By Sheila Nhancale
Maputo (MOZTIMES) – Police in Mozambique have responded with violence to mass protests against the preliminary election results, allegedly killing at least 22 people over three days, according to a local elections observation group this Saturday.
The deaths, caused by bullet wounds, occurred in Maputo, Matola, Nampula, and Zambézia provinces, during what fugitive opposition leader Venâncio Mondlane referred to as the 'fourth phase' of the demonstrations.
The first police killings of demonstrators occurred on the first day of the three-day phase of protests in the northern city of Nampula. Journalist Elina Domingos, from the newspaper Rigor, who witnessed the police shooting of demonstrators, described the scene as 'frightening' on the morning of Wednesday, November 13.
"The shots were not aimed only at the demonstrators. The police invaded neighbourhoods near Namicopo, shooting at residents in their homes. Some victims were not even demonstrating. The police killed and injured people without any provocation", she added.
In addition to the seven people murdered by the police in Nampula, 13 were shot dead in Maputo and Matola cities on separate occasions.
Wilker Dias, the coordinator of the electoral observation platform DECIDE, said in an interview that his organisation had counted, up until Friday night, 16 people shot dead by the police, but the number is tending to rise.
"I am sure that the number of deaths will increase, particularly because in the neighbourhood of Namicopo, for example, shooting has been going on for more than four hours", said Dias in a telephone interview on Friday night.
On Saturday, DECIDE updated the death toll from police violence to 22 people.
In Zambézia province, the police also killed at least two people. Zito do Rosário, chairperson of the Zambezia nucleus of the Media Institute for Southern Africa (MISA), said that there was a child among these victims.
In Maputo, the violence also spread, and on Friday night (15 November) several city neighbourhoods, including Malhangalene, along Avenida Milagre Mabote, were the stage for intensive shootouts, creating a climate of tension and fear among the residents.
National and international organisations are condemning the police violence. United Nations special rapporteurs have reacted with concern to the excessive use of force by the Mozambican police and are demanding an investigation. A statement from human rights specialists urged the Mozambican authorities "to investigate promptly all the illegal deaths".
Venâncio Mondlane has pledged to announce a new phase of protests on Tuesday. (SN)
