Increasingly instability in Maputo, Zambézia and Nampula
Four Frelimo Party offices burnt and two dead in Maputo and Zambézia
Friday 1 November, the first of the seven days of demonstrations, was violent, particularly in the Maputo city neighbourhoods of Maxaquene, Luís Cabral, 25 de Junho and Hulene. The result was the vandalising and torching of the Frelimo Party offices in Maxaquene neighbourhood.
In Gilé, Zambézia, a Frelimo office, a statue and two homes of police officers were destroyed. It was confirmed that 12 people had been shot in Nacala-Porto, Nampula, and in Gilé, Zambézia.
By Friday evening, many of the roads entering Maxaquene neighbourhood and part of Joaquim Chissano Avenue were blocked. The police are starting to show signs of fatigue, which has reduced the levels of shooting. The helicopter which used to overfly the area and dropped tear gas is no longer seen.
Friday, in Maputo city, the demonstrators put three road blocks along Malhangalene Avenue, which gives access to the Frelimo Circle Committees of Maxaquene B (da Graça circle) and Maxaquene C (alongside the Nossa Senhora dos Desamparados home, which shelters abandoned elderly people).
The road blocks sought to make it difficult for the defence and security forces to gain access to the places that were being vandalised. In the nearby Vladimir Lenine Avenue, two road blocks were placed which also made alternative access to the two Frelimo offices difficult. We were unable to ascertain the location of the third office set on fire, but the police confirmed that this had happened.
With the roads blocked, the destruction of the Frelimo offices began, which made Frelimo members unsafe since they live in the same neighbourhood. Some influential Frelimo members in the neighbourhoods are considering moving out, but so far they are not the main targets. They are well known and, to some extent, respected families which prevents them from becoming targets of the demonstrations
In Matola, the most critical neighbourhoods are T3, Patrício and Muhalaze, along the Maputo Ring Road. In the area of the first roundabout, the Ring Road is blocked and tyres are being set alight.
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In Matola armoured cars drive away and open a path for demonstrators to pass
An amateur video shows three armoured cars pulling away from the road to allow hundreds of Podemos demonstrators to pass in Matola city. The cars parked at the sides of the road and the agents made signs indicating support for the demonstrators.
The demonstrators celebrated the behaviour of the police, which is rather unusual. A confrontation with unpredictable consequences would be more common.
The police apathy could be seen as a recognition of the legitimacy of the demonstrations.
On Thursday, for the first time, the General Commander of the Police, Bernardino Rafael, met with the president of Podemos, Albino Forquilha, to ask for an end to the demonstrations..
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Shootings in Zambézia - 2 dead
In Pebane, Zambézia, demonstrators marched to the Frelimo Party offices. They vandalised the offices and destroyed Frelimo meeting centres as well as two statues in front of the offices of the Frelimo District Committee and of the OJM. During the destruction of the Frelimo buildings, eight citizens were shot. Two of them died and six were injured. The two dead were 14 and 17 year old children.
During the destruction of the district offices, two police agents shot six citizens. One of them was seriously injured and had to be transferred to Quelimane Central Hospital.
We learnt that, during the same demonstrations, the home of the head of operations of the riot police and of a member of the Protection Police were also vandalised.
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Police shoot six in Nacala-Porto
In Nacala-Porto, Nampula province, the police shot six citizens. Two of those shot are now in the Nacala district hospital. In response, the demonstrators threw stones, burnt tyres and erected barricades on the public highway. In addition to shooting citizens, the police launched tear gas grenades into homes.
The tension began on Thursday morning ,31 October, when the police prevented a march by members and supporters of the Podemos party, and demanded to see the letter authorising the demonstration. The police threatened to shoot anyone who went on the march.
Failure to reach an understanding led the police to launch tear gas into houses in Mathapue neighbourhood to disperse the demonstrators.
The disturbances that began in the late morning continued into the night.
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Mecanhelas police beat lawyer defending Podemos detainees
On 31 October, the PRM brutally beat the chair of the Niassa Provincial Council of the Mozambican Bar Association (OAM), Celso Mendonça.
The lawyer had gone to Mecanhelas district to guarantee the release of members of Podemos who had been detained during the demonstrations by supporters of Venâncio Mondlane. In a note denouncing the police violence, the OAM Niassa provincial council, described the police actions as "macabre and inhuman", and as "a flagrant violation of fundamental rights".
"Violence against a lawyer in the exercise of his duties compromises not only his physical integrity, but also attacks the rights of the citizens whom he is representing", it said.
The OAM warned that it will take action to ensure that those police officers who attacked Celso Mendonca will be held criminally responsible. It will also demand civil responsibility from the Mozambican state for any damage caused by the acts "committed by criminals who happen to be functionaries of the State".
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The OAM reaffirmed its commitment to defending the rights of lawyers and of citizens in general and insisted that acts of brutality will not be tolerated.
The OAM, it said, "will fight tirelessly for justice and for the exercise of advocacy".
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Using cover of election demonstrations to attack mining companies in Nampula and Zambézia
People claiming to be demonstrators attacked two mining companies on Thursday in Chalaua and Gilé, in Nampula and Zambézia provinces.
Em Chalaua, Moma, Nampula, the supposed demonstrators, mostly youths, sacked and vandalised a camp of the gold mining company MOZGEMS.
Two company staff were assaulted. One of them was seriously injured because the demonstrators were using machetes. The injured man was treated at the Mavuco health centre, in Chalaua. He needed 19 stitches. The supposed demonstrators burnt a tractor and motor-cycles used by the company. Other property was looted and destroyed.
In Gilé, Zambézia, a group of people, believed to be opportunists, tried, unsuccessfully, to invade the offices of the Montanha mine, in Muiane locality. Prompt police intervention stopped the invasion.
