Chaos in Mozambique | Adding to poverty, protests in the streets
Fr. Carlo Donisotti, fd of Vercelli, tells us about a Mozambique in the doldrums of protests following the October elections. People need stability
“Here, for now, everything seems quiet; let’s hope nothing else happens,” Fr. Carlo Donisotti, a fidei donum from the diocese of Vercelli who returned to Mozambique in January after a break of a few months in Italy, had said on the phone in early February. But the serenity lasted only a day.
The missionary, who has been there for 22 years, was busy a few days ago with lunch for the sick (80 elderly), but his thoughts were mainly on the heavy situation in the country following the presidential elections on Oct. 9.
In short, the population did not welcome the victory of Daniel Chapo, leader of the Frelimo (Mozambican Liberation Front) party, which had been in power since 1975 and to whom young people complain about the country’s lack of economic and social growth.
In opposition was Venancio Mondlane, leader of the Podemos (Optimist Party for Mozambican Development) party.
In recent months, then, protests and violent demonstrations by the people have left more than 400 people dead and thousands injured.
“Here, they keep burning, stealing from stores, breaking everything.
They have also burned so many barracks of the military linked to the party. It’s not easy. They even block the roads and won’t let you pass; what’s more, the presidents don’t talk to each other,” reports Fr. Carlo.
“Because of the politicians, Mozambique is kind of stuck, because they each make their own laws and they don’t confront each other. But those who succumb are the people, who are discouraged, frightened.”
Fr. Carlo could not even go on a retreat with two other priests from Brescia. “We had to go back, they prevented us from continuing.” The same problem arises for those merchants “who would like to sell something in the square, but they avoid because they are afraid someone will go and smash everything. So, in addition to not having anything to eat, the vegetables also rot.”
A really complicated and dangerous situation.
“We also noticed the presence of women, even of a certain age, who are much more furious than the men. I don’t know how it will end. Every 10 km there is a roadblock, they put plants, there will be at least 70-80 people with chains in their hands obstructing the passage. They are screaming, cursing.
The missionary knows Mozambicans well: “they are very shy people, so to shake off this whole situation, they drink until they get drunk and become violent.”
The hope is that, at the political level, someone will begin to bother to quell the anger.
Because Mozambique is already one of the poorest countries in the world, and these riots add to the problems.