Mozambique denies police abuse in ruby deportations – BBC report

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Mozambique denies police abuse in ruby deportations – BBC report

8:33 CAT | 28 Feb 2017

BBC / More than 5,000 Tanzanians have been deported over the last two weeks

A Mozambican government official has dismissed allegations by Tanzanian citizens that they had been assaulted by security forces as they left the country amid a crackdown on illegal immigrants.

Abdul Chuguro, who heads the forestry department in the north-western Cabo Delgado province, told the BBC that the allegations are “unfounded”.

However, he said that Tanzanians and people of other nationalities, including Mozambicans, were being forced to abandon the illegal mining of rubies in the province’s Montepuez district.

He said the only goods seized from Tanzanians during the operation were 22 vehicles, which had forged documents, including number plates and vehicle registration books.

He also said the allegation that a woman had been raped by two policemen was found to be untrue by health authorities who had examined the alleged victim.

Mr Chuguro said most of Tanzanians relied on illegal mining and did not have resources for survival or to pay transportation to return home.

He said most of the of them were put on buses to the border.