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The Peace Process in Mozambique
1984-1992
Dossier MZ-0772
10. Everything Changes: South Africa Unbans the ANC,
February-March 1990
On 2 February 1990, the South African state president, F. W. de Klerk, announced the unbanning of the ANC, the PAC and the South African Communist Party; this changed at a stroke the environment in which Mozambique’s slow peace process was operating. Indeed, as President Joaquim Chissano pointed out later in the month, the logic by which South African support for Renamo was seen as a counterweight to Mozambican support for the ANC, had suddenly disappeared.
Above left: Nelson Mandela and Winnie Mandela on 11 February 1990, as he was released from 27 years of imprisonment. Above right: José Manuel Durão Barroso (b.1956), then Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation. Durão Barroso was especially active diplomatically in Angola and East Timor during this period; he was less active in the Mozambican negotiations, but still played an important role.
Towards the end of March some reports appeared confirming that the United States was to have an ongoing mediation role. This eventually turned out not to be the case.
Navigation for the «Peace Process» Pages
There will be an estimated 46 or 47 pages on the MHN website dedicated to the peace process, from 1984 up to November 1992. They are ordered chronologically. Click on the green button below to jump directly to the page covering the period that you are interested in. Note: at present only pages 1-12 are available, that is, up to January 1990. New pages will be posted regularly in the coming weeks.
MHN Resources
◊ February 1990
Enrico Fedrighini. Da Luanda a Maputo, passando per Pretoria. Nigrizia [Verona] (February 1990), p.14-16. In Italian. Click here to download a PDF file, size 300 kb. Includes a box by Alfredo Bellini with an exclusive interview with Joaquim Chissano, dating from late October 1989, which took place in S. Luís do Maranhão, Brazil.
◊ February 1990
Karl Maier. Hope flourishes in peace. Parade [Harare] (February 1990), p.12-13, 15, 39. In English. Click here to download a PDF file, size 666 kb. Maier took a train journey to Nacala, and also interviewed Afonso Dhlakama, leader of the MNR (see page 15).
◊ 6 February 1990
Portugal urged to play role in Mozambican peace process. Herald [Harare] (6 February 1990). In English. Click here to download a PDF file, size 44 kb. The story refers to José Manuel Durão Barroso as José Barossa [sic] throughout. Durão Barroso, who had attended a SADCC meeting, paid a courtesy call on President Mugabe, who told him that he hoped Portugal would continue to play a positive role in southern Africa.
◊ 7 February 1990
Mozambique: Chissano on hopeful signs for peace. Radio Mozambique broadcast on 7 February 1990 printed in the Summary of World Broadcasts [London]. In English. Click here to download a PDF file, size 17 kb. Chissano is quoted as saying that the peace process will take time because people want «real, safe and definitive peace».
◊ 8 February 1990
Guy Arnold. Light at the end of the tunnel for Mozambique. Herald [Harare] (8 February 1990). In English. Click here to download a PDF file, size 102 kb.
◊ 9 February 1990
Mozambique: moving with the times. Africa Confidential [London] vol.31 no.3 (9 February 1990). In English. Click here to download a PDF file, size 178 kb.
◊ 10 February 1990
Moçambique: entre a paz e as tensões. Informáfrica [Lisbon] no.12 (10 February 1990), p.7. In Portuguese. Click here to download a PDF file, size 109 kb.
◊ 19 February 1990
Portugal tem responsibilidade histórica na busca da paz, afirmou o presidente da Renamo entrevistado pela Radiotelevisão. Século de Joanesburgo [Johannesburg] (19 February 1990). In Portuguese. Click here to download a PDF file, size 33 kb. Afonso Dhlakama interviewed by RTP, wants Portugal to take an active role in negotiations.
◊ 20 February 1990
Chissano declara-se disposto a reunir com a Renamo. Século de Joanesburgo [Johannesburg] (20 February 1990). In Portuguese. Click here to download a PDF file, size 119 kb.
Above: In February the London-based newsletter Africa Confidential reported that the George Bush administration has presented its own seven-point plan in December, but that Afonso Dhlakama had ‘tossed it away’, objecting at that time to the requirement that the MNR recognise the legitimacy of the Mozambican republic.
◊ 23 February 1990
Chissano hopeful on end to war. Southscan [London] (23 February 1990). In English. Click here to download a PDF file, size 28 kb.
◊ 27 February 1990
Há progressos na busca da paz para o nosso país, afirma o ministro Mocumbi no seu regresso da reunião da OUA. Notícias [Maputo] (27 February 1990). In Portuguese. Click here to download a PDF file, size 607 kb.
◊ 28 February 1990
Mozambican president says MNR rebels are changing their attitude towards talks. Radio Mozambique broadcast on 28 February 1990, printed in the Summary of World Broadcasts [London]. In English. Click here to download a PDF file, size 43 kb.
◊ 1 March 1990
Mozambican president comments on possibilities for dialogue with rebels, national debate on possible multi-party system. Partial translated transcript of a news conference broadcast on 1 March 1990, published in the Summary of World Broadcasts [London]. In English. Click here to download a PDF file, size 67 kb.
◊ 3 March 1990
Mozambique: Algerian mediation. Indian Ocean Newsletter [Paris] (3 March 1990). In English. Click here to download a PDF file, size 34 kb. Algeria may intervene to try to persuade some Arab countries to stop supporting the MNR. In addition, Chissano claims that contact has already been established between the government and Renamo.
◊ 3 March 1990
Washington participating in negotiations. Indian Ocean Newsletter [Paris] (3 March 1990). In English. Click here to download a PDF file, size 26 kb. Reports remarks by Pascoal Mocumbi.
◊ 3 March 1990
António Marujo. Missionários criticam beligerantes de Moçambique: nem Frelimo nem Renamo. Público [Lisbon] (3 March 1990). In Portuguese. Click here to download a PDF file, size 129 kb. Harsh criticism of the peace process, the government, Renamo, and the Catholic hierarchy by the Comboni missionaries.
◊ 9 March 1990
MNR claims no impasse. Southscan [London] vol.5 no.9 (9 March 1990), p.70. In English. Click here to download a PDF file, size 41 kb.
◊ 15 March 1990
Chissano hails US efforts. Herald [Harare] (15 March 1990). In English. Click here to download a PDF file, size 31 kb.
◊ 15 March 1990
Charles W. Corey. Mozambican government to hold talks with Renamo. United States Information Agency [Washington DC] (15 March 1990). In English. Click here to download a PDF file, size 146 kb. Report on a press conference held on 15 March 1990.
◊ 16 March 1990
Em Moçambique Joaquim Chissano avança para a paz. Diário de Notícias [Supl. África] [Lisbon] (16 March 1990). In Portuguese. Click here to download a PDF file, size 66 kb.
◊ 16 March 1990
Pace of war and diplomacy quickens on threshold of Mozambique peace talks. Southscan [London] (16 March 1990). In English. Click here to download a PDF file, size 105 kb.