Poverty and unemployment fuels Cabo Delgado insurgency, admits Nyusi – By Joseph Hanlon

Login

Register

http://www.clubofmozambique.com/

Poverty and unemployment fuels Cabo Delgado insurgency, admits Nyusi – By Joseph Hanlon

8:32 CAT | 06 Aug 2018

“Unemployment and poverty” are behind the insurgency in Cabo Delgado, admitted President Filipe Nyusi in a speech 30 July in Tete. He said militants captured and interrogated by the police said they had joined due to unemployment and poverty. (Lusa, Noticias 31 July) And in a speech in Niassa 29 July the President admitted that people had been recruited in Niassa with promises of jobs and travelled to Mocimboa da Praia, Cabo Delgado. “It is terrible to be deceived by people who say they can provide jobs, but when you arrive there are no jobs and you are forced to join them”, Nyusi said. (AIM En, O Pais 30 July)

After a period of relative calm, militants attacked again on Sunday 29 July in the village of Chitolo, Mocimboa da Praia district, Cabo Delgado. The attack, launched against Mozambican security force positions near the village, resulted in a two-hour firefight. Insurgents killed one soldier and stole some military equipment, but were unable to enter the village. (MediaFax) Chitolo had also been atacked in March. Zitamar (30 July) notes that the US website the Terrorism Resource and Analysis Consortium (TRAC) has made two false reports of attacks in the area.

Offshore gas companies no longer think it is safe for staff to travel by road. On 27 July ENI advertised in O Pais for air transport services consisting of two 12-passenger helicopters for “transportation of company personnel and internal cargo and perform medical and technical emergency flights”, as well as “daylight onshore/offshore SAR (Search & Rescue)”.

A South African resident in Palma, Cabo Delgado, for 26 years, Andre Hanekom, was shot and arrested Tuesday 24 July by military police and is being held in the hospital under military guard. His daughter, Amanda Hanekom, said he was chased down the road by unkonwn people. “He ran to the Marula Hotel for safety. Four men with balaclavas drove through the security gate of the hotel and confronted Andre.” Witnesses reported that Hanekom was shot at several times and seriously wounded. “They threw him in the back of a brown Toyota Cruiser and they disappeared with him.” (Lowvelder, Nelspruit, 3 Aug) https://lowvelder.co.za/445091/breaking-local-father-wounded-mozambique-kidnapping/

Hanekom owns a marina in Palma. His wife Frances alleges that the whole incident is an attempt to get rid of her husband and take over the business. Much of the smuggling in this area is done by small boats, so a marina would be an obviously link, and some of the “Islamist” young insurgents have been linked to smuggling networks. So he could be accused, or people could want to take over the marina to use for smuggling.

The UN World Food Programme (WP) is to send food aid for 10,000 people in Palma and Mocimboa da Praia affected by armed attacks in Cabo Delgado, it said 30 July. (Lusa 31 July)

@Verdade estimates the number killed to be 58 since 27 May this year (31 July) and Zitamar (27 July) says “since October more than 100 people have been killed by Islamist insurgents in 40 separate attacks.” But a Wall Street Journal headline (30 July) says “hundreds” have been killed. https://www.wsj.com/articles/emerging-militant-group-threatens-villages-gas-projects-in-mozambique-1532970924?shareToken=st34efaee3f7ea4f8ba5e388026e882309&ref=article_email_share