Human rights abuses set to escalate in Mozambique

As foreign observers are finding it difficult to reach troubled northern Mozambique, human rights abuses – said to be committed by local soldiers – are set to escalate in coming weeks.

The government of President Filipe Jacinto Nyusi has shown a glaring weaknesses in handling strife in the war-torn part of the country, according to military analysts.

While continuing attacks by Islamic State-linked militants in the gas and mineral-rich Cabo Delgado province have claimed casualties – deaths of villagers and Mozambican soldiers – experts on Monday warned of a human rights catastrophe in the coming weeks due to abuses committed by the military.

Institute for Security Studies analyst Willem Els and counter-terrorism expert Jasmine Opperman, who is an analyst at the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data project, blamed the Nyusi administration for turning a blind eye on the abuses of villagers by soldiers and the blocking of international aid agencies from intervening to render assistance to displaced citizens.

With the number of displaced Mozambicans estimated at more than 560,000, Els described the situation as “humongous” – with no hope the country could deal with the crisis without the help of experts from international humanitarian aid agencies.

“The crisis is escalating,” said Els. “A week ago, a European Union fact-finding mission was stopped and prevented by authorities from going into northern Mozambique.

“This is despite undertakings by the Mozambican government to issue special visas for people coming in for aid and humanitarian relief.

“[Soldiers] want to distribute the food themselves and they are not competent to do that – and they don’t have a mechanism in place.

“The situation is bound to worsen if the Mozambican government does not come forward to show goodwill and leadership, by allowing these international aid agencies to come and help the people.”

Despite being part of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), Els said the Mozambican government wanted no foreign intervention in its domestic crisis.

“What is happening in Mozambique is very strange,” said Els. “There is an agenda by government, which is not understood by most people within SADC itself, despite a few conferences held on the situation in that country

“It seems Mozambique is following its own agenda, making it difficult for SADC to pressure the government into a direction.

“When they ask for assistance, they want it in their own terms – reluctant to get any foreign boots on the ground.”

brians@citizen.co.za

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