Mozambique: Renamo Threatens Demonstrations in Sofala

( Maputo) Mozambique's former rebel movement Renamo is threatening to hold demonstrations in Cheringoma and Chemba districts, in the central province of Sofala, in protest against the alleged destruction of five of its offices by members of the ruling Frelimo Party, reports Wednesday's issue of the Beira daily paper "Diario de Mocambique".

Speaking at a press conference in Beira on Tuesday, the Renamo Sofala provincial political delegate, Fernando Mbararano, said that three Renamo offices had been destroyed in Chemba and two in Cheringoma. He said the assailants had also burned two Renamo flags.

In addition, said Mbararano, the police had detained three Renamo members in Chemba for no good reason. He claiming the three had been doing nothing more sinister than drawing up a list of the Renamo membership in the area. They had subsequently been released.

Mbararano also accused the Chemba district administrator.
Jorge Daul, of using local traditional chiefs to close down Renamo offices. This district administrator, he claimed, had punished a Renamo member by ordering him to remain standing throughout a rally held in the district in 13 April.

"We have been trying to use peaceful means to solve the conflict", said Mbararano. "But it wouldn't cost us anything to tell our men to go and tear down Frelimo flags, since we see that, judging by the apathy of the authorities, in Mozambique it's not a crime to burn another party's flag". He claimed that, since Renamo is the majority party in Sofala, it would not be difficult for Renamo to mobilise the public to expel chiefs who are working for Frelimo, "but later they would say that Renamo is inciting the population to disobedience".

Renamo, he said, was using all possible legal mechanisms to present its complaints against Frelimo, "but when everyone keeps quiet, Renamo may resort to public demonstrations".

He would give no date for these possible demonstrations, but stressed that Renamo would respect all the provisions in Mozambican legislation governing freedom of assembly.
Asked to comment on these accusations, the Frelimo first secretary on Sofala, Lourenco Bulha, told "Diario de Mocambique" that he had no information on what might be going on in Chemba and Cheringoma.

Fonte: Allafrica