Yesterday rumors spread in Mozambique about a general strike via word of mouth, SMS, and even Twitter. The motive: the “unjust” cost of living – rises in the price of bread, water and electricity. Readers may recall that an increase the price of minibuses sparked riots and protest in February 2008 [1]. So the city went to sleep on edge.
While the mainstream media is just starting to report this, this morning bloggers and twitters have already been reporting on events. Eduardo Castro of Elefante News writes [pt] [2]
Ouvi na Antena Nacional e li nO País (primeiro pública, segundo privado) que a polícia não “recebeu nenhum pedido de manifestação popular” para hoje aqui em Maputo.
Mas a cidade está visivelmente mais policiada. E já teve bloqueio em Benfica, Xiquelene e Chopal.
Tem pouco chapa (vans) circulando por Mahotas. Já recebi telefonema de gente que voltou pra casa depois de esperar por transporte desde cedo, sem sucesso.
A preocupação é que se reedite 2008: os chapas fizeram uma manifestação que convulsionou a cidade.
Na manchete dO País, o motivo da agitação: Água e luz com novos preços a partir de hoje em todo país”.
I heard on the National Radio and read in O País (the former public and the latter private) that the police did “not receive any request for a popular demonstration” for today in Maputo.
But the city is visibly more policed. There was a roadblock in Benfica, Xiquelene and Chopal.
There are few chapas [minibuses] circulating around Mahotas. I received a call from people who returned home after waiting for transport since early in the morning, with no success.
The worry is that 2008 happens again: the chapas made a protest that threw the city into convulsions.
The front page headline of O País, the motive for the nerves: Water and electricity with new prices from today in all of the country”.
Sociologist Carlos Serra, who was an important source of information in 2008, writes [pt] [3]
Com voz calma, um representante do Governo esforçou-se no programa “Café da manhã” da Rádio Moçambique (7:30/8:00) por mostrar que o governo tudo tem feito para evitar que o preço do pão (mais caro a partir do dia 6, estável desde 2008) fique mais oneroso… Ouvintes do programa enviaram mensagens queixando-se da carestia de vida e lamentando a subida do preço do pão, “alimento do pobre”, escreveu um deles. O representante apelou aos ouvintes para procurarem substituir o pão por outros produtos, por exemplo pela batata doce.
pelos relatos que me vão chegando de vários pontos da cidade (Avenida de Moçambique, por exemplo), penso que esta é uma situação que vai exigir muito bom senso e grande prudência na gestão.
With a calm voice, a representative of the Government made an effort on the program “Breakfast” on Radio Mozambique (7:30/8:00) to show that the government had done everything to prevent the price of bread (more expensive as of the 6th, stable since 2008) from becoming more of a burden… Listeners of the program sent messages complaining of the high cost of living and lamenting the rise in the price of bread, “poor people's food”, wrote one of them. The representative appealed to listeners to look to substitute bread with other products, for example sweet potato.
Judging by the reports that are arriving to me from various parts of the city (Mozambique Avenue for example), I think this is a situation that will require much good sense and a great prudence in managing.
Twitter user BarataJorge reported [4]
Linhas de telefonia móvel congestionadas, na cidade de Maputo.
Another called TeknikNineMilli said [5]
#Greve [6] em maputo. É o q dá abusar das pessoas. A parte má, é q há gente a pilhar, vandalizar e etc.
Prolific twitter user Katembe is relaying reports of shooting, rock throwing and vandalism in the poor outlying neighborhoods of the city, like this one [7]
Na EN4, carros e autocarros a ser atacados com pedras” / “isto está mal, nem dá pra pôr um pé fora de casa (Chamanculo)”
Freelance reporter Nastasya Tay tweeted [8]
Rioting in township areas. Rubber bullets fired. Burning tyres on the roads, and a smoke haze rising up over Maputo from the fires.
A citizen media Ushahidi platform [9] has been launched by Jornal A Verdade (@verdademz [10]). As of now, there are over 50 incidents among which reports of deaths [11], including of two children shot at Av. Acordos de Lusaka [12].
[9]
[13]
A Verdade [14] [The Truth, pt] released a statement from the Government of Mozambique, appealing to citizens for calm, as the night fell.