Emotions and cries for justice marked the farewell of Elvino Dias, the “people’s lawyer” who supported Venâncio Mondlane. The politician was not present at the funeral.
In the Michafutene cemetery, on the outskirts of Maputo, “justice” and “people’s lawyer” shouted in unison all afternoon, in the emotional farewell of Elvino Dias, 45, legal advisor to presidential candidate Venâncio Mondlane.
Vasco Sumboleite was in charge of saying goodbye to “Doctor Elvino”, one of the two followers of Venâncio Mondlane shot dead on Friday in Maputoin an ambush: “Much more than being a lawyer for other people, for individuals, he was a lawyer for the people. In recent times he dedicated himself to defending what were the rights of the people, which is why the people recognized him as such. That is why the people will demand justice.”
With two books in hand, about the challenges and problems of Mozambique, Nasmodino Omar protested at the gates of the cemetery, small for the immense human structure that accompanied the funeral, speaking of a “macabre act.”
“We want justice for our lawyer,” he said, and then admitted: “Our country does not have justice, that is why it will not be done. But people will get justice, whatever the cost.”
Through tears, Frida Liberdade said goodbye nearby: “Our Father, defender of the country.”
“He defended his country and did not care about death. He did everything knowing that one day they were going to kill him, but he still kept going until the last day. “He inspired us a lot, he left a legacy and we are not going to give up,” he said.
Even at the moment of farewell, Frida confessed a “feeling of sadness and joy” for the lawyer, known for his intervention in defense of human rights causes and more recently in politics.
“We had a father, we had a young man, a lawyer who was the people’s lawyer. Above all, it taught us that we have to defend our rights regardless of tomorrow,” he stated, guaranteeing that “justice will be done.”
An almost endless procession of motorcycles, vehicles and dozens of people, of all ages, in each street, crying and shouting the name of Elvino Dias, marked, for about 40 minutes, the funeral procession that left the Church of Nossa Senhora do Rosário, place of the wake, to the Michafutene cemetery, on the outskirts of Maputo.
“We lost a first-class colleague at the level of our organization because he defended the ideals of democracy, the ideals of Justice, the ideals of law, and that is why he became the people’s lawyer. Because these values are structuring values of a State,” the president of the Mozambique Bar Association, Carlos Martins, told Lusa.
Representing the Order, it was the president himself who gave the eulogy.
“There was no way not to effectively separate its activity from its provision, taking into account the useful recipient, which is the people.. Justice is, indeed, one of the rights that are promised in a nation,” said Carlos Martins.
On a day marked by the demand for justice for the double murder on Friday and by the cries of “people in power”, the president of the Order expressed the fear that this justice will not come.
“We have fears, especially because the past shows us, we have several murders that have never been clarified. And many are illuminated at the level of material authors, but the moral authors never appear. That is the problem,” said Carlos Martins, arguing that the crime was an “attack on democracy.”
“It was, without a doubt. To democracy, to the legal profession, to the independence of the legal profession, to the essential pillars of a rule of law. It was, without a doubt“He stated, flanked by dozens of lawyers, in the cemetery.
In the eulogy, Judge Jafete Fremo, vice president of the Association of Mozambican Judges, described Elvino Dias as a “lawyer for the afflicted.”
“They silenced the voice of Elvino Dias. However, the Association of Judges of Mozambique will not remain silent, it will not remain silent in the face of this murder,” he guaranteed, recalling the defense in which the lawyer participated in the past, specifically in relation to the murder of judges.
Venâncio Mondlane was not present at the funeral —he said before that he is “partly insecure” due to security issues—, however, Lutero Simango, another of the four presidential candidates in the October 9 elections and leader of the Mozambique Democratic Movement (MDM, third parliamentary party), was present. ). .
“To set an example that there is still the possibility of building a Mozambique of dialogue, tolerance and promoting public policies that can solve the basic problems of our population,” he justified, also commenting on the call that has been made for the opposition to unite. in Mozambique.
“This call has its legitimacy. “Now it is up to us, politicians, to understand, comprehend and accept this call,” he added.
Earlier in the morning, dozens of people gathered at the mortuary chapel of the Maputo Central Hospital for the wake of Paulo Guambe, leader of the Podemos party, a party that supports Venâncio Mondlane, another of the victims of the double homicide. , whose funeral is scheduled for Thursday, in the province of Inhambane.
Source: Observadora
