MOZAMBIQUE VIOLENCE DEATH TOLL NEARS 100

Tue 10 December 2024:

At least 90 people have been killed in violent clashes between anti-government protesters and security forces in neighbouring Mozambique. A disputed election result sparked demonstrations in October.

The ruling Frelimo party, which has held power since 1975, claimed victory in the 9 October election with 71% of the vote, according to the electoral commission. Opposition parties denounced the result and encouraged citizens to take to the streets.

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Civil society group Platforma Decide announced to followers on social media that 3 500 people have been detained since 21 October. Five people were killed in a fresh wave of protests on Wednesday.

“The police are serving the interests of the regime here in Mozambique,” Andre Mulungo from the Centre for Democracy and Human Rights, told Salaamedia on Thursday. “We are living in an unprecedented crisis of human rights. It’s a political crisis, but also a human rights crisis.”

With the country’s Constitutional Council due to confirm the results next month, Mulungu said the ruling party showed no interest in resolving the turmoil, except to unleash brutality on demonstrators.

“What is going on now, with the demonstrations, is the feeling that the Frelimo ruling party is not interested to seek a way to solve the problem. Most importantly, the Constitutional Council is not giving the signal that they are going to respect the will of the people that was manifested on election day,” he said.