Mozambique Support Network Newsletter Volume Ii: Number 1 February/March 1989
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MOZAMBIQUE SUPPORT NETWORK NEWSLETTER VOLUME II: NUMBER 1 FEBRUARY/MARCH 1989 Project Launched in Mozambique to Aid Children "Instrumentalized" By War by Nina Berman reprinted from Action for Children, Vol. III, No.4, 1988. The forced recruiunent of children for children, but children who have escaped combat has become so much a part of daily have told their stories to psychologists and life in Mozambique that there is now a word workers from the Mozambican Ministry of to describe them: "os instrumentalizados," Health at an orphanage in Maputo, the capi tal. Portuguese for "the instrumentalized ones". Reports Confirmed The word has come to describe an For several years, rumors have circulated estimated 10,000 children ranging in age about the use of children by Renamo in from 5 to 15 years old. Kidnapped, then armed operations. In 1987, the reports were forced to witness and imitate barbaric acts of finally confirmed from a variety of violence, they have become violent independent sources. Mozambican instruments who serve the cause ofRenamo, authorities captured documents from the Mozambique National Resistence guerrilla camps that listed children's names Movement which has been waging a war of and the weapons they had been assigned. destabilization and terror the last 8 years Hospital patients recovering from war Gra~a Machel (photo Lisa January) with South African support. inflicted wounds, testified to seeing 10 and Renamo has denied instrumentalizing 12 year old children shooting people. Continued on page 6 Gra~a Machel Tour: A Commentary South Africa Interferes by Lisa January with Mail for Grar,:a Machel, former Minister of In This Issue Education, widow of President Samora Mozambique Moises Machel, deputy of the People's Children "Instrumentalized" By reprinted from Mozambiquefile, February Assembly, and avid defender of women's War 1989. and children's rights toured the United States Spokesmen for the Mozambican post February 20 through March 7, 1989. She S. Africa Interferes with Mail office have told AIM they are deeply came to make friends with the American concerned that letters and packages sent people and to tell the story of the atrocities Gra~a Machel Tour from abroad to Mozambique via South Africa being committed by the apartheid-backed Commentary are systematically opened in that country, Mozambican National Resistance (MNR). Newsbriefs and their contents frequently stolen. She spent time in Atlanta, Los Angeles, In 1988 a total of 168 sacks of mail San Francisco, Detroit, East Lansing, Renamo Update destined for Mozambique, containing Champaign and Chicago. A true educator possibly thousands of separate items, were and loverofknowledge, Mrs. Machel clearly Funding Exchange Delegation violated. Twenty-two of these sacks explained the economic, political and social contained mail originating in South Africa. realities of her country. International Solidarity The rest contained mail from other parts of Not only did she inform the American the world that passed through South Africa people about the complex situation in United Methodist Church on its way to Mozambique. Surface mail was southern Africa, but she also educated her Resolution principally subject to this interference. audiences on the true meaning of solidarity. Washington State Resolution In 1988 Mozambique received via South Solidarity is not handouts and pity, but Africa 97 sacks of surface mail originating "shoulder to shoulder cooperation, country New Resources in the United States. Every single one of to country .. .individual to indi vidual." Wate h these sacks was violated. for the special edition newsletter devoted to Continued on page 5 Gra~a Machel' s tour. - 2 - Newsbriefs EEC Aid to Mozambique Education. The Minister of Trade, Aranda Swedish Foreign Aid Up The European Economic Community has da Silva, has been replaced by his deputy, Swedish economic assistance to agreed to fmance shipment ofessential goods Daniel Tembe. President Chissano also Mozambique could reach a total of 800 to the provinces of Manica, Sofala,Zambezia, named two Deputy Ministers for Industry million Swedish crowns (about $134 million) Tete and Nampula. Mozambican Airlines and Energy , Octavio Muthemba and Rosario over the next two years. The assistance will undertake these shipments, at an Fernandes. covers agriculture, import support, industry, expected cost of $500,000. Journalist Flees South Africa telecommunications, agricultural marketing Rehabilitating Health Facilities Cornelius Greyling, 21, a South African and energy. A new aspect of the agreement The Minister of Health, Dr. Leonardo journalist with the Afrikaner newspaper Die signed between Mozambique and Sweden is S imao declared