Maputo, 30 Oct (AIM) – The Mozambican chapter of the regional press freedom body MISA (Media Institute of Southern Africa) has called for dialogue, rather than demonstrations, to solve the current post-election crisis.
A statement from MISA expresses concern at the Tuesday night broadcast on Facebook by the independent presidential candidate Venancio Mondlane, which called for demonstrations across the country at the local offices of the election management bodies and of the ruling Frelimo Party, plus a national march on Maputo beginning on 31 October and ending on 7 November.
MISA said it is worried that demonstrations are being called for an entire week, but “without any formal organizational structure, in a context of high levels of political polarization, preceded by earlier demonstrations characterized by high levels of violence between the demonstrators and the defence and security forces”.
MISA warns that “the context and the way that these demonstrations are being called could favour the violation of fundamental rights of those who could participate, and deprive citizens of the right to circulate in pursuit of their professional, social, cultural and religious activities because they fear violence”.
It pointed out that MISA is undertaking a range of activities “to clarify the human rights violations perpetrated by the police during the demonstrations”. Some of these cases “have been finalised and submitted to the relevant authorities, while others are still being formulated”.
But a wave of “disorderly demonstrations could worsen the situation still further, and endanger the efforts made so far”.
MISA invites “all the political actors implicated in the post-election crisis” to take part in dialogue, and to wait for the outcome of the appeals against electoral fraud lodged with the Constitutional Council, the country’s highest body in matters of electoral law.
MISA called for calm while these cases are still under way.
(AIM)
Pf/ (308)