Rule with democracy and not divide the country

Mozambique is steeped in its second armed conflict since the end of the civil war 16 years. In the city, the dialogue between the Government of FRELIMO and RENAMO has long been discontinued to make room for the noise of weapons inside the country.Mozambicans go worn with the blood spilled and the absence of a peace sign at the end of the tunnel. DW Africa interviewed exclusively to the leader of RENAMO, Afonso Dhlakama, who gave his version of the facts.

DW Africa: What is the concern of RENAMO now?

Afonso Dhlakama (AD): The concern RENAMO is the concern of the people, especially the people who have been voting in RENAMO and its leader. To maintain democracy and to avoid the worst in Mozambique, because the people promises that if RENAMO not do something, he, leaderless, can go outside, prefer even from everything and to die, and this can be a mess to Mozambique, the priority of RENAMO, and that is the people, is govern the six provinces where we had the majority in the last elections. Although there has been fraud, we resist too much, we were above all parties. Rule with democracy and not divide the country, as FRELIMO claims or claim the independence of each province, but there peacefully rule governing alternation at the local level. This is the concern of RENAMO and my moment.

DW Africa: RENAMO had promised to rule from March 1 the provinces where he says he won in 2015. Entrentanto election that has not happened so far. Because?

AD: No, RENAMO said the day. He said that from the month of March will start its governance. Today, Monday (03.14.), There are still sixteen days to finish the month. Let's start this governance gradually, we will take account of various districts in each province and establish standards, our administrations. We said that from March we will catch the sticks and drive FRELIMO, no. In fact, March is this month, I can assure you that no-hearing before the 31st of this month RENAMO in the provinces where he obtained the majority, has already taken many districts. It was what we promise and there is nothing that is out of time.

  

DW Africa: In the current clashes, most of the victims have been civilians, according to the press, contrary to earlier confrontation in which most were army soldiers. This leaves many disgruntled citizens, which to some extent makes RENAMO is not as well regarded as the earlier conflict. RENAMO is aware that assessment?

AD: Absolutely not. Ma'am, I was born and raised in Mozambique, Mozambican am and was in FRELIMO before fighting for democracy. The Mozambican people know what is happening, even the Mozambican press knows what is happening. Either frelimista can try to convey a negative image. I will tell you: this conflict resumed a month ago, led by FRELIMO. Since January and February, FRELIMO hired North Korean, trained death squads in Maputo, and this group was spread through the provinces of central and northern. According to FRELIMO, it was to prevent the governance of RENAMO. And these groups went traction cars to the four wheels, which overnight kidnapped members of RENAMO and even supporters. They did this in a district, and the next day, were the bodies in the woods. And the European ambassadors and accredited Africans here know this situation. So RENAMO Defense Department took action made ambushes between the Save River section where come from the south to the center, made another ambush between Save River and Muxungué and also put up between Chimoio and Tete and between Gorongosa and Zambezi river in Caia, to intercept these kidnappers groups. In fact, many were caught and the situation is already better.

But this taking action, FRELIMO created military convoys, forcing carriers to be escorted because the military FRELIMO could no longer go for fear of being attacked, know the capacity of the forces of RENAMO. So the forces of FRELIMO, to pretend, forced the trucks and southern carriers to carry the soldiers. Now, this process of military FRELIMO entering the civilian cars, so RENAMO shoots military cars. Trough that one dies and another, and FRELIMO sends journalists say that RENAMO attacked civilians. You know very well. RENAMO survives thanks to the support of the population. If RENAMO wanted to kill civilians in their areas [it would have done], lives with civilians. I did not have to go choose a road to attack civilian cars because they circulate the districts. RENAMO closed the logistics of government forces, but FRELIMO to launch propaganda, ashamed to be suffering low today can not say twenty, thirty or forty (soldiers) young men or Rapid Intervention Forces die every day, and talk of the population. There are people who are dying, but one or the other may be a victim of shots from either side. The situation that can confirm in Tete province is as follows: The clashes have caused much [of the population] in Nkondedzi, Moatize district took refuge in Malawi. But it was also confirmed that the population fled the atrocities of the government forces.

