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MAPUTO –– The government of Mozambique on Saturday accepted the presence of local observers in talks with the main opposition Renamo party to resolve the country’s political crisis.The government would like to see bishop of Maputo Dinis Sengulane, and the president of the country’s Politechnical University Lourenco do Rosario, to be the observers of the talks, according to Radio Mozambique.
Renamo led by Afonso Dhlakama has been demanding local and international observers to facilitate the negotiations, which was rejected by the government, resulting in the collapse of the talks.
The government’s chief negotiator at the talks, Jose Pacheco, said that Mozambique does not need international observers, because Mozambicans are capable to deal with their problems.
The negotiations started at the beginning of the year, during which the former rebel movement presses for a change to the current electoral law, which Renamo has long claimed favors the government.
Renamo has lost all the elections since the end of the civil war which ended in 1992, under a peace agreement signed by the two sides in Italy.
Dhlakama and Guebuza are urged by the civil society to meet face to face to resolve the political crisis.
But Dhlakama refused to turn up in the capital for fear of his life. He ran away from Renamo’s military base at Satunjira in central province Sofala this October, when the government forces stormed it. Until now his whereabouts remain unknown.
The crisis has caused killings in Muxungue and Sofala. Renamo’s armed men are still ambushing vehicles in Sofala.
The head of the Renamo delegation, Simon Macuana, said his party will not return to the negotiation table unless the local and international observers are present. – Xinhua.
Online Reporter