From pseudo‐terrorists to pseudo‐guerillas: the MNR in Mozambique

The war in Mozambique has few similarities with any other historically known conventional war. It belongs to specific category which could be called wars of destabilisation. This has a bearing on the peace process which will exhibit various features which will distinguish it from normal patterns of ending wars. This article has two parts: the first outlines the history and the guiding military concepts of Renamo (Resistencia Nacional Mocambicana, MNR) and relates the war of destabilisation against Mozambique; the second analyses destabilisation as a specific kind of war and identifies the role of the pseudo‐guerilla MNR in this war of destabilisation.