The former President of the Republic (PR) Joaquim Chissano has pointed out this Wednesday, June 21, poverty, illiteracy and terrorism as “new threats” to peace in Mozambique, noting that armed groups “manipulate and deceive” the poor against the society and the State.
The former Head of State who led the country during the period 1986-2005, who was speaking during the lecture “Mozambique, National Independence: Gains and Challenges in the Concert of Nations”, alluding to the 48 years of independence that will be celebrated on June 25, said that “poor people are easily manipulated and deceived in pernicious initiatives against the State and the society”.
Joaquim Chissano considered it an equivocation to assume that poverty alone triggers wars, such as that of “terrorism” in Cabo Delgado province, in the north of the country, pointing out that there is misery “in almost the entire national territory”.
“It is better to say that terrorists use the poor, because they find them very vulnerable to false promises of employment and even formal education,” Joaquim Chissano declared.
Focusing his speech on the issue of “national identity and Mozambicanness,” the former PM warned of the existence of national and foreign interests in the chaos in Cabo Delgado province, aiming at the unbridled exploitation of natural resources there.
Other new threats to peace, security and development in Mozambique, he continued, are the impact of climate change, because it can cause destruction worse than wars, as well as environmental crimes, such as poaching, since it decimates ecosystems and people’s resources.
The former statesman defended a collective education for peace, which starts in the family, goes through schools, and goes through public and private institutions.
Joaquim Chissano emphasized that “national unity is something that must always be protected, because, otherwise, the foundations of the Mozambican State will be eroded and the State will collapse”.
“Several states in the world have disappeared, for not taking the issue of national unity seriously and in consideration,” he emphasized.
The former President also advocated the establishment of a long-term national development agenda, through a broad consensus among all social segments, so that the country has a direction, regardless of the party that is in power.
The province of Cabo Delgado has been facing an armed insurgency for five years with some attacks claimed by the extremist group Islamic State.
The insurgency has led to a military response since July 2021 with support from Rwanda and the Southern African Development Community (SADC), liberating districts near gas projects, but new waves of attacks have emerged south of the region and in neighboring Nampula province.
The conflict has left one million people displaced, according to the United Nations, and about 4,000 dead, according to the ACLED conflict registration project.
