top4/30/2013
Terrorist Organization Profile: |
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| Resistencia Nacional Mocambicana (RENAMO) | |
| n/a | |
| Mozambique, Rhodesia, South Africa | |
| 1976 | |
| Group is inactive | |
| Other | |
| Rhodesia (1976-1979) South Africa (1979-1984) |
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| The Mozambican National Resistance (Resistencia Nacional Mocambicana -- RENAMO) was formed in 1976 by the Rhodesian military. Rhodesia's white minority government feared that the regime in newly independent Mozambique (Front for the Liberation of Mozambique -- FRELIMO) would support rebels fighting to overthrow the Rhodesian regime. To pre-empt this possible interference, Rhodesia created RENAMO to operate against the Mozambique-based rebels FRELIMO. The Rhodesians created RENAMO out of disenchanted ex-FRELIMO members, opponents of the Marxist FRELIMO regime, and former soldiers of the former Portuguese colonial army. Most members were Ndau speakers from the East-Central provinces of Mozambique. RENAMO's sponsorship changed in 1980 with Zimbabwean independence. South Africa took control of the group and used it to destabilize Mozambique, essentially a punishment for the FRELIMO regime's support of the African National Congress (ANC). In line with apartheid South Africa's aim of destabilizing frontline states, RENAMO focused its attacks on communications and trade infrastructure of Mozambique and Zimbabwe, including railways, pipelines and roads. Forced to reconsider its support for the ANC due to the brutal tactics of RENAMO, Mozambican President Samora Michel signed the Nkomati Accord of 1984 with South Africa, which pledged to end Mozambican support for the ANC in return for an end to South African support for RENAMO. South African commitment to the accord was questionable, however, and violence continued. |
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| Despite a drop in support from South Africa, RENAMO's reign of terror continued throughout the 1980's, reportedly killing at least 100,000 and creating at least 1,000,000 refugees. Particularly hard hit were Mozambique's railways, for which the government had to bring in foreign troops to protect from RENAMO attacks. The combination of these attacks, the government's failed Marxist policies, and natural disasters led to Mozambique's economic and social deterioration. These pressures on the Mozambique government led to governmental reform and the expansion of the political process to other parties. RENAMO's armed insurgency against the FRELIMO regime officially came to an end on October 4th, 1992, when the two groups signed a peace accord, formally ending the civil war. Despite continuing disagreements over the implementation of the peace accord and the integration of RENAMO into the Mozambican political process, the disarmament of RENAMO progressed in the early 1990's with the help of the United Nations, and thousands of its fighters were integrated into the Mozambican Armed Forces. RENAMO finally participated in nationwide elections in 1994, gaining 37.7 percent of the vote and maintaining a generally regional base of support in the North and Central regions. Despite periodic complaints of violent voter fraud and intimidation, RENAMO appears to have successfully transformed into solely a political organization. |
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Key Leaders
Related Groups
- n/a
U.S. Government Designations
| No | |
| No | |
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Learn more about these U.S. Department of State classifications: Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs) Terrorist Exclusion List (TEL) |
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Other Governments' Designations
| No | |
| No | |
| No | |
| No | |
| No |
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