A few dozen artists from different fields gathered in the Mozambican capital on Saturday 14 December to shout ‘enough is enough’ in the face of violence in Mozambique, calling for dialogue as the country goes through the worst post-election crisis since the first elections in 1994.
‘We want to send a message of reconciliation and peace, but we also want to repudiate this issue of human rights violations,’ Mozambican musician Stewart Sukuma told Lusa at the event, which took place on Avenida 10 de Novembro, one of the main avenues in the Mozambican capital.
The event, which was preceded by a minute’s silence for the victims of the clashes between the police and demonstrators protesting against the election results, was marked by a variety of performances, including music, poetry and painting.
The movement, called ‘L.U.T.O POR MOZ’, comes in the context of post-election demonstrations in Mozambique, which have often resulted in clashes with a toll of more than 100 dead and around 300 injured, according to an updated report by the non-governmental organisation (NGO) Plataforma Eleitoral Decide.
The results of the 9 October elections announced by the National Electoral Commission (CNE) gave victory, with 70.67% of the votes, to Daniel Chapo, supported by the ruling Mozambique Liberation Front (Frelimo), and placed Venâncio Mondlane in second place, with 20.32%, but the latter does not recognise the results, which still have to be validated and proclaimed by the Constitutional Council
‘We’re in chaos at the moment and I think the mission now is to minimise the damage that could still happen (…) In this case, I think the government has to be prepared because it has a very big responsibility. It must also be prepared to give in. There must be compromise on both sides. What I see is that over all these years intolerance has grown the most,’ added Sukuma.
From slogans rejecting violence to freedom songs, including the national anthem, music and poetry, the call for dialogue was always present in the artistic demonstrations on Avenida 10 de Novembro.
‘Yes, we want peace and dialogue. A dialogue between the government and the demonstrators might solve the problem,’ Mozambican poet Énia Lipanga told Lusa .
For actor Alvin Cossa, the movement gives substance to the idea of art as a means of bringing awareness to society, at a time when the country is under ‘strong tension’.
‘The country is under strong tension and this stuttering in the pronouncement of the institutions involved in the electoral process itself creates this instability (…) We don’t know exactly what is expected. In elections that we’ve seen around the world, two days later, everyone knows what the results are and in Mozambique they don’t. We’re more than two months in, still a long way to go. We’re more than two months away, and we’re still looking for notices,’ said Cossa.
Since 21 October, Mozambique has been experiencing successive stoppages and demonstrations to contest the results of the 9 October general elections, called by presidential candidate Venâncio Mondlane.
The results of the 9 October elections announced by the National Electoral Commission (CNE) gave victory, with 70.67% of the votes, to Daniel Chapo, supported by the ruling Mozambique Liberation Front (Frelimo), and placed Venâncio Mondlane in second place, with 20.32%, but the latter does not recognise the results, which still have to be validated and proclaimed by the Constitutional Council.
In one of his last direct messages on the social network Facebook, Mondlane promised to be in Maputo to take office as Mozambican President on 15 January, the date scheduled for the inauguration of the new head of state.
Source: Observador
