Mozambique's president, election runner-up agree to meet for talks

Maputo, Mozambique — 

The runner-up successful Mozambique's October 9 statesmanlike elections, Venancio Mondlane, has accepted President Filipe Nyusi's connection to articulation discussions with him and 3 different candidates successful hopes of ending weeks of postelection protests and unit that person near astatine slightest 30 radical dormant successful the southeast African country.

Nyusi called for dialog during a state-of-the-nation code Tuesday, saying the demonstrations were limiting the activities of companies, stalling shipments from ports and putting radical retired of work, among different issues that are negatively affecting the nation’s economy.

From his Facebook page, Mondlane said that helium had accepted the dialog connection and that helium would taxable his connection connected Saturday for an docket for the talks, which are projected for Tuesday. There was nary denotation the different candidates responded to Nyusi’s call.

Nyusi, who volition manus implicit his bureau successful January to Daniel Chapo if the Constitutional Council confirms the predetermination results, appealed for dialog with Mondlane on with ruling enactment campaigner Chapo and the 2 different statesmanlike hopefuls, Ossufo Momade from Renamo and Lutero Simango of the Democratic Movement of Mozambique.

The demonstrations broke retired October 24 erstwhile the nation’s predetermination committee declared ruling Frelimo enactment campaigner Chapo the victor with astir 71% of the vote. Mondlane and his Podemos party, who the committee said came successful 2nd with 20% of the vote, challenged the ballot and called for protests.

The advocacy radical Human Rights Watch has reported that portion galore of the protests person been peaceful, immoderate demonstrators person burned tires and blocked roads. Mozambique information unit person responded with teardrop gas, dogs, rubber bullets and, successful immoderate cases, unrecorded ammunition.

Along with the deaths, Nyusi said, much than 800 people, including 66 information officers, person been injured.

Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and different groups person condemned the convulsive effect by the information personnel, arsenic good retaliatory unit by protesters. They person called for the merchandise of those illegally and arbitrarily detained and person called connected determination authorities to property the Mozambique authorities and information forces to respect cardinal quality rights.

VOA’s Jeff Custer contributed to this report.