US embassy cable - 04MAPUTO1154

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MAPUTO 001154 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
STATE FOR AF/S, DRL, AND INL/AAE-AHENRY-PLOTTS 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, PHUM, MZ, RENAMO, FRELIMO, Elections 04 
SUBJECT: CLASHES BETWEEN FRELIMO AND RENAMO HEAT UP IN 
SOFALA PROVINCE 
 
 
Sensitive but unclassified. Please protect accordingly. 
 
Summary 
------- 
1. (U) Reports of friction between the ruling FRELIMO party 
and the main opposition party, RENAMO, have increased over 
the past weeks, ahead of Mozambique's December 1- 2 general 
elections. On August 12, violence broke out between RENAMO 
armed guards and police in the town of Inhaminga in the 
central province of Sofala. One police officer was killed. 
Although the current situation in Inhaminga is described as 
calm, scuffles between the two groups continue in the hotly 
contested province, according to local press reports. End 
Summary. 
 
Background 
---------- 
2. (SBU) The 1992 Rome Peace Agreement (RPA) called for the 
demobilization RENAMO troops. It also contained a clause 
allowing an armed RENAMO security unit "responsible for the 
personal security of its highest ranking leaders...for the 
period between the ceasefire and the elections." Despite 
this proviso, the party has retained a force of some 150 men 
in strongholds in the Sofala province, on the grounds that 
the unit protects RENAMO leader Afonso Dhlakama's home in the 
region. Under the RPA, this group was to be integrated into 
the Mozambican state police force following the 1994 
elections. However, in 1998, Dhlakama declared that he did 
not want his bodyguards integrated into the police, allegedly 
denying the RPA contained such a clause. While it appears 
true that Dhlakama prefers to maintain his guard unit 
separate from the police force, it is equally true that there 
has been little or no visible effort on the part of the 
Government (GRM) to resolve the issue. End Background. 
 
FRELIMO and RENAMO Clash as General Elections Approach 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
3. (U) Reports of skirmishes between members of the ruling 
FRELIMO party and the main opposition, RENAMO, have increased 
over the past weeks, causing some skeptics to question the 
stability of the peace Mozambique has enjoyed over the past 
12 years. On August 12, reports surfaced in the local press 
of gunfire between armed RENAMO "presidential guards" and the 
police's Rapid Intervention Force (RIF) in the town of 
Inhaminga in the central province of Sofala, causing worried 
citizens to flee into the bush for safety. According to most 
reports, the clash broke out after RENAMO guards entered the 
police station in Inhaminga, demanding the release of two 
RENAMO men detained on accusations of assault on a local 
FRELIMO official. The police did not open fire and allowed 
the detainees to be removed. RIF forces from Beira were 
called in later to assist the local police in recapturing the 
prisoners, at which time gunfire was exchanged. At least one 
local policeman was killed by RENAMO guards during the 
incident. Local authorities say the situation in Inhaminga 
is currently calm with shops, schools, and public 
institutions open again. Post has learned from regional and 
local police officials in Beira that police will be deployed 
throughout the district from now until the post electoral 
period. Despite such assurances, scuffles between the two 
groups continue to be reported in the press. 
 
4. (U) On August 17, local police said a group of 15 RENAMO 
guards armed with AK-47s attacked a vehicle in Cheringoma, 
also in Sofala province. No casualties were reported, but 
the group made off with over USD 4,000 in cash and 
belongings. Unofficial sources in the press claimed the 
armed men in question were the same "presidential guards" 
driven out of Inhaminga a week earlier. The RENAMO political 
delegate in Sofala denied the police version of the attack. 
Reports of further shooting in Cheringoma surfaced again on 
August 24, however, the Sofala provincial police command 
neither confirmed or denied the incident in the press. 
 
Comment 
------- 
5. (SBU) Friction between the two groups has lingered in 
RENAMO strongholds in Sofala province since the signing of 
the RPA. Some local and personal conflicts in this highly 
contested region take on political overtones when those 
involved belong to opposing parties. Although little press 
attention is usually given to these incidents, such reports 
receive heightened attention during pre-election periods. 
Some private newspapers have published editorials playing 
down the events, reminding readers that such stories are 
commonplace during elections and are being used to the 
political advantage of the two increasingly uneasy parties. 
There is also little concern that such incidents will erupt 
into full blown fighting. 
 
6. (SBU) Nevertheless, these incidents highlight the distrust 
between the two main parties, and the need for continuing 
efforts to establish a culture of political tolerance. The 
clashes in Sofala imply that the country's Electoral Code of 
Conduct is not working. The Code, drafted earlier this year 
by smaller parties in the RENAMO-UE coalition and signed by 
both RENAMO and FRELIMO, commits signatories to observe 
principles of non-violence up to and during the election 
period. Although it is uncertain how these recent skirmishes 
will affect the elections, it seems clear that such acts are 
likely to continue and to remain front page news in the run 
up to the general elections. End Comment. 
DUDLEY