Police accused of killing pot-banging protesters

The mourners at a cemetery in crisis-hit Mozambique’s capital, Maputo, have been strikingly younger – youngsters shedding tears as they bade farewell to a 16-year-old buddy, who was shot useless whereas banging pots and pans in an opposition-organised protest towards the end result of final month’s presidential election.

“Antonio was shot within the mouth, and the bullet went by the again of his head,” his uncle, Manuel Samuel, advised the BBC.

“We noticed CCTV footage from close by retailers of police taking pictures at protesters,” he added.

Antonio Juaqim’s killing is a tragic reminder of the risky political local weather within the southern African state since Frelimo – the previous liberation motion in energy since independence 49 years in the past – was declared the winner of the ballot.

The electoral fee mentioned Frelimo’s presidential candidate, Daniel Chapo, received with a whopping 71% of the vote, in comparison with the 20% of his closest rival, Venâncio Mondlane.

An evangelical pastor who contested the presidency as an unbiased after breaking away from the primary opposition Renamo occasion, Mondlane rejected the declaration, alleging the ballot was rigged.

This was denied by the electoral fee, however Mondlane – who fled the nation, fearing arrest – has rallied his supporters by way of social media to protest towards the outcome.

Each evening at 21:00 native time (19:00 GMT), folks have been banging pots and pans of their houses, as they heed Mondlane’s name to ship a loud message that they reject an extension of Frelimo’s 49-year rule.

Mr Samuel mentioned the protest was first held on the evening of 15 November when large numbers of individuals took to the streets to bang pots, pans and bottles or to blow whistles.

“It was as if a brand new Mozambique was being born,” he added.

However the evening ended tragically, with Antonio being amongst these killed by police, Mr Samuel mentioned.

Since then most individuals have been finishing up the protest inside their houses, with the sound of banged pots and pans echoing throughout Maputo at 21:00 each evening.

At Antonio’s funeral on the São Francisco Xavier Cemetery 4 days after his killing, one among his pals delivered his mom’s eulogy: “You have been so lively and hope. Now you’re a sufferer of a bullet.”

Crying, Antonio’s pals planted flowers on his grave earlier than bursting vibrant balloons over it, a reminder that he was only a youngster.

“On the morgue I counted six our bodies of younger youngsters,” Mr Manuel advised the BBC.

“They’re killing us and our future,” he added.

Marketing campaign group Human Rights Watch mentioned that about 40 folks – together with a minimum of 10 youngsters – have been killed by police in the course of the post-election protests.

Mozambique’s police commander Bernadino Raphael expressed sympathy with the households of the victims, however deflected accountability for the deaths, blaming Mondlane’s supporters.

“They’re utilizing youngsters as shields in entrance of them whereas they continue to be behind,” he alleged in a BBC interview.

The commander added that in lots of situations police had no selection however to defend themselves from protesters who had unleashed violence, together with killing six officers and looting and burning property and autos.

“We recorded 103 injured folks, 69 of whom have been cops,” he mentioned.

However Albino Forquilha, the chief of the Optimist Occasion for the Growth of Mozambique, which backed Mondlane’s presidential bid, accused police of utilizing extreme power to suppress dissent.

“It feels as if they’re getting used to guard the ruling occasion,” he advised the BBC.

South Africa-based Institute for Safety Research analyst Borges Nhamirre mentioned this was the primary time Mozambique had witnessed so many casualties, and injury to property, throughout protests.

He mentioned it was clear that Frelimo had misplaced reputation, particularly amongst younger individuals who have been “in search of jobs, in search of vocational coaching, in search of a plot to construct their home, in search of some cash”.

“They do not care about who introduced independence. The independence they need is their monetary independence,” Mr Nhamirre mentioned.

After the outcome was introduced on 24 October, Chapo was adamant that he and Frelimo had received in a free and truthful contest, saying: “We’re an organised occasion that prepares its victories.”

Since then he has saved a notably low profile, ready for the courts to rule on Mondlane’s bid to annul the outcome.

In an obvious try and sustain the strain forward of the ruling, lots of Mondlane’s supporters additionally heeded his name to mourn the useless for 3 days (till 22 November) by stopping their autos and hooting at midday.

Like Antonio, 20-year-old Alito Momad was allegedly killed by police in the course of the protests.

The BBC got here throughout a few of his pals in a neighbourhood exterior Maputo, holding an evening vigil for him on 17 November.

With a Mozambican flag laid out on the ground subsequent to burning candles, Alito’s pals confirmed us a photograph of him – with what gave the impression to be a gunshot wound behind his head.

It was one other reminder of how the election had minimize quick the lives of younger folks, with their pals and family hoping they are going to get justice as Mozambique goes by one among its most turbulent durations for the reason that introduction of multi-party democracy about 30 years in the past.