. Because Mozambique has experienced since the General peace agreement [of 1992] never a real peace, because there was permanent conflict zones.”
A Demonstrative gesture to the conclusion of peace
Mozambique needs a climate of trust
In the past years, there were repeated complaints on the part of RENAMO that its members would not have access to Offices in the public administration that the attacks would be perpetrated on their party leaders and members, and that the FRELIMO elections fake. Also, for the upcoming parliamentary elections in October of this year, there are allegations that the voters ‘ register had been rigged in favor of FRELIMO.
“A climate of trust, reconciliation will and responsibility for the country are necessary,” says Rosario: “If a climate of confidence is created and one of them believes that the other is cheating, if there is reconciliation, and if the dissenters as useful for the development process of the country accepted, then I think that the conflicts at the end can be overcome.”
Disarmament of the RENAMO crucial
However, the government accuses RENAMO, that they have disarmed, contrary to the agreement of Rome, 1992, your fighter never complete, and in the armed forces of the country integrated. The RENAMO did maintain, for example, in the Gorongosa Region in the centre of the country, where the new Treaty was signed, military bases.
In October 2013, the military increased its presence in the Gorongosa Region after attacks temporarily
“In the past, there were arrangements that the armed men of RENAMO should be integrated into the armed forces and security forces of Mozambique. But that didn’t happen and I’m sure that this is causing the conflict once again, and the country has destabilized”, is Liberalto Duarte, a citizen of the city of Quelimane, the opinion of many Mozambicans. “We hope that repeats itself this time!”
Attack in the centre of the country
An attack on Wednesday at the place Nhamapadza could be a bad Omen: Here, in the Central Mozambican province of Sofala, close to the place where the new peace Treaty was signed, had an Unknown person on a Bus, and a load of shot the car. Two people were injured.
In this area, RENAMO, had committed in the past few years, similar attacks. It is still unclear who is behind the attack. It is feared, however, that it could be the dissident group of the RENAMO fighters.
Employees: Arcénio Sebastião (Beira), Marcelino Mueia (Quelimane) and Leonel Matias (Maputo)