Maputo — The British High Commission, the High Commission of Canada, and the Embassies of the United States, Norway and Switzerland have called on the Mozambican government "to uphold the role of security forces to protect the people', after a vehicle of the security forces brutally struck a woman during demonstrations called by the independent presidential candidate Venâncio Mondlane in order to protest against the allegedly fraudulent results of the elections held on 9 October.
The tragedy took place on Wednesday, on Eduardo Mondlane Avenue, in central Maputo, when a military armoured car knocked down and drove over a woman who was participating in demonstrations.
The Defence Ministry issued a statement admitting that the armoured car belongs to the Mozambican armed forces (FADM) but claimed that running over the demonstrator was "accidental'.
In a joint statement issued on Wednesday, the five diplomatic missions state "we strongly condemn the escalating violence against civilians during the post-election period in Mozambique. This has included an incident on November 27, in which a vehicle of the Mozambican security forces accelerated toward a gathering of people and brutally struck a person.'
The diplomatic missions also call on the government "to conduct an investigation into this incident and other reports of disproportionate use of force in order to ensure accountability, in accordance with the law.'
Furthermore, the European Commission has deplored the spread of violence and believes that the "brutality of the repression' during demonstrations exacerbated the situation.
According to Helena Dalli, the Commissioner for Equality, who was addressing the European Parliament in the French city of Strasbourg, the European Union must "speak frankly to the Mozambican government. We cannot remain silent, given the situation.'
"Since the elections on 9 October we have seen the violence spread and the brutality of the repression by the Police has exacerbated the situation. We have deplored the deaths in recent weeks and the death of two politicians', she said.
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Dalli was referring to the murders of Mondlane's lawyer, Elvino Dias, and of Paulo Guambe, an election agent of Podemos (Optimistic Party for the Development of Mozambique).
"It is imperative that all sides maintain restraint and orderly conduct. It is important that everyone's voice is heard, and the disproportionate use of force and violence perpetrated by all sides must stop. The electoral process is far from over and after the results are known, the European Union will remain vigilant', Dalli said.
