MAPUTO, Mozambique, July 30 (NNN-AGENCIES) – Mozambique’s parliament, on Monday, passed an amnesty bill that will pardon all criminal acts committed against the State as part of the government commitment to honour the deals with the main opposition party, Renamo, in the peace negotiation process.
“It has been proven necessary for political stability and the guarantee of an effective and long-lasting peace, and ensuring mutual trust between the parties, and for national reconciliation, the proposition of an amnesty law to eliminate the responsibility of all, who may have committed acts that are punished by the penal law,” said Minister of Justice, Religious and Constitutional Affairs, Joaquim Verissimo, at the Assembly of the republic.
The law was submitted to parliament as an initiative of President Filipe Nyusi, with the aim to achieve effective, lasting and definitive peace, reconciliation among Mozambicans, and to strengthen consolidation of national unity.
The amnesty law is the second to be approved in less than five years. The first law was approved in Aug, 2014, as an initiative of former president, Armando Guebuza.
According to the proposal by Verissimo, the pardon is granted on condition that the beneficiary does not repeat or commit any of the crimes covered by this standard.
“The proposed Amnesty Law is for citizens, who, in the context of military hostilities, have committed crimes against state security and military, against the external and internal security of the state and against public order,” said the justice minister.
Some members of Renamo publicly announced that they would not fulfil their part of the bargain, if the process is led by their democratically elected leader, Ossufo Momade, and threatened to boycott the process.
The party leadership announced that, despite internal disagreement, the commitments for the peace process agreements remain as initially proposed.– NNN-AGENCIES