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The Mozambican Defence and Security Forces (FDS) describe the situation in Cabo Delgado (north) as “serious”, indicating that the port and airport of Mocímboa da Praia remain in the hands of armed groups, a parliamentary report says.
The Joint Command of the FDS described the situation in Cabo Delgado at a meeting held with the Commission for Constitutional Affairs, Human Rights and Legality (CACDHL) of the Mozambican parliament, the Assembly of the Republic.
The meeting took place within the scope of the investigation carried out by the First Commission on the impact of armed violence in the northern and central regions of the country.
In the investigation report delivered to Speaker Esperança Bias, and seen yesterday by Lusa, the Commission says that the Joint Command of the FDS reported a “serious situation” in the districts affected by the action of armed groups in the province of Cabo Delgado, northern Mozambique.
“In terms of the security of people and of property of the State and of individuals, the situation is serious, due to the terrorist attacks that are taking place in the districts of the northeast and centre of the province,” the report reads.
Mocímboa da Praia port and airport have been in the hands of armed groups since their March 23 assault, which is a reason for “concern” for the FDS, the document said.
“At the moment, there is the concern of the Joint Command because the district of Mocímboa da Praia is in the hands of terrorists, especially the port and airport,” the First Commission of the Mozambican parliament reports.
After the attack on Mocímboa da Praia, the armed groups carried out raids in the districts of Muidumbe, Macomia, Quissanga, Nangade and Ibo, the Joint Command also said at the meeting with the deputies.
The FDS also pointed out that all six districts affected by the violence were left without electricity, following the destruction of the Awasse substation by the armed groups.
“The Defence and Security Forces are multiplying efforts to reverse that serious situation to the fullest extent in the centre and northeast of Cabo Delgado,” the document reads.
On the alleged human rights violations by government forces, the Joint Command accused the armed groups of falsifying videos showing members of the FDS inflicting abuses on civilians in conflict areas in Cabo Delgado “through sophisticated information and communication technologies”.
The First Commission also held meetings with humanitarian agencies, who expressed their concern about the situation of the people affected by the violence and the need to mobilise and intensify humanitarian support.
“It has been made known that the majority of internally displaced people are hosted by families and local communities. The provision of aid is conditional on the creation of minimum conditions by the Mozambican authorities, in accordance with international standards,” the report says.
Based on meetings with the FDS, government agencies and civil society organisations in Cabo Delgado, the Commission says it found “gross and blatant violations” of human rights, accusing terrorists of “murdering in a hideous manner and burning down the population’s homes”, creating “panic, despair, pain and trauma in the population affected by the violence in Cabo Delgado”, the report reads in.
The CACDHL held a meeting with the delegation of the Islamic Council of Mozambique, which “regretted that popular complaints, especially from religious leaders, addressed to government authorities about the occurrence of radical and strange to Islam practices were not taken into account in a timely manner”.
In the opinion of the Islamic Council of Mozambique, the war in Cabo Delgado “is not motivated by religious or ethnic-cultural issues, as has been propagated in several media, especially external ones,” the report states.
The situation in Cabo Delgado, according to the Council, lacks in-depth studies into the reasons behind the violence.
In the chapter of recommendations, the Commission emphasises that the humanitarian situation in conflict zones requires urgent multi-sectoral intervention by the authorities to alleviate the suffering of those affected by the violence.
“The reception centres do not have material and sanitary conditions sufficient to the demand of those affected,” the report says.
The report of the First Commission was delivered to the Speaker and will be submitted to plenary session of the Assembly for debate and approval.
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