Reflectindo sobre Moçambique

but military demands are unjustified

"I think Dhlakama must have a relevant role in the political life of the country. … Dhlakama must not be marginalised," said Mario Raffaeli, the Italian chief mediator in the Renamo-government negotiations that led to the 1992 Rome peace accord. "I think that the government must recognise the role of the Renamo leader in democracy and in guaranteeing peace in Mozambique. I think that ways must be found to recognise Afonso Dhlakama, whatever the political results." He was speaking in a long interview with O Pais (27 June).

It was a very strong message to the Mozambican government from Raffaeli, who was in Maputo to be named by President Armando Guebuza as an honorary citizen on independence day, 25 June, along with Aldo Ajello, UN head during the 1992-94 period between the peace accord and elections. At a time when Renamo is harking back to the 1992 peace accord, it is interesting the Guebuza, too, was highlighting that period.

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But Raffaeli had an equally strong message for Dhlakama. "Renamo should demand guarantees to ensure that the electoral process is just and transparent, but not 50% of the army and police. This is a task for parliament." He argues that Renamo is wrong to be resorting to violence and other issues must be discussed in parliament, in part because there are no longer just two parties (as in 1992) and MDM is also in parliament.

Raffaeli is highly critical of Renamo negotiating strategy. "I don't understand Renamo's real intentions. I do not understand their constant changing of positions."

Renamo alleges that the government has violated the peace accord by making the military forces just one party, "but this is not completely true," notes Raffaelli. The process of integration of the two armies "was not completely observed", but this is because so many Renamo and government soldiers did not want to remain armed and wanted to become civilians.

"One error in the peace accord was to not have been more careful about the process of Renamo demilitarisation, in the context of Afonso Dhlakama asking to maintain a personal security guard. In fact, there are still many armed people," Raffaeli noted. "It was a mistake to have left Renamo with weapons."

Raffaelli rejects the idea, suggested here, that Renamo should just be given money. Status for Dhlakama is more important. But it will be necessary to create a fund to integrate the Renamo fighters into civilian life and provide them with the money for "daily necessities".

Finally, in the interview Raffaelli confirms the role of Kenya as Renamo's main political backer during the war, and cites the Kenya diplomat Bethuel Kiplagat (wrongly called "Keep Legard" in the transcript) as being key to convincing Dhlakama to negotiate in 1990.

Source: MOZAMBIQUE 264
News reports & clippings, 30 June 2014