by Joao de Brito Langa, Mozambique, Nov. 1996
THEME = ARMY
The Government has withdrawn its proposed Bill on National Defence and the Armed Forces, because the opposition RENAMO says it's not constitutional.
RENAMO strongly objected to the "package" presented by
Government to Parliament, in its fifth and last session for 1996.
The Bill þ a "package" of three proposals had been put
before Members, and dealt with: 1. National Defence and the Armed
Forces; 2. Military Service; 3. A form of National Service,
involving participation in construction and development projects.
RENAMO argued that the proposed Bill was contrary to the Republic's
Constitution, and specifically against Article 135, which states
that policies of national defence and security, can only be
specified after consultation with the National Council for
Defence and Security. When Parliament began its 5th session on 28
October 1996, this had not yet been done.
Government realised that there was no agreement on such an
important matter, so the Minister for Defence, Aguiar
Mazula, went before Parliament to withdraw the Bill.
Q = Minister, what were the reasons for the Government to withdraw the draft Bill on National Defence and the Armed Forces? R = Basically, we consider that the Constitution under which we all live can only work if everyone agrees to it. The same goes for this Bill on National Defence. From my own observations, it was clear there was no agreement in this present matter and so I withdrew the Bill.
Q = But isn't the Government maintaining its position that the proposed Bill is in accordance with the Constitution? R = Exactly. We consider that all we did was to bring before Parliament a proposed Bill and so, in this respect, we see nothing against the Constitution.
Q = What are the immediate implications of this decision by
Government to withdraw the Bill?
R = As Minister of Defence, I
believe that the implications are rather worrying and serious. The
Armed Forces were expecting us to have begun a whole programme of
modernisation and re-organisation. They were also expecting us to
have clearly spelled out the role of the Armed Forces.
Q = So what's going to happen now?
R = We've got problems. Our whole
effort has been directed towards uniting the Armed Forces. We want
them to be outside politics. There's also a certain amount of
dissatisfaction within the ranks. There are many soldiers,
especially privates, who are leaving. I want to strengthen the Army
and I can't do this because I don't have the legal backing to carry
through necessary reforms.
Q = As far as we can gather, Government has serious problems in
maintaining an operational army.
R = Yes, because everyone
recognises that there is an urgent need to reorganise and establish
motives for self-discipline among service personnel.
Q = So what can Government do?
R = I must say that officers at a
General Staff level are beginning to understand that Government is
subject to certain limitations. It can't do everything it wants.
Q = When you went before Parliament, Minister, you showed some
concern in referring to the enormous expectations on the part of
our regional partners. Would you be more explicit?
R = "Regionalism" in an
international context, is very much part of the African scene these
days, and Mozambique must be there too, especially as regards
regional defence. There have already been meetings between
the Armed Forces of the various countries so as to open the way for
working together, but I am afraid that in this respect, Mozambique
is lagging behind everyone else in the region.
Q = Government has withdrawn its proposed Bill for re-vamping the
Armed Forces, so now, where is the way forward?
R = I hope there is an awarenessand
and a sense of responsibility among Honourable Members, that the
government's proposed Bill can once again be placed before
Parliament as soon as possible. Government can do nothing
without the guidance and decision of Parliament. I consider that
the discussions presently taking place in Parliament are merely
"political" - i.e. opposition for opposition's sake!
It's clear that no attempt has been made to analyze the Nation's
real needs. Times are changing and as far as defence and
protection of the Nation are concerned, I want to draw the
attention of Honourable Members to the need for change.
END