Africa-Press – Mozambique. Eight people died in a clash on Monday, in Mogovolas district, in the northern Mozambican province of Nampula, between the police and members of the peasant militia known as Naparamas, according to a report in the independent daily “O Pais”.
According to the provincial authorities, the Naparamas provoked the clash, with the support of some members of Anamola (National Alliance for a Free and Autonomous Mozambique), the political party founded by former presidential candidate Venancio Mondlane.
The Secretary of State for Nampula Province, Placido Pereira, told reporters that the clash took place in the Mogovolas locality of Maca. Seven of the dead were Naparamas, and one was a police officer.
He denied reports that the dead were informal miners. They were hooded and wore the red ribbons associated with the Naparamas. But mixed in with them, Pereira added, were “sympathisers of some political parties”. They had political party T-shirts, and even party membership cards.
On Tuesday morning, the Nampula police gave a press conference, claiming they opened fire because a group of Naparamas, plus members of Anamola, tried to invade buildings guarded by the police. In addition to the deaths, five Naparamas were arrested.
Nampula provincial police spokesperson, Rosa Chauque, linked the clash to disturbances on 19 December, when a group of Anamola members demonstrated outside the Mogovolas district court, demanding the release of eight people accused of such crimes as public disorder and criminal conspiracy. Several demonstrators were arrested, including the Anamola district coordinator.
“The police will not tolerate any situation that endangers public order” said Chauque. “We are continuing to neutralise all those who are attacking public order and safety”.
The Anamola provincial coordinator, Castro Niquinha, claimed that the detention of Anamola members was political harassment.
“They are lying when they say that we are provoking disorder”, he said. He claimed that in the clash at Maca only two people were killed, and another two injured.
Niquinha claimed that the police are repressing the public throughout the province. “Many members of the police are deeply politicised”, he said, and Anamola members feel threatened.
