|
Programs
|
Mozambique Alive - Mozambique's Civil War
In 1962, the Mozambican Liberation Front (Frelimo) was founded to fight against the tyrannous rule of Portugal – an entity which took over rule as long ago as the early 16th century, following Vasco DaGama's search of a water route from Portugal to Asia. On June 25, 1975, Mozambique declared its independence from Portugal as a Marxist-Leninist state. Samora Machel was the first President, and the transitional Prime Minister Chissano was named Minister of Foreign Affairs. Government plans were far-reaching and ecstatic: they wished to reduce the influence of the church as well as that of political oppositions. Frelimo's pro-Soviet orientation and its long-standing hostility toward colonists and the white-minority-ruled Rhodesia and South Africa created much tension in the region. In response to Frelimo's increased power, the Rhodesian government gave birth to a revolutionary group – the Mozambique National Resistance (MNR – later Renamo). Their main effort was to take down the leading political party and government of Frelimo, as well as the Zanla guerillas. In 1978, Guerillas loyal to the African National Congress attacked South Africa from southern Mozambique. They were forced to join in South African economics as punishment once they were defeated. In 1979, Renamo’s 1st leader, Matsangaissa, was murdered by government soldiers. A bloody struggle for succession finally brought Alfonso Dhlakama into power in Renamo. The Civil war in Rhodesia was ended with the Lancaster House Agreement, but the Mozambican Civil War was well under way and getting increasingly violent. The South African military took control of Renamo in order to build up a stronger resistance movement. Zimbabwe teamed up with Frelimo to keep their trade route to the Indian Ocean secure. The civil strife turned into all-out war in 1981 when Renamo began to infiltrate Mozambique from the south – soon having bits of control in nine out of the ten Mozambican provinces. Renamo mercilessly and strategically hit government strongholds, including clinics and schools. They often captured children – thousands of them – who were treated quite ill. The boys were often trained as soldiers or slaves, depending upon their age. Torture was far too common – even surpassing that of the simple torture of turning a nine year old child into a soldier. Girls were taken as slaves to the soldiers, most often as sexual slaves, and were forced to do the will of whomever their current masters were. Young children, as young as five years old at times, suffered immense torture and rape at the hands of the rebel installation of Renamo. 1982 brought about another disaster to compete with that of the Civil War – drought and famine. The war had intensified in Gaza, Inhambane, and Zambezia provinces. This put a hold on water transports for Malawi and Zimbabwe. In response, Zimbabwe sent 1,000 troops to the Beira corridor in an effort to retain hold in conjunction with Mozambique. There were various clandestine affiars going on between both Frelimo and Renamo and other countries to control trade-routes, though at this point, nothing could be ensured as the war escalated daily in the midst of severe famine and drought. The following year, Frelimo set "Operation Production" into motion, forcibly relocating tens of thousands of urban unemployed to rural areas. The Mozambican government joined the Soviet body Comecon, an economic co-operation of the Soviets and other Marxist-Leninist governments. The government soon saught to find peace with South Africa, believing that it would not only bring them some semblance of power over the ever-increasing threat of Renamo, but would also bring them excellent revenue from the United States. By 1984, Mozambique was able to negotiate an agreement with South Africa, the Nkomati Accord, in which Mozambique agreed to stop supporting the African National Congress so that South Africa would stop supporting Renamo. The national government followed the treaty, but South Africa went back on its word and continued to funnel support via capital and supplies into Mozambique for Renamo. Alas, the war was not yet over. Two years later, President Machel died in a questionable airplane crash over South Africa – Frelimo supporters and many other suspected foul play. Chissano stepped up as the new President of Mozambique. The turn of the decade brought good news for Mozambicans. Frelimo and Renamo came together at last to meet and discuss the future of the country. November 1990 brought about the adoption of a new constitution. The multiparties and democratic system of rights was installed and enacted. Chissano and Dhlakama signed the Rome General Peace Accords to cease fire in October 1992. The UN installed a force to profilgate the transition into democracy – the UN Peacekeeping Force (ONUMOZ). These 7,500 strong left Mozambique by mid-1995.
|
||||||
