By Ricardo Dias
Maputo (MOZTIMES) – The National Human Rights Commission (CNDH) has asked the Attorney-General’s Office (PGR) to begin “a speedy investigation” into the incidents in the post-election period which have already claimed more than 70 lives.
“We are urging the PGR (…) faced with the current scenario and the constant violations of human rights, to investigate and to explain speedily the incidents resulting from the demonstrations, in order to hold the presumed material and moral authors of these events responsible for their actions”, said the CNDH in a statement.
The CNDH also urged the PGR “to take measures to clear up the case of the murders of Elvino Dias and Paulo Guambe”, as well as of the other deaths that have occurred in the post-election period.
(Elvino Dias was the lawyer for Venancio Mondlane and Paulo Guambe was an election agent for the Podemos party. They were killed by unknown gunmen on 19 October.)
For the CNDH the demonstrations have shown scenarios of “serious violations of human rights”, particularly the limitation on the right to demonstrate, even when exercised peacefully.
The Mozambican police (PRM) shot at least 240 people, but others have been injured, bringing the total number of injuries, from various causes to more than 1,700, according to the election observation platform “DECIDE”.
As for the behaviour of the defence and security forces, the CNDH believes that “excessive force” was used, including the firing of live ammunition and the indiscriminate firing of tear gas.
Fugitive presidential candidate Venancio Mondlane has called the latest round of demonstrations which will last for eight days (from 4 to 11 December). The sabotage he has called for includes interrupting the roads leading to the main cities as well as EN1, and the Maputo, Beira and Nacala rail corridors.
The demonstrations seek to contest the preliminary election results announced by the National Elections Commission (CNE) which granted victory to the ruling Frelimo Party and its presidential candidate, Daniel Chapo, with more than 70 per cent of the vote. (RD)
