instance, over 50 per cent of the credit institutions are located in the city of Maputo. An increase in inequalities in the distribution of resources could lead to social conflict. 2.4.4 Political Inclusiveness 153. Equally disturbing is the emerging pattern of plural politics in Mozambique. While there are many indications that the country is moving in the right direction, there is some concern about Mozambique’s political evolution. 154. While the civil war lasted, FRELIMO projected itself as, and was generally perceived by the people of Mozambique, to be the party of liberation. It was the party that won independence for the country and paid the price of self-determination – losing two of its national heroes, Eduardo Mondlane and Samora Machel, in the process, the former by assassination and the latter in a disputed plane crash. The FRELIMO government mobilised support for the civil war by portraying RENAMO as a party of saboteurs who collaborated with the enemy and were responsible for national destabilisation. RENAMO, on the other hand, painted FRELIMO as the party guilty of authoritarian rule, exclusive appropriation of the fruits of independence, and disregard for traditional rights of constitutive groups of the country. RENAMO portrayed itself as fighting to save democracy. 155. These portrayals have spawned enduring political stereotypes. In the perception of FRELIMO members, FRELIMO is the party of liberation and RENAMO the party of rebels, whereas RENAMO members see their party as the party of democratic choice and pluralism and FRELIMO as the party of authoritarian rule. These stereotypes continue to shape interactions between the two main political parties and constrain the development of genuine consensus among the political leadership on important national issues. 156. There is much concern that Mozambique is sliding into a one-party state. Many stakeholders have expressed concern that the ruling FRELIMO party appears to dominate the public sphere, blurring the distinction between state and party and actively promoting corruption and impunity, as well as aggressively seeking the weakening of political opposition. There is concern that FRELIMO has carefully controlled the political process so as to minimise risk to its hold on power. The 1998 election saw a RENAMO boycott and widespread abstentions. RENAMO is a significant political force, with strong regional bases, and heads a coalition with a large number of seats in parliament. Despite this, the Mozambican state bureaucracy is still deeply entangled in FRELIMO’s party organisation. 157. There is a strong feeling among many Mozambicans that the ruling FRELIMO party has been pursuing a more aggressive, self-assertive policy requiring loyalty to the party in exchange for positions in the state apparatus, and is increasingly committing itself to the political aim of reducing opposition parties 78 A P R M COU N T RY R EV IEW R EP ORT NO. 11