The story of the General Peace Agreement in Mozambique is intertwined with the resurrection of an entire population who once was affected by a war from which there was no internal solution or international perspective. Despite several attempts at local negotiations, such as the trip to Nairobi to initiate a dialogue between representatives of the former Renamo guerrillas and the government, peace was never achieved in Mozambique.
This led to the idea of coming to Rome because the Community of Sant'Egidio was seen as a last chance by the people. Thus, the Community was viewed as a last resort tool for individuals who are desperate and also disappointed by the many failed attempts to find peace through other means.
The most important legacy of the Rome Accords is the Mozambican generation, which today is the majority of a population that tries every day to live and transmit the desire for peace even though there are several challenges to face. Moreover, as a result of the gradual and remarkable economic development, there is the mindset of using dialogue as an excellent way of seeking peace.
This civil war, which had begun shortly after the independence that occurred in June 1975, was among the bloodiest ones of the last 20th century. In particular, it reached a death toll of one million in 16 years. This happened in a country that had become the poorest in the world. The destruction of the human fabric and infrastructure, the separation of families, and the war impoverish a nation and its people.
Such a bitter experience is worthy of recalling in order to establish an individual and collective memory that holds everyone accountable for a more peace-conscious present and human future. Hence, there is no intention of finding the guilty parties, let alone identifying the good ones.
Although most Mozambicans have not experienced the misfortune of the 16 years of war, we must admit the heavy failure of the past. After independence, we did not believe in the utopia of coexistence among different people. However, there is also the pride of being, today, a community that witnessed dialogue, peacemaking, the reconstruction of a country that was completely torn apart by violence, and, above all, a community that believed in the democratic rules, which are improving every day.
The new generation, which is the post-AGP (General Agreement for Peace) generation, constitutes today more than half of Mozambique's population. This era needs to consolidate the values of peace and reconciliation with an inclusive and attentive look at the social groups that politics cannot reach. A new humanism can begin with young people whose history is marked by values such as solidarity, the dominance of science and technology, inclusion, and the ability to live together.
Nowadays, we need to avoid the wandering of a trivial or wasted life in self-love. Selfishness is the real antagonist of peace and not war itself. The social fragmentation that is based on ethnicity, regionalism, localism, nepotism, party affiliation - which is concentrated in separatism and not idealism-, and exacerbated fundamentalism undermines the coexistence of a population. It creates walls of division, leads to attitudes of self-defense against others, and instigates hotbeds of violence.
Peace is a garden. Everyone can enjoy it, but everyone must take care of it every day. Living in peace requires a daily commitment with actions and attitudes similar to those of a gardener who, with tenacity and patience, waters, protects, and waits for beauty to shine.
an article by Nelson Moda ( Sant'Egidio)
During the peace anniversary in Mozambique
