Mozambique 16 Dec: Government in the dock over grave human rights abuses
Good afternoon. After Zitamar’s report earlier in the week of conflict intensifying in Tete province, a detailed report in to what is really going on has emerged - pinning the blame squarely on human rights abuses committed by Mozambique government troops.
Murder, rape, and the burning of homes and crops have become commonplace in northern Tete province over the last three years, leading thousands of Mozambicans to flee to neighbouring Malawi. Anyone who has been to speak to the refugees, including Zitamar News, has been told that they are fleeing abuses by government troops. It’s not “six of one and half a dozen of the other” - Renamo’s men live in peace with local civilians, and try to protect them from Mozambique’s rampaging armed forces.
FREE TO READ: Report accuses Mozambique armed forces of rape and murder in Tete province
Mozambican refugees are also making their way to Zimbabwe, where the government is trying to persuade them to live in a formal camp.
SEE: Zimbabwe urges Mozambican refugees to move to designated camps
A ceasefire, however, is as far away as ever, with no sign of agreement between Renamo and the government of Renamo’s demand to be allowed to govern the provinces of Mozambique which voted for the party in 2014.
SEE: Renamo blames ‘climate of mistrust’ for stalled Mozambique peace talks
The ongoing conflict is one of the key risks to the Bank of Mozambique’s more optimistic forecasts, leading it to hold interest rates steady this month. The Bank had obviously been in close collaboration with the IMF mission that ended on Monday, 12 December, which agreed that inflation might peak soon.
SEE: Bank of Mozambique holds interest rates as economy appears to turn the corner
SEE: IMF says Mozambique programme depends on further austerity
We have one more week to wait for the results of the tender for projects to use Mozambique’s domestic gas projects. In the meantime, details have emerged on some of the anonymous bidders, who - surprise surprise - are linked to the Frelimo elite.
SEE: Mozambique domestic gas projects tender delayed
And finally, the pipeline taking fuel to Zimbabwe from the Mozambican port of Beira has dropped its prices in its latest bid to take more traffic off the roads.
SEE: Moz-Zim fuel pipeline cuts transport price to win business back from road tankers
Have a great weekend.