ETHNIC DISCRIMINATION IN MOZAMBIQUE: LINK THAT REQUIRES ELIMINATION FOR EFFECTIVE PEACE

Abstract

Mozambique is experiencing asphyxiating and humiliating ethnic discrimination among its citizens. Ethnic discrimination has a historical genesis and has become deeply rooted in society over time, mainly in occupation wars, constituting the underlying cause of the accumulation of hatred between population groups. To better explore Portuguese colonialism, it stimulated ethnic, racial and religious discrimination, dividing Mozambicans. The phenomenon had a notable progression in the families, making believe that some were superior in relation to the others. In this complex of superiority or inferiority in the creation of FRELIMO, the principle of equality among the nationalists was hurt and the phenomenon expanded during the armed struggle, negatively covering the entire territory with the proclamation of National Independence. Considering that the country has been plunged into growing conflicts since independence, the Peace Agreements signed are never complied with, the following question arises: "do discriminatory practices have sufficient reputation to generate or fuel conflicts?" Our objective is to analyze this fundamental aspect that, directly or indirectly, removes the climate of peace, we also want to identify its manifestations in the various social segments, in order to seek solutions. We use the inductive method combined with a bibliographic search, to collect and sort data and information. Ethnic discrimination promotes social exclusion, distorts national history, misaligns public policies, prevents the realization of genuine National Unity, generating violence, such as the one unleashed by RENAMO in 1976, or the aggression underway in some districts of Cabo Delgado Province, since 2017.