
Presidente da República, Daniel Chapo, recebe em audiência Maria Chiara Turrini, representante da Comunidade do Sant´Egidio
Maputo, 21 Jan (AIM) – The Roman Catholic Sant’Egidio Community has expressed its willingness to continue providing support in the search for peace and social harmony among Mozambicans, after the country was plagued by post-election mass demonstrations called by the former presidential candidate Venancio Mondlane in order to protest against the allegedly fraudulent results of the elections held on 9 October.
Mondlane called for peaceful demonstrations against the results, but the unrest soon degenerated into destruction and looting. The results of the elections, which gave victory to the ruling Frelimo party and its candidate, Daniel Chapo, were widely regarded as fraudulent and the Constitutional Council itself, the highest body in Mozambican electoral law, admitted that they were riddled with irregularities.
According to the community spokesperson, Maria Turrini, speaking on Monday, in Maputo, after an audience granted by the Mozambican President, Daniel Chapo, under the current circumstances it is more difficult for the Community to carry out its work.
“The Sant’Egidio Community has always worked for peace and in favor of the population, so we want to continue”, Turrini said. “Sometimes times are better, sometimes they are more difficult, but the Community continues to work for the good of the population, especially vulnerable people”.
The Sant’Egidio Community was a crucial mediator for the end of Mozambique’s war of destabilisation, which caused the deaths of about one million people and the displacement of over four million others. The Peace Agreement, which put an end to 16 years of war, was signed in 1992 by then President Joaquim Chissano, and the late Renamo leader, Afonso Dhlakama, at the Sant’Egidio headquarters, in Rome.
(AIM)
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