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The Mozambican National Resistance Movement (RENAMO): a study in the destruction of an African country

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 December 2011

Margaret Hall
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Extract

RENAMO is a shadowy movement and ill-understood, save for its well-established genesis as a military artefact of the Rhodesians, then its transition in 1980 to South African patronage. Lacking all the features we have come to associate with successful insurgencies in Africa, such as a charismatic leadership or easily identifiable ideology, it has failed to develop a political identity commensurate with its military strength. It has no clearly defined regional base, relies on widespread forced recruitment, and behaves with notorious brutality towards the civilian population. Yet it operates throughout the length and breadth of Mozambique, and holds the state in virtual paralysis. Since it lacks rear bases and therefore depends upon local provisioning, it must be able to obtain compliance over large areas of rural Mozambique. That also implies effective organisation.

Résumé

Le Mouvement National de Résistance au Mozambique (RENAMO): une étude de la destruction d'un pays africain

Cet article fait la synthèse de matériels provenant de diverses sources traitant de l'organisation et des opérations internes du Mouvement National de Résistance au Mozambique (RENAMO). Il étudie comment une organisation ayant si peu à offrir qu'elle doit compter sur un vaste recrutement forcé peut atteindre un tel succès contre l'état du Mozambique. Bien que l'article affirme que RENAMO a effectivement pris racine localement, malgré ses origines externes et que de ce fait, il a pu se développer grâce au mécontement paysan vis à vis des politiques économiques FRELIMO, les constatations suggèrent que les faiblesses structurelles de l'état du Mozambique et le degré de coercition violente employée par RENAMO contre la population civile représentent les facteurs les plus importants.

La première partie de cet article relate principalement des faits. La seconde partie souligne en particulier les processus internes engendrés par la déstabilisation. Elle conclut que ce mouvement est capable de détruire davantage le Mozambique. Ainsi, il n'existe pas d'autre alternative pratique pour s'accommoder de la situation que la violente brutalité du mouvement et le manque de ressemblance à ce qui est normalement considéré comme parti politique en tant que tel, ce qui pose d'importants problèmes pour la forme qu'un réglement politique de la guerre au Mozambique pourrait prendre.

Type
Attacking the State
Information
Africa , Volume 60 , Issue 1 , January 1990 , pp. 39 - 68
Copyright
Copyright © International African Institute 1990

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