International community wakeup as killings in Cabo Delgado province hit 2,000

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