DW Africa: In this regard the government says there is no war refugees are relatives and supporters of RENAMO who are in Malawi ...

AD: Ma'am, it seems to me that international radio reported the situation a few weeks ago. There is an agency of the United Nations credible, UNHCR, who was in Malawi and saw Mozambican refugees there, including children, and said with his mouth full fleeing the atrocities of the government forces, because when the RENAMO forces clash with forces government, these lead fight and avenge themselves. Burn the houses accusing the local population is supporting RENAMO. Incidentally, this is the [FRELIMO] policy. Two years ago, here in Satundjira in Maringué, people were left without homes. It is the same as happened in Nkondedzi. The STV itself, which is the private agency here, was in Malawi, where she interviewed people. He was in the abandoned areas and confirmed [all]. To be true, it is propaganda Tete governor say they are not refugees, but family RENAMO. It's nearly ten thousand. So to be so are all the ten thousand family [members] RENAMO in such a small place? This advertising is old and no longer adhesive. Are refugees, only FRELIMO not accept that Malawi grant them refugee status, because it is a little shame. Malawi is a small country, has no food to give and so is calling. And now the Deputy Minister of Justice or the like, led to TVM, state television that advertises for FRELIMO, led dinamizadores leaders of the city of Tete to the areas concerned and instructed them in advance to say that the people fled the atrocities of the forces of RENAMO. But this no longer takes anything because everyone knows why those people fled.

But going back, there are many civilians who are dying. There were three ambushes: in Zove area, the section between the Save River and Muxungué, the second ambush in the area of ​​Zonde, Catandica, the section between Chimoio and Tete, and the last ambush was the section between the town of Gorongosa and the bridge on the Zambezi river in Caia. Therefore, in the aera of Nhamapanza and Nhamajaja.

DW Africa: these ambushes, at least one of them died the driver of a carrier, was an ambush against a bus of passengers ...

AD: I was passenger, my sister. This happened in Vonde. A week ago, the machimbombo was the Naji company full of "fademos" Armed Forces of Mozambique, which emerged from Chimoio to Tete. Radio Deutsche Welle can use your sources, you'll have the evidence. I do not have to cheat and not to advertise. Then the driver was hit, I know it was a Saturday at nine. There was no member of the public, died thirty-nine "fademos". May die one and another member of the public, we are not doing the holy war, you can catch one, we have to say yes. Now say that RENAMO is attacking civilians not because it would be a serious problem, RENAMO survives thanks to the support of the population.

DW Africa: Also during the first clashes, the matter RENAMO was managed by the Ministry of Defence, but at some point went to the Interior Ministry. When there is fighting who answers is the police. Do you think this is an attempt to minimize the status of RENAMO or transform RENAMO into a kind of unruly or simply marginal?

AD:. There they entered elements RENAMO after the General Peace Agreement, in Chissano time, he did not like, as well as all strategists FRELIMO. They saw that the "fademos" (Armed Forces of Mozambique) would not serve the interests of FRELIMO. She created [other] army as an alternative, the Police Rapid Intervention, now FIR, Rapid Intervention Forces, controlled by the Interior Ministry. This is a 100% Army [FRELIMO] because there is no mixing with RENAMO. It is an army made up of former soldiers who fought against RENAMO for 16 years, and the young people are incorporated in the army they do not belong to any police. It is an own army because "fademos" have a lot of mistrust.While our men are not generals, nor are considered FRELIMO distrusts "fademos" because they did not accept this control, and when they are deployed, run away, while the FIR is controlled by the Interior Ministry and is not a police . This FIR is an army authentic, with more conditions than the "fademos". They have tanks, heavy weapons, earn well and have their own barracks. There is sometimes some generals "fademos" to command the FIR. It's what's happening. Not to minimize RENAMO or to despise and assign RENAMO a statute of bandits. No, on the contrary. It is that FRELIMO suffered casualties and "fademos" are the alternative to the FIR. But even so, the FIR is also suffer losses. Currently, FRELIMO has not effective. He tried to launch offensives in Zambezia, Nampula and here near the Gorongosa, but we put them all out of action.