Maputo — Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi on Wednesday accepted that "popular dissatisfaction' is one of the factors behind terrorist attacks in the northern province of Cabo Delgado - but is not a sufficient reason for anyone to join the ranks of the terrorists.
He was speaking at a meeting with representatives of 25 extra-parliamentary political parties, several of whom stressed the conflict in Cabo Delgado as one of the main threats facing the country.
The chairperson of the Podemos Party, Albino Forquilha, cited in Thursday's issue of the independent daily "O Pais', claimed that popular dissatisfaction was at the root of the jihadist raids. Young people in Cabo Delgado, he said, felt they had no alternatives, and so joined criminal gangs who promised to change their lives.
Nyusi replied that he is aware of this dissatisfaction. Although the discontent is real, it could not, on its own, explain terrorism. The phenomenon of dissatisfaction was not exclusive to Mozambique.
The logic of Forquilha's argument was that "terrorism should continue to exist, because people don't have food. We're sure there is dissatisfaction. There aren't enough schools or hospitals, but we are trying to improve things', the President said.
If the extra-parliamentary parties ever came to power, Nyusi mused, would they be able "to provide bread for everybody'.
The Chairperson of New Democracy, Salomao Muchanga, confronted Nyusi with what he called "the closure of democratic space', citing police attacks against peaceful demonstrations.
"Our police behave as if they have a licence to harass, to beat, to arrest and to kill', Muchanga accused. "This causes discontent because demonstrations are the most basic way of exercising democracy'.
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"We are not the worst at democracy, as you think', replied Nyusi. "In our country, demonstrations are something normal, but when we add other elements, particularly opportunists who take advantage of your good intentions to cause confusion, then we have a problem'.
For Nyusi, democracy should be exercised "with responsibility', and the police were guaranteeing that there was no "infiltration' in demonstrations.
Muchanga was clearly thinking about the demonstrations held in March to honour the memory of the country's foremost rap artist, Edson da Luz (better known by his stage name of Azagaia). Without the slightest provocation, the police in Maputo, in full sight of television crews, tear-gassed the demonstrators, even though the Maputo Municipal Council had authorized the march.
At the end of the meeting, Nyusi said he had taken note of the questions raised and the suggestions made by the extra-parliamentary parties.
