With a fine-toothed comb: Search to detect any terrorist evidence | Ibo Island, Cabo Delgado – mediaFAX

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With a fine-toothed comb: Search to detect any terrorist evidence | Ibo Island, Cabo Delgado – mediaFAX

5:28 CAT | 24 Sep 2020

File photo: kasakastini.com

Ibo district is among the largest and most beautiful islands in the Quirimbas Archipelago, but is also threatened by the terrorism which has robbed the inhabitants of the central and northern regions of Cabo Delgado of all peace and security since October, 2017.

Government administrative structures and Mozambique’s Defence and Security Forces (FDS) has been making every effort to ensure that Ibo island – which is also now home to thousands of people fleeing villages Mocímboa da Praia and Palma districts – does not enter the list of districts attacked by the terrorist gangs whose influence has been growing visibly.

In this exercise, vigilance is the watchword, and tight control of who enters and who leaves. All kinds of questions are asked and, if the respondents’ answers raise some doubts, other measures are taken.

The “Guias de Marcha” [route plan], documents identifying the name, place of origin and destination of travellers, are the main proof demanded of those who arrive and leave Ibo Island. Identity cards are also required.

Clarifying that this is the reality for some two months now, one source from the island said: “You don’t get in a boat to leave and you don’t get off the boat to enter the island without presenting documentation.”

“They say it’s a surveillance and control measure, with a view to detecting the movement of strangers,” one local resident said. “Even today [Saturday] I saw young people or passengers being returned to the beach to get a declaration in the neighbourhood [where they come from].”

However, taking into account that many people have lost all their possessions, including personal documents, the authorities sometime leave the ID aside.

According to residents, in case of doubts about their provenance, the suspects are taken to the PRM District Command, where they are interrogated about the reasons for their arrival.

At this point, the interviewee often asks newcomers to indicate family relatives on the island, and only after checking the credibility of their information are they allowed to enter Ibo.

Rosa Amade, another resident, said that the Defence and Security Forces had proved themselves up to the task of carrying out their mission with zeal and dedication, and with respect for the local population.

The atrocities that were repeatedly reported on the island seem to have been completely left behind. Nor are there any reports of lack of food for the local population.

“The population continues to receive food. I think it is in support of those affected by Kenneth, as well as the displaced persons )IDPs)who are still here. There are no complaints,” she asserted.

It should be recalled that, earlier this year, Ibo administrator Issa Tarmamade held some members of the FDS accountable when they committed atrocities against the population, including the rape of a local girl. Mediafax reported at the time that the rapists were transferred to other positions in the Northern Theatre of Operations [Teatro Operacional do Norte].

Source: MediaFAX