Mozambique’s largest opposition party, Renamo, has announced that it is going to gather together its former rebel fighters who were “compulsorily” demobilised and not incorporated into the unified national army (FADM) after the General Peace Agreement of 1992.The daily newspaper “Noticias” on Thursday quotes the Renamo spokesperson, Fernando Mazanga, as saying that the regrouping is in response to requests made by some former rebels to the party president, Afonso Dhlakama.“Renamo welcomes the decision to establish quartering areas for demobilised Renamo fighters, who were purged from the FADM”, said Mazanga.In the first phase, according to the spokesperson, a quartering area will be created in the district of Montepuez, in the northern province of Cabo Delgado. This will be followed by the setting up of quartering areas in Cuamba in Niassa province, and Mocuba in Nampula province.Asked whether such a regrouping could pose a threat to peace, Mazanga argued that this action will not lead to any disturbances.Mazanga stated that Renamo is preparing a peaceful revolution, with the objective of removing Frelimo from power and establishing a new political order based on equality of opportunity for all citizens.“To reach this goal, Renamo prioritises negotiations with the government because we want to make a peaceful revolution with the participation of all forces in the country”, stated Mazanga.However, the Deputy Minister of Defence, Agostinho Mondlane, argued that the move by Renamo to regroup their former fighters constitutes a “flagrant violation of the laws and constitution of the Republic”.He told “Noticias” that only the government is legally mandated to gather and quarter Mozambicans, to form an army to defend the citizens and sovereignty of the country.He pointed out that there are laws specifically dealing with the issue of the demobilisation of former combatants, whether they belonged to the Renamo rebels, the former national army FPLM, of the current armed forces FADM.Mondlane stressed that if any former combatant did not receive the assistance promised under these laws, there are state institutions where groups of individuals can take their complaints.Regarding the possibility of the regrouping of Renamo provoking trouble, Mondlane stated that the Ministry of Defence will coordinate with other state institutions to restore order and justice if necessary.
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