Mozambique: NGO calls for attention to human rights abuse in Cabo Delgado

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Mozambique: NGO calls for attention to human rights abuse in Cabo Delgado

5:02 CAT | 12 Sep 2022

File photo: Lusa

Human Rights Watch (HRW) said on Friday that the European Union (EU) High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Josep Borrell, on a visit to Mozambique, should advocate for accountability of those committing abuses in Cabo Delgado.

“The EU leader should prioritise rights during his visit to Mozambique,” reads a statement issued by HRW.

During the trip, which ended on Saturday, “the EU’s foreign policy chief failed to mention a key component of this response [to the situation in Cabo Delgado]: accountability,” it said.

The organisation advocates humanitarian aid and human rights training as priorities, areas in which the EU already supports Mozambique along with military training.

However, HRW questions the lack of references to the application of justice regarding the violation of human rights.

“The Mozambican authorities should investigate human rights abuses by state security forces as well as the group linked to ISIS [Islamic State] and prosecute those implicated in fair trials to ensure justice for the victims of this conflict,” it concludes.

Cabo Delgado province is rich in natural gas but has been terrorised since 2017 by armed violence, with some attacks claimed by the extremist group Islamic State.

The insurgency has led to a military response since a year ago by forces from Rwanda and the Southern African Development Community (SADC), liberating districts near gas projects but leading to a new wave of attacks in other areas, closer to Pemba, the provincial capital, and in Nampula province.

There are about 800,000 internally displaced people due to the conflict, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), and about 4,000 deaths, according to the ACLED conflict registration project.

Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi said this week that at least six people have died since 31 August in a new wave of incursions against settlements along the Lúrio river, the natural border between Cabo Delgado and Nampula provinces.

Among the victims is an Italian nun from the Chipene mission in Nampula.

EU Leader @JosepBorrellF
Should Prioritize Human Rights During Mozambique Visit. EU should ensure that women& children, who have been made exceptionally vulnerable by the conflict, play a central role in any dialogue & peace-building efforts it supports.https://t.co/TM2R81ptQQ

— Zenaida Machado (@zenaidamz) September 9, 2022