Police accused of killing pot-banging protesters

Mourners at a cemetery in crisis-hit Mozambique’s capital Maputo were all young – children in tears as they said goodbye to a 16-year-old friend who was shot dead while banging pots and pans during a fight. protests organized by the opposition against the results of last month’s presidential election.

His uncle, Manuel Samuel, told the BBC: “Antonio was shot in the mouth and the bullet went through the back of his head.”

“We have seen CCTV footage from nearby shops showing police shooting at protesters,” he added.

The murder of Antonio Juaqim is a tragic reminder of the volatile political climate in the southern African country since Frelimo – the former liberation movement that has been in power since independence 49 years ago – was declared the winner of the election.

Frelimo’s presidential candidate, Daniel Chapo, won with 71% of the vote, compared with 20% for his closest rival, Venâncio Mondlane, the electoral commission said.

A Protestant pastor running for president as an independent after splitting from the main opposition Renamo party, Mondlane has denied the claim, accusing the poll of being rigged.

This was denied by the electoral commission, but Mondlane – who fled the country fearing arrest – rallied his supporters via social media to protest the results.

Every night at 21:00 local time (19:00 GMT), people bang pots and pans in their homes as they heed Mondlane’s call to send a loud message that they refuse to extend the 49-year rule by Frelimo.

Mr. Samuel said the first protest was held on the night of November 15 when a large number of people took to the streets to bang pots, pans, bottles or blow whistles.

“It is as if a new Mozambique is being born,” he added.

But that night ended tragically, with Antonio among those killed by police, Mr. Samuel said.

Since then, most people have carried out the protest in their homes, with the sound of banging pots and pans echoing throughout Maputo at 9:00 p.m. every night.

At Antonio’s funeral at the São Francisco Xavier Cemetery four days after he was killed, one of his friends eulogized his mother: “You were so full of life and hope. Now I am a victim.” nucleus of a bullet.”

Weeping, Antonio’s friends planted flowers on his grave before releasing colorful balloons on it, a reminder that he was just a child.

“At the morgue, I counted six bodies of young children,” Mr. Manuel told the BBC.

“They are killing us and our future,” he added.

The advocacy group Human Rights Watch said about 40 people – including at least 10 children – were killed by police during post-election protests.

Mozambican police commander Bernadino Raphael expressed sympathy for the victims’ families, but denied responsibility for the deaths, blaming Mondlane’s supporters.

“They are using children as shields in front while they stay behind,” he alleged in an interview with the BBC.

The commander added that in many cases, police had no choice but to defend themselves against protesters who unleashed violence, including the killing of six officers as well as looting and burning of property. products and vehicles.

“We recorded 103 injuries, of which 69 were police officers,” he said.

But Albino Forquilha, leader of the Optimist Party for the Development of Mozambique, which backs Mondlane’s presidential bid, accused police of using excessive force to suppress dissent.

“It looks like they are being used to protect the ruling party,” he told the BBC.

Analyst Borges Nhamirre of the South Africa-based Institute for Security Studies said this was the first time Mozambique had seen so many casualties and property damage during protests.

He said it is clear that Frelimo has lost popularity, especially among young people who are “looking for jobs, looking for vocational training, looking for land to build a house, looking for a little money”.

“They don’t care who brings independence,” Mr. Nhamirre said. The independence they want is their financial independence.”

After the results were announced on October 24, Chapo was adamant that he and Frelimo won a free and fair contest, saying: “We are an organized party to prepare for my victory.”

Since then, he has remained remarkably silent, waiting for the court to rule on Mondlane’s request to have the results annulled.

In an apparent attempt to maintain pressure ahead of the verdict, many of Mondlane’s supporters also heeded his call to mourn the dead for three days (until November 22) by stopping their cars and shouting at noon.

Like Antonio, Alito Momad, 20, was reportedly killed by police during the protests.

The BBC came across some of his friends in a neighborhood outside Maputo, organizing a night of prayer for him on November 17.

With a Mozambican flag spread on the floor next to burning candles, Alito’s friends showed us a photo of him – with what appeared to be a gunshot wound to the back of his head.

It was another reminder of how the election has cut short the lives of young people, as their friends and relatives hope they will get justice as Mozambique goes through one of its worst times. the most chaotic period since the advent of multiparty democracy some 30 years ago.