MDM Claims systematic Violation of Freedoms

Maputo — The political freedoms guaranteed by the Mozambican constitution are being “systematically violated” across the country, accused Lutero Simango, leader of the parliamentary group of the opposition Mozambique Democratic Movement (MDM), on Monday.

Speaking at the formal opening of the end-of-year sitting of the country’s parliament, the Assembly of the Republic, Simango claimed attempts were under way to silence “criticism and ideals contrary to the government of the day”.

Outside of Maputo, and of the two cities run by the MDM, Beira and Quelimane, “obstacles to the exercise of political activities are taking on alarming proportions”. Simango cited “destruction of MDM flags, the vandalising of MDM offices, and the maintenance of illegal administrative procedures, as in the city of Chimoio, where a decision of the Municipal Council imposes rules on political parties that violate the Constitution’.

MDM members are “brutally attacked” and receive no protection from the police or the courts, Simango said.

Particularly serious was the trial of 38 MDM members (seven of them in absentia) on 5 October for alleged electoral offences during the mayoral by-election in the southern city of Inhambane on 18 April. All were sentenced to two months imprisonment.

Simango said the 38 had simply been involved in distributing food and water for the MDM’s polling station monitors. He pointed out that after the initial arrests, all the MDM members were released unconditionally and without charge. It was only four months later that the police charged them with illegal campaigning at the polling stations.

He regarded the proceedings as “a political trial”, and warned that “manipulating the police against the opposition is a manoeuvre that endangers the construction of the rule of law.

Simango claimed that within the ruling Frelimo Party “discrimination against citizens who are not members of the party is endemic”.

He hoped that later in the sitting, when President Armando Guebuza, gives his State of the Nation address, “he will mention the violation of political freedoms, and hindrances to the exercise of political activities”.

Source: Allafrica – 23.10.2012