The people’s movement Africans Rising for Justice, Peace, and Dignity has observed with dire concern the rising number of inhumane murders across various local communities in the Province of Cabo Delgado, they are equally evident in the Districts of Nangade, Macomia, Palma, Mocimboa da Praia, Quissanga, and Ilha do Ibo.
These vicious acts of intolerance are borderline genocidal. The murders have been deemed the most inhumane and disturbing perpetuation of bigotry. More than 900 homes have been destroyed, over 200 Mozambicans have been cruelly decapitated and these barbaric killing is still taking place with minimal attention from international media and peacekeeping organisations.
Cabo Delgado is a gas-rich province and home to abundant mineral resources in Mozambique including hydrocarbons, graphite and rubies. The region, however, remains to be the least developed and the community is disadvantaged on many levels due to the lack of efficient security forces and post-mining rehabilitation.
This impoverished corner is also home to mysterious militants, who have been described as Islamic extremists in a mostly Muslim area. Although these attacks seem to be unrelated to previous violent murders, the ideology of this militant group appears undeveloped and mostly motivated by ethnic and economic resentments. We can best describe their cruel attacks as organized crimes that feed into the general sense of insecurity and the absence of an efficient military presence.
However keen the Government of Mozambique is to crack down on militants and criminals in Cabo Delgado, their security forces seem to be more geared towards preventing researchers, journalists and local activists from sharing updates from the ground. The stakes are high for the Mozambican government because the country is suffering from serious financial problems and had launched a fruitless anti-corruption campaign. Cabo Delgado remains a vast hope to boost the Mozambican economy through accumulating large reserves of natural gas.
Bearing in mind how the government is more skewed towards the economic value of the region as opposed to defending the Right to Life of its citizens, one might argue that this unfortunate situation is spilling over to neighbouring countries such as Tanzania which has been recently receiving a huge influx of refugees from Cabo Delgado Province.
Activists and private media journalist have been trying to highlight the genocide and killings without much success. Africans Rising demands a well-studied action against these atrocities by the Government of Mozambique. The government should also promptly respond to the growing humanitarian tragedy and the infusing refugee crisis to curd any further human suffering. Africans Rising also demands the unconditional release of journalists and media personnel who are being held illegally by the military in the northern province.
We recognize that the government of Mozambique has dealt with a bruising election period and we demand that the promises given to our Mozambican brothers and sisters during the elections campaign should also be upheld as a token of recognition of all the votes that the people of Cabo Delgado had cast diligently.
The International community, media experts, and humanitarian relief organisations should also take keen interest to highlight the plight and unlawful killing of the people of Cabo Delgado Province. Africans Rising stands in solidarity with the people and demands for justice, peace, and dignity of the people NOW!!
