On Saturday, the local population of Palma went to the barracks to ask for explanations – Mediafax

Login

Register

http://www.clubofmozambique.com/

On Saturday, the local population of Palma went to the barracks to ask for explanations – Mediafax

2:31 CAT | 22 May 2020

FILE-For illustration purposes only. [File photo: Folha de Maputo]

Nervousness continues to lead FDS to excesses

Mozambique’s Defence and Security Forces (FDS) continue to exhibit considerable nervousness in addressing issues related to the maintenance of public order and security in many districts of Cabo Delgado, MediaFax reports.

Their situation reflects the advance and ever more present threat of the insurgents of indistinct motivation active in the region. One immediate and obvious result is that the Defence and Security Forces are becoming less and less communicative and more and more repressive of the civilian population, thus alienating the very support vital in any fight against terrorism.

For example, on Saturday morning (May 16), the population of the capital of Palma district in northern Cabo Delgado, exasperated with the violations they believe themselves the victims of, went to protest outside the Defence and Security Forces barracks and demand explanations of what they consider “brutal treatment” at the hands of the defence and security authorities.

Arriving in front of the barracks, the people told the military that they were tired of the humiliation, including physical assaults and seizures with no substantive reason. Even for something as mundane as not wearing a face mask “the military will come into your house and ‘shambok’ you”, one complaint went.

The skirmish resulted in members of the Defence and Security Forces firing shots into the air, from 9 a.m. to 6 .p.m., forcing the protesters to retreat, but only reinforcing their slogan, according to which, “the military must treat citizens differently”.

A Palma source told MediaFax that no one was injured, despite the number of shots fired “because, as soon as the shots started, a large part of the crowd was forced to flee to their homes”.

Ten beheaded in Miangalewa

While the population of Palma revolted against the excesses of the FDS, in Miangalewa, district of Muidumbe, the local population was again experiencing the pain of another dawn attack.

Six bodies were initially found, followed by four more later – ten dead in a single day in a village that had been under assault for the past few days.

A local source said the victims were beheaded, and that the insurgents did not fire as usual when entering the village, the unsuspecting victims meeting their death as emerged from the woods that Saturday morning.

After Monday’s attack, many people moved to neighbouring villages such as Litamanda, Chai, Muidumbe-sede, the town of Macomia and other places. Most of the traders in Miangalewa, one of the major trading points in the Muidumbe district, have already left the region, some taking refuge in Pemba, the source added.

A Litamanda resident said that insurgents who initially occupied Miangalewa tried also to enter his village, but withdrew after warning that the traditional treatment performed by local leaders in the area would not prevent them from attacking the village, which also has a military position.

Miangalewa residents complained of the lack of any FDS response, despite them being nearby. Similar views were also expressed by Muidumbe-sede residents, where a military position was set up only after the last insurgent attack.

Source: Mediafax