Good afternoon. It is not very unusual for journalists to be murdered in Mozambique, or to have people try to murder them. It is more unusual however for journalists who suffer an attempt on their lives to appear on TV and give evidence against their attackers. This is what has been done by Carlitos Cadangue, the journalist for broadcaster STV who was shot at last night in the city of Chimoio, in Manica province.
Cadangue was able to identify the make and model of car his attackers were driving in, part of the registration plate of the car, and the type of uniform worn by his attackers, a uniform commonly used by police special units. In theory it should not be hard to find the vehicle and its owners. Given that the shooting looks politically motivated, may have been carried out by state security forces, and may be traceable back to someone important, it seems unlikely that anyone will try to bring the would-be killers to justice. But the political aspect of this shooting is also what makes it difficult for the government to ignore.
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For months now, Cadangue has been the public face of reporting about mining scandals in Manica province. He has reported regularly on the environmental damage caused by uncontrolled gold mining, including the pollution of rivers and reservoirs. This was instrumental in forcing the government to order the suspension of all mining activity in Manica. Then, he played an important job in exposing the fact that mining was carrying on, illegally, at the “seis carros” gold mine, in which the son and sister of Manica governor Francisca Tomás have an interest. Despite the government ban, mining at that operation has continued without pause. Cadangue also reported on the deaths at that mine caused by landslides and falling debris from explosions.
