Mozambican government denies plan to eliminate opposition leader

The Mozambican government today denied the existence of a plan to eliminate the Renamo leader, Afonso Dhlakama, and justified the operations against the main opposition party with threats to the rule of law and illegal possession of weapons.

Speaking today at a session of questions to the government in parliament, the interior minister, Basilio Monteiro, said the gorvenment "does not devise and never wanted to put the hypothesis to assassinate individuals, much less the leader of Renamo [Mozambique National Resistance]".

The parliamentary group of Renamo has accused the government of attempting to murder the opposition leader, commanding operations accordingly to the defense and security forces, while launching appeals for dialogue.


According to Basilio Monteiro, cited by Information Agency of Mozambique, the operations are intended to maintain "public order, the right to life, free movement of people and goods and the exercise of fundamental rights and freedoms provided in the Constitution" .

Interior Minister also said that it is the defense and security forces' responsibility to ensure order, security and public tranquility of all citizens "and that the use of weapons of war is an" exclusive prerogative "of the state''.