Maputo, 26 Feb (AIM) – The Confederation of Mozambican Business Associations (CTA) has called on the government to guarantee security for private businesses as mass protests, characterized by rioting, looting and destruction, are continuing in some parts of the country.
Initially, the protests used as their excuse the results of last October’s general elections, widely regarded as fraudulent. But now the focus of the unrest, in many parts of the country, has moved away from the elections to the cost of living.
The demonstrations, initially called by the former presidential candidate Venâncio Mondlane in order to protest against the election results, started peacefully but then degenerated into rioting and looting.
According to CTA chairperson, Agostinho Vuma, who was speaking on Tuesday, in Maputo, at a meeting aimed at discussing the country’s economic recovery measures, there is a need to guarantee security before private businesses can resume their activities.
“We are facing a wave of violence linked to hatred. So we have a very intolerant Mozambique”, lamented Vuma.
Vuma also stressed the need to end the wave of kidnappings of businesspeople. The kidnappings began in 2011, and three businesmen have been kidnapped in Maputo so far this year.
Vuma pointed out that the kidnappings are one of the reasons why potential investors are reluctant to put their money in Mozambique.
Reacting to one of the measures announced by the government in order to relieve the financial pressure on business by “creating subsidized credit lines for companies that have no debts but need capital to boost their business, with annual interest of 15 per cent”, Vuma said “the criteria for access and the cost of these funds must be established.”
“How to accept a recovery fund that will have an impact on the cost structure, as the unrest continues? How will companies that already had loans deal with the imminent danger of further destruction?”, Vuma asked.
Statistics indicate that at least 955 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) were affected during protests, resulting in the loss of 17,000 jobs.
The government has now given its initial estimate of the destruction caused by the rioting since October, and the figures are devastating.
The government spokesperson, the Minister of State Administration, Inocencio Impissa, told a press conference in the northern city of Pemba on Tuesday that the rioters have destroyed 19 factories and other industrial units, 1,677 shops, 23 warehouses, 176 communication masts and 13 pharmacies.
The education and health services were not spared. Impissa said the rioters destroyed 177 schools or other educational establishments and 27 health centres.
“23 ambulances, 220 other vehicles, 164 government houses and 108 private homes were also vandalized”, said Impissa. “Any destruction is disgusting and totally reprehensible. Then we complain that we don’t have basic necessities, we want access to imported goods, we force the importer to sell at prices that have no basis for calculation, so this kind of behavior cannot be embraced by the government”.
Initially, Impissa made no mention of deaths resulting from the unrest—mostly caused by police shootings during confrontations with protesters—but when questioned by journalists, he stated that the government’s records indicated approximately 80 deaths.
“Regarding the fatalities, according to our information, we have about 80 confirmed deaths linked to these protests. It’s appalling that citizens leave their homes to engage in activities that could result in death for others or themselves,” Impissa said.
But the estimates made by independent civil society groups monitoring the protests suggest that the true death toll runs into the hundreds. According to the data compiled by the “Decide” electoral platform at least 327 people were shot dead by the Police and around 750 were injured by gunshots. Among the victims, there are about 20 minors.
Impissa did not say who is to blame for the orgy of destruction that Mozambique has suffered. Some pro-government writers on social media have denounced Venancio Mondlane. But one man, no matter how charismatic, cannot be responsible for rioting and arson all over the counry – especially as Mondlane has repeatedly urged his supporters not to loot shops or burn buildings.
(AIM)
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