From: barnhart@ddsw1.MCS.COM (Mr. Aaron Barnhart)
Subject: IPS:MOZAMBIQUE: DHLAKAMA CALLS FOR PEACE
Date: Sat, 19 Dec 1992 17:45:06 GMT
Organization: Evanston, Illinois, U.S.A.

Copyright Inter Press Service 1992, all rights reserved.  Permission to re-
print within 7 days of original date only with permission from 'newsdesk'.

Reference: Disarmament & Peace
Title: MOZAMBIQUE: DHLAKAMA CALLS FOR PEACE


harare, dec 10 (ips/godfrey karoro) -- mozambique national
resistance (renamo) leader, afonso dhlakama, thursday called for
the speedy implementation of the rome agreement in order to
achieve peace and democracy the strife-torn country.

the former rebel leader, who arrived here wednesday, said he
held wide-ranging talks on ''major issues'' with zimbabwe's
president, robert mugabe, who mediated in the talks between
renamo and the mozambique government.

dhlakama expressed concern at the delay in dispatching u.n.
troops to monitor the ceasefire as stipulated in the peace
agreement signed oct.4 in the italian capital rome.

he also complained of the delay in withdrawing 5,000
zimbabwean troops from mozambique.

the soldiers, who were deployed into mozambique in 1981 to
protect vital rail and road routes to the sea and later assisted
the maputo government in fighting renamo, are confined to one km
of the maputo and beira corridors and their strength has been
reduced progressively from more than 10,000.

although the presence of the zimbabwean troops is not a
stumbling block to the peace initiative, dhlakama said they will
return to their country as soon as the u.n. troops are in place.

he has previously made the withdrawal of foreign troops a
condition for peace in mozambique. according to the rome
agreement, zimbabwean troops were scheduled to leave mozambique
by mid-november.

however on his return from the signing of the peace accord
in rome, mugabe said his country was opposed to keeping its
soldiers in mozambique for a day longer than necessary.

''if given assurance (that trade routes to the sea would be
safe) we would be glad to withdraw our forces'', said mugabe.

''we (renamo and the zimbabwe government) want to forget what
happened in the past and build a good relationship'', said the
rebel leader, blamed for the death of more than one million
civilians during the 16-year-long civil war.

the 21,000-strong renamo is also alleged to have been
responsible for brutally torturing and maiming thousands, forcing
over two million civilians into exile in neighbouring countries
and displacing an estimated five million within mozambique.
(more/ips)


mozambique: dhlakama (2)

dhlakama's whirlwind visit comes at the eve of a one-day
frontline states meeting friday to discuss and assess, among
other things the situations in angola and mozambique.

the heads of state from angola, botswana, mozambique, namibia,
tanzania, zambia and zimbabwe, who make up the frontline states,
are expected to attend the summit.

the renamo leader, who was scheduled to leave for his
mozambican base thursday, said he would use the opportunity to
talk to mozambican leader joaquim chissano.

dhlakama said he is keen to know what the mozambican
government is doing to make conditions conducive for renamo
cadres and leaders to visit maputo.

''i want to have christmas in maputo'', said the renamo
leader, who has led the rebel group since 1978.
(end/ips/gk/oa/92)
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