Interior Minister claims police does not repress demonstrations

Maputo, 2 Nov (AIM) – Mozambican Interior Minister Pascoal Ronda on Wednesday told the Mozambican parliament, the Assembly of the Republic, that the police force (PRM) has never acted to repress demonstrations.

This claim would have astounded members of the opposition parties, had they been there to listen to Ronda. But both opposition forces, Renamo and the Mozambique Democratic Movement (MDM), were boycotting parliament, in protest at the municipal election results which they regard as “a mega-fraud”.

Ronda was responding to opposition concerns about the excessive use of force by the PRM – but only deputies from the parliamentary group of the ruling Frelimo Party were in the parliamentary chamber to hear him. Thus Ronda did not face any aggressive questioning.

“The PRM does not repress demonstrations”, he said. “The PRM protects peaceful demonstrations. However, when these become violent, the police is obliged to intervene, to guarantee the protection of citizens and their property and the normal functioning of public and private institutions”.

He added that, even with the presence of the police, “there was damage” during the Renamo demonstrations of last Friday.

“Imagine how serious the situation would have been if the police had opted for inaction, as some individuals suggest”, said Ronda.

He said that, following the 11 October municipal elections, there were 130 demonstrations, of which 25 turned violent. Nine of the violent demonstrations were in Nampula province, six in Zambezia, six in Maputo, and one each in Cabo Delgado, Niassa, Tete and Sofala.

Ronda said that in the wake of the violence the police had arrested 237 people – 149 in Nampula, 33 in Zambezia, 23 in Maputo, 16 in Niassa, 11 in Sofala and five in Tete.

He added that all the detentions “result from violation of the law, and not from membership of any political party”.

Ronda accused the Renamo demonstrators of using “home-made explosive devices”. The police had seized 59 of these devices, 55 in Maputo and four in Nampula city.

So far the police have not shown these devices to reporters, and Renamo has categorically denied the accusation. Cited by the independent television station, STV, Renamo spokesperson Jose Manteigas accused Ronda of “making things up”.

It has been suggested that Ronda was referring to Molotov cocktails, perhaps the simplest form of incendiary device which can be made by anybody with access to glass bottles and petrol.

Manteigas also insisted that Renamo has not encouraged the looting that took place during some of the demonstrations. He blamed Frelimo for supposedly “infiltrating criminals” into the Renamo marches.

The parliamentary debate that began on Wednesday also covered such matters as the government’s flagship agricultural programme “Sustenta”, and preparations for the 2023-2024 rainy season. It was scheduled to last for two days but, in the absence of the opposition deputies, it was cut to just one day.

Both Renamo and the MDM have warned that they will not return to the Assembly until “the truth about the elections has been restored”. Parliamentary business can continue without the opposition, since Frelimo has a majority of seats, and can meet the parliamentary quorum on its own.

If the opposition deputies fail to attend the Assembly plenary for more than 15 days, they could lose their seats.

(AIM)

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