his Ministry's priority in the Beeld fled to Maputo last December to that this Nordic country is to make available new year to be "the rehabilitation of health request Mozambican citizenship. In a press funds to support the poorest strata of the facilities ... otherwise our commitment to conference, he said that he left South Africa society in order to minimize the impact of primary health care will just be rhetorical" . because he is opposed to his incorporation the readjustment measures in the current Renamo terrorists have destroyed 700 health into the army. Greyling was supposed to economic recovery program. units since 1982. report to the military service last January. Refugee Repatriation Increased Rainfall American Ambassador Visits Refugees Mozambique, Malawi and the United Mozambique experienced excellent Melissa Wells, the American Ambassador Nations High Commission for Refugees rainfall in the month of October. Maputo to Maputo, visited Mozambican refugees in (UNHCR) signed an agreement on December province rainfall was 150% to 400% of Nankhokwe and Tengani, in the Malawian 21, 1988 in the northwestern town of Tete on normal, with similar reports from Gaza and district of Nsanji. During this fact-finding the voluntary repatriation of 600,000 Inhambane. The sole exception was Cabo mission, Wells saw the conditions of life of Mozambicans who have fled into Malawi to Delgado in the north. the 100,000 Mozambicans living there. In escape from the atrocities of the South New AppOintment Malawi there are more than 600,000 African-backed Renamo terrorists. The President Joaquim Chissano has Mozambican refugees who fled the agreement established a tripartite repatriation reappointed a number of ministerial Mozambican provinces of Zambezia and commission that will advise on measures to positions. Dr. Aniceto Muchangos, former Tete because of terrorism. be taken to promote voluntary repatriation. head of the High Pedagogic Institute takes over from Graca Machel at the Ministry of Renamo Update Funding Exchange International In the four months following the meeting Delegation Tours Solidarity: The Report between Mozambican President Joaquim Chissanoand PresidentPieter Botha, terrorist Southern African from Bonn attacks by Renamo increased dramatically. In January 1989 a delegation of influential The European Campaign Against South Between October 1988 and January 1989 United States citizens, led by Prexy Nesbitt, African Agression on Mozambique and Renamo terrorists committed a number of consultant to the Mozambique government Angola (ECASAAMA) held a large massacres in Mozambican villages. Some and Terre Rybovitch, toured five (5) solidarity conference in Bonn, West Mozambicans have fled across the border countries in Southern Africa with the Funding Germany, December 8th to 10th, 1988. into South Africa, and have been returned to Exchange. The following is the statement Among the American delegates were Mozambique, in the hands of Renamo this group drafted concerning the future role MSN member and author Stephanie Urdang, terrorists. of the United States in this region. MSN intern Tracie Matthews, Head of the Gustavo Malhope was among those who "We are a group of US citizens who are American Friends Service Committee's have fled to South Africa. The day after advisors to foundations that are concerned South African Peace Education Program arriving in South Africa a group from with foreign policy issues. We have just Jerry Herman, and consultant to the Renamo appeared at the border and returned from a four-week fact-finding tour Mozambique government Prexy Nesbitt. demanded that they be given control of to the frontline states of Mozambique, Of great interest was Western support to Malhope and the others. Malhope and the Zimbabwe, Zambia and Tanzania. Our Angola's UNITA and to Renamo. Prexy other Mozambicans were put on trucks and meetings included discussions with senior Nesbitt delivered a detailed report concerning taken to a prison in Kruger National Park. governmental officials, survivors of South Western support for these destabilizing forces Malhope was interrogated and beaten and African sponsored terrorism, and US (this paper is available from the Mozambique was returned to Mozambique six days later. Embassy officials. Support Network National Office). The Rail lines have also been a favored object It is clear that the fundamental problem following are the ECASAAMA Declaration of attack, the Maputo-South Africa line affecting the Southern African region is the and Action Programme adopted at this having been sabotaged four times, the white minority regime in South Africa. The conference. Continued on Page 7 Continued on next page Continued on Page 7 - 3 - New Resources FIVE NEW PUBLICATIONS are now special courses in bases in Mozambique to harmonious global development