What Are The Similarities Between Angola And Mozambique

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Harry Truman once said upon the creation of the United Nations (UN) that it is a great instrument for peace and security and human progress in the world. " (Gehrke, 1991) Indeed, the United Nations have played a role in peacekeeping, such as in the cases of Angola and Mozambique. However, despite the many similarities between Angola and Mozambique, the outcomes of the UN intervention were drastically different. Both countries were affected by civil war for decades. In Angola, the MPLA government and the UNITA rebels had been fighting since the early 1970s, while in Mozambique, the FRELIMO government and RENAMO, since the late 1970s. The UN had been deployed to carry out peacekeeping operations in both countries. However, despite all …show more content…
Stalemate means that it is clear to all conflict parties that they cannot unilaterally win the conflict. Hurting means that the conflict parties "feel uncomfortable in the costly dead end." (Kornprobst, 2002). This "hurting stalemate" was present in Mozambique, where Dhalakama, the leader of insurgent party The Mozambican National Resistance (RENAMO) had said in an interview that ' Renamo is the tired, the weary Frelimo also’ (Morozzo della Rocca 2002: 161). FRELIMO and RENAMO were running out of resources to continue their war, firstly because Mozambique is naturally resource scarce and secondly, the opposing sids have both successfully targeted each other's resources (Angola 5). In addition, while the economic situation was dire by the 1990s, and a severe drought from 19920-1992 had caused mass starvation. Hence, for the well-being of the Mozambicans, and in the clear case where the continuation of war would not result in any winner, the fundamental change of interaction between the government FRELIMO and RENAMO was an economic imperative. Hence, the UN's intervention was largely welcomed, as Mozambique had to desperately improve their state of economic exhaustion for the welfare of their people. The United Nations Operation Forces …show more content…
ONUMOZ comprised a strong mandate, and adequate resources to carry out its mission. In order to accomplish its mandate, ONUMOZ had a joined army comprising soldiers from both parties of around 8,300 troops. Demobilization, started in 1994, eventually involved more than 76,000 soldiers from both FRELIMO and RENAMO. Much financial resources was also put into funding ONUMOZ, with total of 492.6 million dollars in total spent during the mere 3 years, and the number of authorised strength amounting to 6,625 troops and military support personnel, 354 military observers and 1,144 civilian police. During the polling, where UN was provide technical assistance and monitor the entire electoral process, ONUMOZ deployed approximately 900 additional electoral observers. This was essential in ensuring that peace and order was maintained during the period of elections. In addition, part of the mandate was to monitor and verify the ceasefire, the separation and concentration of forces, their demobilization and the collection, storage and destruction of weapons (United Nations, 2001). Effective disarmament of both warring factions also took away any propensity for war. ONUMOZ recovered a total of 155,000 weapons

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