When freedom of expression has consequences, young people turn to music to face political silence
Originally published in Global Voices in Spanish
Men in a peaceful protest; one holds a microphone and a sign. The photo was taken by Stephanie Douglas. Nigeria (via Pexels with.Pexel license).
In Mozambique, freedom of expression is regulated by the Law 34 / 2014 on the right to informationwhich is constitutionally guaranteed according to the Article 48 of the Constitution of the Republic of Mozambique. However, for many young people, public speaking about corruption, inequality, police violence or responsibilities remains a risk, which demonstrates the gap between the promises of democracy and daily reality.
For example, this contradiction is notorious in music. In the last 20 years, the hip hop It became a fundamental space for urban youth to express their social criticism, particularly in the capital, Maputo. More than just a musical genre, hip hop became a way of documenting the concerns of the generations that grew, on the one hand, with political democratization and the multiparty of the early 1990sbut, on the other hand, the large percentage of unemployed young people, economic inequalities and growing distrust of the public institutions led by the party Mozambique Liberation Front (FRELIMO).
Through musical narratives, groups like GPRO and artists like Azagaia they created a language that reflects people's daily lives in public and institutional spaces. Perhaps the question that Azagaia raises in his song "O cycle da Censorship"(The Censura cycle) remains relevant:" Who says there is freedom of expression in this country? "It is not just a provocative artistic comment, but a reflection on the material and political conditions that determine who can talk, what and with what consequences.
New forms of citizenship
Young Mozambicans have been reinventing their political participation. For many years citizens were strongly linked to political parties and state organizations, today they are manifested through organizations as feminist groups, such as the Women's Forum, digital platforms for monitoring local governancecultural associations and artistic initiatives. This change leads to a generation that does not accept that politics is limited to elections and demands the continued right to participate in the formation of public spaces.
However, these new forms of participation often lead to conflicts with the authorities, which continually see demonstrators as a threat to public order. One of the most remarkable events occurred in 2016, when feminist organizations took the streets to protest against the ban on miniskirts in public schools. The measure was presented as a response to sexual harassment, but implied that the clothes chosen by the students were the cause of the damage they suffered.
By holding girls accountable and not the aggressors, the debate revealed something deeper: the dispute over the control of the female body and the right for young women to define their own identity. During the demonstrations, the Spanish activist Eva Anadón Moreno was arrested and later expelled from Mozambique for participating in the protest.
Silence is also political
In recent years, censorship in Mozambique has almost never reached explicit prohibitions. However, that does not mean that there is no fear or self-censorship. In a 2010 interview, Azagaia He noted that the greatest obstacle to freedom of expression in Mozambique was not necessarily direct police intimidation, but economic precariousness. When many job opportunities depend, directly or indirectly, on your contacts with the established structural powers, public criticism can put people at risk.
This result is what we can call the "economy of silence." Journalists avoid some topics, artists moderate their words, public officials silence their opinions and young activists learn that their words can be lethal. Freedom is no longer merely a legal problem and becomes survival. In this context, protest music acquires a unique political value. It breaks collective silence and develops community recognition, where unjust experiences find voice, memory and empathy.
The illusion of freedom of expression
The Constitution of Mozambique provides that all citizens have the right to freedom of expression and opinion. However, a democracy is measured not only in the rights embodied in the role but also in the real conditions in which they are exercised. The illusion of freedom lies in this contradiction: citizens are made to believe that they can express themselves freely, while monitoring, stigmatization and exclusion mechanisms limit who can participate in public spaces. It is not necessary to silence all voices; it is enough that the cost of disconformity is high, for example when the increase in telecommunications tariffs exceeds the actual cost.
In this context, youth activism symbolizes this ambiguity. It amplifies the voices that were historically marginalized and the visibility. The greater the ability of artists, activists or youth groups to mobilize people, the greater the risk of intimidation, disinformation or economic isolation.
Amplify the voices of young people
Regardless of the difficulties, young people continue to create new forms of political hope. Art, music and digital activism demonstrate that citizenship is not only a legal situation, but a daily practice of participation, imagination and resilience. The real challenge in protecting Mozambicans is not only to guarantee the freedom of expression mentioned in the Constitution, but to create conditions where everyone can exercise it without fear of economic, social or political impact. The key issue for Mozambique is not only that young people can give their opinion, but whether they can do so without jeopardizing their safety, employment or ability to participate in public.
