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Draft Culture of Peace Programme in Mozambique 3-4 I. NATIONAL CONTEXT According to recent statistics from the World Development Report, Mozambique is one of the least developed countries of the world, with a Gross National Product per capita of $80, a life expectancy at birth of 46.5 years, and an adult literacy rate of 33.5%. The present situation has been the result of the combined effects of:
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| * | the prevailing pattern of underdevelopment inherited at independence in 1975; | |||
| * | the destruction of the socio-economic fabric of the country brought about by the protracted armed conflict; | |||
| * | the world economic crises; | |||
| * | the Economic Rehabilitation Programme (PRE) of international financing institutions which has negative impact on the services provided to the poor | |||
| * | natural disasters such as the drought of the 1980's | |||
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The war resulted in the destruction of millions of human lives, mass population movements and dislocation, the collapse of food production in the rural areas, and ruptures in the social, economic, political and cultural system of the country. Although Mozambique has an essentially rural economy, its cities are now overcrowded with people displaced by the war. They are living in slums surrounding the city center where living conditions are intolerable. There is lack of water and sanitation and an atmosphere of lawlessness. Although there is some tendency for the older refugees to return to their roots in the countryside, what about the young people who have no memories of peace in the countryside? Immersed now in a continuation of the culture of violence, they need to be drawn back to the countryside by the promise of jobs and a culture which they can find as attractive as that of the city. Since the signing of the Rome Peace Agreement between FRELIMO and RENAMO, space has been created for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of the socio-economic structures, democratization of the society and building of peace in the country. United Nations peace-keeping forces (ONUMOZ) have been deployed in the country to:
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| * | Monitor the peace accords | |||
| * | Collect the soldiers of the government and the opposition RENAMO army in cantons | |||
| * | Demobilize the two armies | |||
| * | Assist in the formation of the new non-partisan armed forces | |||
| * | Monitor the collection and destruction of weapons from both armies | |||
| * | Monitor the activities of the civil police | |||
| * | Reintegrate demobilized soldiers into society | |||
| * | Resettle refugees and dislocated people | |||
| * | Prepare and monitor the October 1994 general elections | |||
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The many thousands of ONUMOZ personnel will be leaving the country a few weeks after the general elections, leaving behind them the question of continuity of many of the functions which they have been carrying out. Within this context, a considerable number of international non-governmental organizations (NGO's) have come to implement emergency programmes aimed at preventing deaths of people at high risk and helping people to generate their own income. It is important to note that the presence of these NGO's, although beneficial, has increased the degree of dependence on external aid. Many organizations from Mozambican civil society, have been engaged in activities to promote peace and reconciliation. This includes many newly formed Mozambican organizations as well as well as those with a history of operation in the country. This provides a base for the development of a culture of peace to replace the culture of violence which Mozambique has know for so many years. It is in the framework of this delicate economic situation, with ruptures in the social, political and cultural structures, and the gap in services that will occur with the departure of ONUMOZ, that a programme for a culture of peace in Mozambique needs to be developed in the coming years. In order to strengthen Mozambique's social, political and economic infrastructure, it is important that the process of peace-building and national reconstruction should encourage community participation using local resources to defray project costs and enhance endogenous development and peace-making methods.
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