Evaristo Cumbane, Own Correspondent | Saturday
SEVEN South African pathologists have arrived in Mozambique to help investigate the death of at least 80 prisoners in the northern province of Cabo Delgado earlier this week.
Mystery deepened on Friday over the deaths amid reports that they suffocated, possibly in smoke linked to traditional fighters believed to have magical powers.
“We have so far concluded that the deaths resulted from suffocation,” investigator Eugenio Zacarias told state radio, after carrying out autopsies on more than 30 corpses.
The bodies did not show any signs of serious aggression that could have led to death, he said.
But other inmates told Radio Mozambique that there had been troubles late Tuesday in the prison when a group of detainees – all traditional fighters believed to possess magical powers – began fighting among themselves.
One detainee said he heard voices instigating the violence. Later, after several people were severely beaten, he said he saw huge clouds of smoke and water in the cells before he escaped the fighting.
During Mozambique’s 16-year civil war, traditional fighters known as naparamas fought against supporters of the Mozambique National Resistance (RENAMO) party of former rebels, but not alongside government forces.
The naparamas fighters did not use modern weaponry, but earned RENAMO’s respect as warriors. The traditional fighters believed their magic could make them bullet-proof.
When a peace accord ended the war in 1992, no settlement was ever reached with the naparamas.
District administrator Germano Joaquim meanwhile told the government-run daily Noticias that the dead prisoners were all opposition RENAMO demonstrators arrested during violent protests two weeks ago against last December’s election results.
The number of dead in the prison continues to rise, with state broadcasters reporting 83 dead and RENAMO reporting about 100 dead.
Montepuez, 1650km north of Maputo, was the scene of the worst violence from opposition protests two weeks ago.
At least 30 people died there during three days of clashes between police and some 500 armed supporters of RENAMO.
A total of 40 people died and at least 150 were injured nationwide during the protests over the December 1999 election, which RENAMO claims was rigged despite a Supreme Court ruling declaring the balloting orderly. – AFP