By Our Correspondent, MAPUTO Mozambique
There is increasing concern about the worsening security
situation in Cabo Delgado province in northern Mozambique, which the United Nations
High Commissioner for Human Rights described as “desperate”.A group of people, having fled violence in several districts of Cabo Delgado, arrive in the provincial capital, Pebma.
According to the United Nations and NGOs, the
crisis has already caused, more than 2,000 deaths, over half of them civilians,
and 350,000 displaced persons, in a strategic region for the exploitation of
huge gas reserves. The southern African nation relies on the gas reserves to
increase its income and become one of the world's main exporters.
“It is paramount that State authorities ensure
the protection of civilians inside and outside the conflict-affected areas and
that humanitarian agencies are guaranteed safe, unhindered access to deliver
life-saving assistance and protection,” said UN Human Rights chief, Michelle Bachelet.
“This is particularly crucial given the risk of
cholera and the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Since 2017,
at least 355,000 people have fled the gas and mineral rich province, where
violence has increased in the last two weeks.
In an appeal
to all parties, the UN High Commissioner urged all armed actors to take urgent
measures to protect civilians.
In their recent resolution, the Southern
African Development Community (SADC) has agreed to respond to the Islamist
insurgency ravaging areas in northern Mozambique.
Five presidents who attended an extraordinary
summit in the Botswana capital Gaborone, have "finalized a comprehensive
regional response" to the unrest in Mozambique, according to a SADC
communiqué.
The jihadists, who have pledged allegiance to
the Islamic State group, have been active for three years in the Cabo Delgado
region of Mozambique. They attack villages to sow terror and try to establish a
caliphate.
Attacks, including the killing of civilians and
clashes with security forces in various parts of Cabo Delgado province, have
increased in recent weeks.
The presidents of Botswana, the Democratic
Republic of Congo, Malawi, South Africa and Zimbabwe attended the meeting.
Tanzania was represented by its Vice President and Mozambique by its Minister
of Defence.
Last week, Mozambique and neighbouring Tanzania
police bosses signed an agreement to fight jihadists locally known as
Al-Shabab, meaning the ‘’youth’’ in Arabic.
According to the UN Office for the Coordination of
Humanitarian Affairs, the humanitarian situation in Cabo Delgado province
deteriorated in 2020, on the back of an escalating conflict, compounded by a
fragile situation of chronic underdevelopment, consecutive climatic shocks and
recurrent disease outbreaks
Increasing number of attacks by non-State armed groups, particularly impacting the northern and eastern districts of the province, have driven massive and multiple displacements, disrupting people’s livelihoods and access to basic services.
The violence, displacements and consequent loss of livelihoods are also increasing food insecurity in Cabo Delgado: over 710,000 people are facing severe hunger, including displaced persons and host communities. - Africa
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