IESE evicted from its offices

IESE was Monday given 15 days to vacate its institute building on Av Patrice Lumumba in Maputo. IESE (Instituto de Estudos Sociais e Economicos; Social and Economic Studies Institute) is Mozambique's best known independent research institute and it has occupied the building since 2007.

Officially, the reason is a dispute between two state bodies. IESE has been renting the building from Socimo, a company with close state and security sector links. But the state buildings agency APIE (Administracao Do Parque Imobiliario Do Estado) has decided that Socimo has no right to the building, so is evicting IESE.

Although there is no hard evidence, the eviction is seen as political, responding to the criticisms of the government by some IESE researchers, particularly the first head of IESE, Carlos Nuno Castel-Branco. Three factors point to this interpretation. First, it would seem unusual to evict an internationally known research institute which has been paying rent in good faith, and give it only 15 days to find new premises and move its facilities.

Second, IESE had organised a plot of land to build its own institute. The land was agreed and approved last year, but it has been waiting for seven months for the signature of the mayor. This is normally a formality and done relatively quickly, but not in this case. Meanwhile, the mayor has also declined to meet with IESE to explain the delay.

Third, in December the Maputo city Attorney General's office opened criminal proceedings under the State Security Law against Castel-Branco, accusing him of insulting the head of state, President Armando Guebuza, in an open letter published on his Facebook page and subsequently widely republished. The open letter is a very strong attack on the President, and starts "Mr President, you are out of control." Castel-Branco had been on sabbatical in London at the time, and although he has returned to Maputo, there has been no attempt by the Attorney General's office to interview him. The letter is on https://www.facebook.com/JornalVerdade/posts/646623402026022 See also News Reports and Clippings 237, 12 December 2013.

Comment: Mozambique's bureaucracy can be slow and paperwork is often held up because officials do not understand the system and are afraid to ask advice. Being a Frelimo "comrade" definitely makes officials more flexible, helpful and prompt in moving papers. Frelimo and in part the government are patronage systems, and lower officials sometimes attempt to curry favour through vindictive acts against those seen as opponents of Frelimo, for example transferring teachers who stand for opposition parties. No one says anything explicit, but IESE does seem to be bumping into political barriers - perhaps ones erected at a higher level.

Historically Frelimo has been very open and tolerant of informed comment and criticism, and has allowed a particularly open media. Indeed, some in Frelimo saw the media and academic researchers as providing an alternate information channel, especially about events outside Maputo.

However the past year has seen a closing off of alternative opinion. Rogerio Sitoe was dismissed as editor of Noticias and media were encouraged to use pro-Guebuza commentators as part of a campaign to improve the image of President Guebuza. Recently Guebuza has implied that criticism of him is anti-patriotic and against national unity.

And the victory of MDM in local elections, not just in Quelimane, but in Nampula and Gurue, and MDM winning over 40% of the vote in Maputo and Matola with hardly a campaign, could increase Frelimo's nervousness in the run-up to 15 October elections. Jh

Source: MOZAMBIQUE 255 News reports & clippings