Pemba sees no arrivals of survivors from terrorist attacks – O País

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Pemba sees no arrivals of survivors from terrorist attacks – O País

6:08 CAT | 17 Aug 2021

Photo: O País

The number of survivors of terrorist attacks in Cabo Delgado arriving in Pemba, the provincial capital, has fallen drastically in recent days.

The cause of this fall-off is not yet known, but unusually, Paquitequete beach, currently the only entry for displaced people since the land route became impassable for security reasons, is now seldom seeing the arrival of families fleeing the armed conflict.
“Six or seven boats used to arrive with displaced people daily, but these days, I don’t see them. We only see people from Ibo Island, Mefunvo and Namavi with fish and other products to sell in Pemba,” said Andurabe Mussa, a stevedore who has helped thousands of displaced people disembark on Paquitequete beach.

Almost all the vessels plying between Pemba and Palma are now anchored in Paquietequete, as per government guidelines, which prohibit navigation to the northern area of Cabo Delgado.

“We are awaiting permission to return to sea, because the government has banned navigation to Palma for about three months due to insecurity,” explained sailor Califai Mahando, “and now we are also suffering because our boats are moored here in Pemba, and we are without work. We are suffering, especially since I have to rent a house and support 12 children.”

Most Pemba residents were expecting a mass influx of displaced people as a result of the fighting between the Rwandan and Mozambican Joint Forces and the armed group which has for about four years been murdering civilians and military personnel, as well as destroying towns and cities.

The ‘O Pais’ team sought information on the situation of possible survivors of the terrorist attacks arriving in safe areas from the Pemba District Administration and the National Institute for Risk and Disaster Management, the two entities that take care of displaced people in the provincial capital, but without success.

By Hizidine Acha

Source: O País