Forgetting or denial of transitional justice in Mozambique

an analysis of the Mueda and Wiriamu genocides

Abstract

Contextualization: This article analyzes the issue of the absence of transitional justice regarding the genocides that occurred in Mozambique, within the framework of the national liberation struggle against Portuguese imperialism, during which several massacres were recorded, particularly the Mueda Massacre and the Wiriamu Massacre, considered the most emblematic and tragic.

Objective: In this context, the article aims to explore the factors that prevented full accountability for the crimes against humanity perpetrated in Mozambique and, at the same time, seeks to understand the dimension of the compulsory forgetting imposed on the victims’ families, who continue to demand justice for their relatives.

Method: The research adopted a bibliographic and analytical approach, based on the review of legal literature and Mozambican historiography, primarily exploring the works of Felícia Cabrita, Mustafah Dhada, and André Nogueira, authors who specifically address the Wiriamu Massacre.

Results: The analysis revealed that Portugal has not fully assumed responsibility for the genocides of Wiriamu and Mueda. In other words, the victims of these crimes against humanity were neither compensated nor reimbursed by the Portuguese government, which was responsible for these atrocities.

Conclusions: It is concluded that the genocides perpetrated in Mozambique require proper reparation for the victims and their families, who still suffer from the social and emotional consequences of these events. At the same time, it is the responsibility of the Mozambican government to demand from Portugal this historical reparation, which remains unresolved.