Agencia de Informacao de Mocambique (Maputo)

At least one person died and five others were injured in rioting on Monday in the town of Chokwe, in the southern Mozambican province of Gaza.

The rioters were protesting against the high cost of living and against the increase in fares charged by the minibus-taxis (commonly known as "chapas") - although, just as in Maputo, that fare increase has been suspended.

According to Tuesday's issue of the Maputo daily "Noticias", hundreds of rioters stormed Chokwe's largest informal market, known as "Senta Baixo". Breaking into small groups, the rioters erected barricades, and set heaps of tyres alight in the streets, in obvious imitation of the 5 February riots in Maputo.

They marched on shops in Chokwe, but the owners quickly locked their doors and put up the shutters. Most of the damage was thus restricted to the market, where stalls were looted.

To bring the situation under control, the local police were obliged to call for reinforcements from the provincial capital, Xai-Xai.

Cited by Radio Mozambique, the Gaza Provincial Governor, Raimundo Diomba, said the police had no option but to use force to restore order to the city. In these clashes one person died, and the police made seven arrests.

The mayor of Chokwe, Jorge Macuacua, said it had been impossible to enter into any dialogue with the rioters, or find out what their real grievances were. Since nobody took responsibility for the demonstration, there was nobody for the authorities to talk to. "That's why it's not clear what the group really wanted", said Macuacua.

One Chokwe businessman, who spoke to "Noticias" on conditions of anonymity, was much more scathing. He claimed that the riot was organised by people who had been repeatedly detained by the police, but had escaped from prison before coming to trial.

"None of them can complain about the cost of living, since they don't even work", he said. "They're simply opportunists. They heard about what happened in Maputo, and they wanted to do the same thing here".