(MISA/IFEX) – On 8 December 1999, two reporters were assaulted by some 100 polling station monitors in the Mozambican capital of Maputo. The Mozambican news agency, AIM, reported that the two reporters, Salomao Muiambo and Amadeu Marrengula, both of “Noticias” newspaper, were covering a demonstration of polling station monitors, who were demanding that the main […]
(MISA/IFEX) – On 8 December 1999, two reporters were assaulted by some 100 polling station monitors in the Mozambican capital of Maputo.
The Mozambican news agency, AIM, reported that the two reporters, Salomao Muiambo and Amadeu Marrengula, both of “Noticias” newspaper, were covering a demonstration of polling station monitors, who were demanding that the main opposition party, Renamo, pay them for work they did for the party during the general elections. However, the monitors confronted the reporters and threatened to kill them, saying they worked for “a newspaper that doesn’t tell the truth.”
The two journalists ran back to their vehicle with the monitors in pursuit. Marrengula managed to escape in the vehicle but lost his camera, which was stolen by the protesters. Muiambo was not able to reach the car in time. He was caught by his pursuers, who beat him up. He managed to escape serious injury by denying that he had anything to do with Marrengula and “Noticias” and persuading his attackers that he was just a passer-by who happened to be in the vicinity at the same time as the “Noticias” photographer.
A spokesperson for Renamo expressed surprise at the incident and promised to investigate the matter.
