Political Unrest

For 16 years, between 1977 and 1992, Mozambique fought a brutal civil war that destroyed the country and devastated its people. Infrastructure and economy were ruined, and about a million people lost their lives due to conflict and starvation. After a peace accord was finally signed in Rome in 1992, the country slowly started the long process of rebuilding itself. It's been twenty years, and things improved -- new schools have sprung up, travel across the country is possible, and people no longer live their lives in fear of being shot. Mozambique has come so far.

That's what makes the current political unrest so unnerving. Tensions between Frelimo (the ruling party) and Renamo (the opposition party) have escalated dramatically in the last few months. The last few days especially have been eventful, with several shootings occurring and Renamo vowing to shut down travel and exports in the central parts of the country. On Friday, several vehicles were shot at on the main national highway, resulting in the death of several innocent civilians and left several wounded.

Nobody really knows what's going to happen now. We're hoping that things will calm down, but with elections coming up in November, that seems unlikely. They say the chances of another civil war are slim, since no one has the money or the arms for a war -- and yet, people in our towns are scared. They've started preparing for the worst -- hording food, sending their kids away, and some families have opted to pack up and flee the country.

"They say there's not going to be a war, but this is just how it started last time," said my neighbor. "I wouldn't be surprised in the least if we fall back into violence."

What does this mean for me? A few Peace Corps volunteers have been evacuated from their sites and are awaiting further instruction in Chimoio. For the moment, I'm safe and sound at my house and waiting to hear from Peace Corps about next steps. I've packed an evacuation bag that I hope I won't have to use, just in case. Rumors are spreading like wildfire, and it's hard to know what to believe and what to take with a grain of salt. It's useless to speculate on the million "what if" scenarios, but I find myself wondering just the same. What if armed bandits overrun my town? What if I have to evacuate Tete? What if I have to go back to the United States?

More importantly, what does this mean for the millions of innocent people living in Mozambique that just want to get on with their lives? If this situation spirals out of control, they don't get to leave and go home -- they're stuck in a war zone or have to flee as refugees. As I was filling water today with my favorite little 7-year-old, Linda, it struck me that her life could very possibly get a lot more difficult very soon.

"I heard that Renamo is re-arming in the town where my mom lives," she told me, "I heard it on the radio and I started to cry. I don't want them to shoot my mom. Aunt Páscoa says they won't, but I think she's lying."

I'm hoping that things will calm down. I'm trying to be optimistic. However, looking at the history of the region and the tangible fear and anger that permeates the country as we approach elections, I can't help but feel less than hopeful about how this is going to turn out. Right now, there's absolutely nothing I can do except listen to the radio, make sure I'm ready to go in case of evacuation, and hope for the best.