VIOLENCE AND CRIME ON THE RISE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MAPUTO 000177

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/23/2020
TAGS: PGOV PREL KCRM KCOR SNAR MZ
SUBJECT: VIOLENCE AND CRIME ON THE RISE

REF: A. 08 MAPUTO 1286

B. 06 MAPUTO 1209

Classified By: Ambassador Leslie V. Rowe for reasons 1.4(b+d)


1. (C) SUMMARY: Following relatively peaceful national
elections and the inauguration of President Armando Guebuza's
second five-year term, a series of violent acts has raised
serious security concerns in Mozambique. Within a 72-hour
period two police agents were ambushed and murdered in the
capital city, in scenes reminiscent of a series of
assassinations of police officers in late 2006 and 2008
(reftels). In the same period of time, the Angolan Embassy
was assaulted and at least one employee injured, a newspaper
editor was beaten and stabbed, and several kidnappings were
reported, including the 12-year old daughter of a prominent
businessman. Her father chose not to involve the police and
paid a ransom of $400,000 for her safe return. On February
17 in broad daylight in downtown Maputo, criminals robbed a
major bank, carried out a carjacking, and were engaged in a
running gun battle with police, injuring several innocent
bystanders. These incidents underscore a weak rule of law in
Mozambique, with many ordinary citizens making the
calculation that if the police cannot protect their own, they
must act independently. Interior Minister Pacheco has failed
in his five-year attempt to clean up the police force. END
SUMMARY.

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TWO POLICE AGENTS AMBUSHED AND MURDERED
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2. (C) On February 13, Criminal Investigation Police (PIC)
agent Arsenio Mausse was killed in the middle class
residential Alto Mae neighborhood of Maputo. After first
immobilizing the agent's vehicle by shooting the tires, an
unknown number of assailants fired upon and killed him. Less
than 48 hours later at approximately 15:00 on February 15 in
the upscale Marginal area of the city, PIC officer Ricardo
Mondlane Junior was executed mob-style. Mondlane had
received a phone tip requesting a private meeting in an area
frequented by many for its bars and ocean views. According
to an eyewitness report, three assailants leaped from a van
and emptied their AK-47s into Mondlane who was waiting in his
vehicle. Both agents are members of PIC's intelligence unit,
but the reason for their murder remains unclear. National
police (PRM) spokesman Pedro Cossa reported that criminal
gangs are believed to be responsible, but that the police
have no leads. Oddly enough however, the police have not
opened any investigations and appear to consider both cases
closed. These incidents are reminiscent of a series of
assassinations of police officers in 2006 and 2008 (reftels)
which many observers believed were the result of organized
crime settling scores with corrupt policemen. In the past,
such incidents were alternatively believed to be attempts by
the police to clean house; however, the motive is not clear
in these recent killings. (NOTE: Embassy contacts claim that
the going rate for a professional assassination is about
$2,000 in Maputo. END NOTE)

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ANGOLAN EMBASSY ASSAULTED; EDITOR STABBED
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3. (SBU) The daily newspaper Bantu reported on February 15
that the Angolan Embassy was subjected to armed attack and
one person had been killed. Emboff contacted that embassy's
diplomatic security chief who confirmed the attack and that
one employee had been assaulted. On the same day Bantu
reported that its chief newsroom editor, Fabio Mondlane
Junior (NOTE: No relation to PIC agent Mondlane. END NOTE),
had been beaten and stabbed while in Maputo's lawless and
virtually ungoverned Mafalala neighborhood on personal
business. PRM officials are known to avoid Mafalala at night
for fear of their own safety, and gun battles between police
and criminals in this area are relatively frequent
occurrences. On February 17 at 11:30 am in downtown Maputo,
criminals robbed a major bank, carried out a carjacking, and
were engaged in a running gun battle with police, injuring
several innocent bystanders. The criminals escaped.

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A WAVE OF KIDNAPPING
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4. (SBU) PRM Chief Jorge Khalau was quoted on February 15
in the daily journal MediaFax as saying "It is true that

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there is a wave of kidnapping, but we are trying to get to
the bottom of all this." In the Maputo suburb of Matola, two
siblings were taken while returning home from school and
returned after payment of 115,000 meticais (approximately
$3,800). Widely reported in the media was the kidnapping in
Nampula of 12-year old Nahir, the daughter of Abdul Latifo.
Police believe that her driver may be involved, but have not
been able to locate him. The father paid a ransom of
$400,000 and decided not to involve the PRM. The internet
daily Expresso described citizens of Nampula Province's two
leading cities, Nampula and Nacala, as extremely concerned
about the boldness of the kidnappers and the local police's
apparent apathy, with one commentator complimenting Latifo's
decision not to rely on the police.

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COMMENT: IF THE POLICE CANNOT EVEN
PROTECT THEMSELVES ...
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5. (C) It is unclear whether PRM Chief Khalau is correct
in characterizing the latest kidnappings as a "wave" or
whether these criminal acts are a temporary phenomenon, since
the PRM does not keep reliable crime statistics. But there
is ample cause for concern, and these recent incidents,
particularly the assassinations of police officers, follow
similar trends from 2006 and 2008. When Interior Minister
Jose Pacheco took office in February 2005, he stated publicly
that one of his top priorities would be to clean up the
police force. By all accounts, Pacheco has failed, with the
PRM regarded as among the most corrupt institutions in a
country dogged by what Transparency International describes
as rampant corruption. The February 2009 African Peer Review
Mechanism analysis warned that a widening chasm between rich
and poor and growing social exclusion were creating a
"serious risk" of societal conflict. In March 2009
Mozambique's Institute for the Promotion of Peace also
pointed to worrying economic disparities. Long-time
Mozambique watcher, and admittedly leftward-leaning, British
academic Joseph Hanlon notes that despite massive foreign
aid, there has been no peace dividend ending poverty or
providing economic opportunity for ordinary citizens.
Instead, Hanlon says a tiny group of powerful, politically
connected individuals seem to have reaped the rewards of
donor largesse. While what Hanlon says may be partially
true, some of these recent assassinations and kidnappings are
likely linked to the illicit economy, particularly
narco-trafficking and money laundering. As the illicit
economy grows, and the rule of law weakens, allegations that
Mozambique may become a narco-state appear more credible and
Post's concerns about the country's internal security are
increasing.
ROWE