Momento de embate na avenida Eduardo Mondlane de uma viatura militar com uma manifestante
Maputo, 11 Feb (AIM) – The prominent Mozambican NGO, the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), claims that at least 348 people were shot dead by Police during the post-election crisis, characterized by mass demonstrations throughout the country.
The mass demonstrations, which were called by the former presidential candidate Venâncio Mondlane in order to protest against the fraudulent results of the elections held on 9 October, started peacefully but then degenerated into violent riots, including the destruction of public and private infrastructures, road blockades and the looting of stores.
According to the CDD report, which covers the period from 21 October to 15 January, of the 215 cases verified, 160 have already been submitted to the Attorney General’s Office (PGR) in order to hold the state accountable and compensate the families of the victims.
The organization claims to have received 600 death alerts from various sources, including a group of paralegals and trainees who volunteered to send notifications about deaths.
“Based on this set of data, a rigorous cross-checking of information was carried out which resulted in the confirmation of 348 civilian deaths, of which 215 cases were confirmed through the presentation of death certificates, evidence from funerals and visits to families”, said André Mulungo, a human rights defender at the CDD, during a Public Seminar on Post-Election Violence and Human Rights.
According to the report, in the southern region there were 207 deaths, 190 were recorded in Maputo province, eight in Gaza province and nine in Inhambane province; the known death toll in the other provinces was as follows: Sofala (37), Manica (13), Tete (nine); Zambézia (40), Nampula (155) and Cabo Delgado (19). The report does not cover the northern province of Niassa.
For his part, CDD chairperson Adriano Nuvunga, said that his organization is now working in order to bring data on cases of mass graves.
“Such mass graves are in Maputo, Nampula and Zambézia”, he said.
The representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Nora Capdevila, called for further investigation into the cases of human rights violations in order to avoid future post-election violence.
“It is important that it be an independent, impartial and transparent commission, with an inclusive composition, with access to the necessary information and that it be open to contributions from civil society”, she said.
(AIM)
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