Dialogue with Renamo ‘Inopportune’ - Chissano

Dialogue with the opposition Renamo party was “inopportune” at present, Mozambican President Joaquim Chissano said on Monday during a TV interview to mark the country’s 26th anniversary of independence. “If it was before, it is now even more,” Chissano was quoted as saying. Lusa reported that Chissano said any such dialogue would be repetitive. His comments came in wake of Renamo leader Afonso Dhlakama’s recent openness to negotiations, the agency reported. Chissano said Renamo had expressed the wish to resume the work of committees set up during the last round of negotiations which were aborted on 29 March. “The Renamo leader stopped the negotiations and now wants to resume them for what? And with whom?”, Chissano was quoted saying. Dhlakama “has put it in writing that there is no legitimate government. What legitimacy would those conversations have?” Tensions between Renamo and the ruling authorities in Mozambique came to a head last November during violent opposition demonstrations to protest against alleged fraud in the December 1999 presidential and legislative elections. In one northern town, Montepuez, more than 80 people detained during the protests - mainly Renamo supporters - suffocated to death after being stuffed in a tiny cell. Domestic and international pressure led Chissano and Dhlakama to the negotiating table in December.