Africa-Press – Cape verde. “With the beginning of this process, we make it clear that there are no doubts about the Government’s commitment nor reasons for returning to arms”, said, in Maputo, the head of State, Filipe Nyusi, during the ceremony marking the 31st anniversary of the Agreement General of Peace, signed between Renamo and the Mozambican authorities.
“Of the 5,221 covered so far, 1,756 files have been formed, of which 440 are duly instructed, 316 pensions have been fixed, 251 have an administrative visa and of these, 27 beneficiaries have already received their pensions last September. The rest will receive their pensions this October and so on”, he added, in the same intervention.
The 1992 General Peace Agreement put an end to the 16-year war, opposing the government army and the Renamo guerrillas. It was signed in Rome, between then President Joaquim Chissano and Afonso Dhlakama, historic leader of Renamo, who died in May 2018.
In 2013, there were other clashes between the parties, which lasted 17 months and only stopped with the signing, on September 5, 2014, of the Agreement on the Cessation of Military Hostilities, between Dhlakama and the former head of state Armando Guebuza.
On August 6, 2019, the Peace and National Reconciliation Agreement was signed, the third and which is now being materialized, between the current Mozambican President, Filipe Nyusi, and the leader of Renamo, Ossufo Momade, providing, among other aspects, , the Demilitarization, Disarmament and Reintegration (DDR) of the armed wing of the main opposition party.
“The process of Demilitarization, Disarmament and Reintegration is a corollary of a long process of dialogue that we embrace as the only effective way to achieve peace. At this time, when we celebrate Peace Day, I salute the Mozambican people for the fact that peace has become part of our culture”, said the head of state, in this intervention.
The DDR process, which began in 2018, covers 5,221 former guerrillas from Renamo, the largest Mozambican opposition party, of which 257 are women, and ended last June, with the closure of the Vunduzi base, the last of Renamo, located in the district of Gorongosa, central Sofala province.
“During the last few months, we have witnessed enormous advances in consolidating peace in Mozambique. The completion of the disarmament and demobilization process is a source of immense pride for our country. This achievement is also important for the region more broadly and for Africa’s effort to silence the guns on the continent. As building peace is not just about the absence of weapons, but also includes ensuring a better and sustainable life, the Government therefore gave in to pay pensions to those demobilized from Renamo”, added Filipe Nyusi.
The President of the Republic highlighted in his speech that the General Peace Agreement represents “an unavoidable milestone in the history of the Mozambican people”, having ended, 31 years ago, with “a war of aggression and destabilization that caused brothers to fight with arms fist against other brothers.”
“The war caused the death of around one million innocent people, forced more than five million Mozambicans to take refuge in neighboring countries or move far from their areas of origin and worsened poverty among Mozambicans. For 16 years, families were divided, economic and social infrastructures were destroyed, the social fabric was torn apart and the realization of the collective dream of Mozambicans of building a strong, prosperous, inclusive nation with social justice was postponed”, he lamented.
He added that it was “through words” that Mozambique realized “that only dialogue could” lead “to a reunion with each other, as brothers from the same Mozambican family”, transforming the country into a “reference for transition from war to a democracy that is gradually consolidated with the active participation of its citizens”.
“As a result of the General Peace Agreement, Mozambique has established itself as a democratic, inclusive and social justice society, where citizens fully enjoy their freedoms and constitutional rights”, he pointed out.
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