Mozambique opposition suspends protests; death toll 32

MAPUTO, Mozambique (Reuters) -- Mozambique's opposition leader Afonso Dhlakama has suspended a wave of violent protests against the outcome of last December's general elections, state radio reported on Saturday.

It added that the death toll from the unrest that began on Thursday had risen to 32. Among those killed in the clashes, in central and northern Mozambique, were five policemen and one government official.

Mozambique Radio reported that calm had now been restored and police had taken control of the troubled areas after the protests were halted.

It quoted Dhlakama as saying his Renamo party was suspending its protests in order to consider its reaction to the deaths of some of its supporters.

The demonstrations follow accusations by Renamo that Mozambique's ruling Frelimo party rigged last December's election in parts of the country dominated by the former rebel movement.

Earlier this year, Renamo leader Dhlakama threatened to form his own government in his power base in central Mozambique, after accusing the government of electoral fraud. International observers declared the election free and fair.

Mozambican President Joaquim Chissano has blamed Dhlakama for the bloodshed.

"The deaths are the consequence of the police trying to defend themselves when they were attacked by Renamo demonstrators," Chissano told state television on Thursday night.

"The Renamo behavior was barbaric, totally unacceptable and outside the law."

Chissano accused Renamo of using the protests to attack police posts, steal weapons and occupy Frelimo government buildings.

The December vote, between Chissano's left-wing government and Renamo, was the second in Mozambique since the end of the civil war in 1992. That conflict broke out soon after Mozambique gained independence from Portugal in 1975.

Mozambique's National Elections Commission declared Chissano the victor in the presidential vote with 52.3 percent against 47.7 percent for Dhlakama -- who has repeatedly said that his Renamo party did not recognize Chissano as president.

In parliamentary voting, Frelimo won 133 of the 250 national assembly seats against 117 for Renamo. In January, Mozambique's Supreme Court rejected Renamo's appeals challenging the election outcome.

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