Renamo and Mozambican Government Urge Negotiators to be Impartial

July 22nd, 2016

Awake Goy

nsnbc : Delegates of the peace delegations of the Frelimo government of Mozambique and the opposition party and militia Renamo, yesterday, asked international mediators to act with impartiality and avoid bias and siding with the interests of either one of the two parties. Talks will continue today, July 21.

Speaking in the presence of government and Renamo peace delagates and international mediators, the head of the government delegation, Jacinto Veloso, said: “We ask the mediators to act together, not divided according to whether they were suggested by the government or Renamo”.

Addressing the press after the first meeting of the delegations and international mediators, Veloso added that the government had confidence that mediators appointed by both parties would help devise solutions in the search for a lasting peace in Mozambique. Veloso disclosed that the six new members of the government and Renamo delegations were present at yesterday’s meeting alongside the mediators appointed by both parties.

The international mediators that head been proposed by the Frelimo government include personnel from former British prime minister Tony Blair’s Faith Foundation and from former US Undersecretary of State for African Affairs Chester Crocker’ Global Leadership Foundation, and former president of Tanzania, Jakaya Kikwete. Renamo’s proposed mediators are drawn from the European Union, the Catholic church and South Africa.

Veloso also announced that talks in the capital Maputo will be continued on July 21. Attacks by Renamo militants on civilian and military targets in the center of Mozambique have reportedly continued while Renamo alleges that military and security forces intensified the shelling of Renamo positions in Gorongosa where Renamo leader Alfonso Dhlakama is said to be living.

Renamo continues to reject the results of the last general elections in which it suffered defeat and a substantial lost of otherwise traditional Renamo voters. However, Renamo claims the right to govern six of the country’s districts. The Frelimo government has previously announced that it might consider to change and reduce the authorities of regional governors to accommodate some of Renamo’s demands.

CH/L – nsnbc 21.07.2016

Source Article from http://nsnbc.me/2016/07/21/renamo-and-mozambican-government-urge-negotiators-to-be-impartial/