UN concerned over escalating violence in northern Mozambiqu
GENEVA, Nov 14 (NNN-AGENCIES) –The United Nations has called for urgent measures to protect civilians in Mozambique’s northern Cabo Delgado province, warning the population is “desperate”.
The UN rights office said attacks by armed groups had increased in the region in recent weeks, reportedly leaving dozens of people dead and forcing thousands to flee their homes.
“The situation is desperate both for those trapped in conflict-affected areas, with barely any means of surviving and for those displaced across the province and beyond,” UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet said in a statement.
“Those who remain have been left deprived of basic necessities and are at risk of being killed, sexually abused, kidnapped, or forcibly recruited by armed groups. Those that flee may die trying,” she said.
Armed groups have caused havoc in Cabo Delgado over the past three years, ravaging villages and towns as part of a campaign to establish an independent state.
The attackers have stepped up their offensive in recent months and violently seized swathes of territory, as citizens reeled in the process.
According to the United Nations, over 350,000 people have been displaced due to violence in the region in the last three years.
It also said since October 16, more than 14,000 people have fled by sea. At least one boat has capsized, which is estimated to have killed about 40 people, including children. The Office of the High Commissioner fears that thousands more people are trapped in the conflict zones, many hiding for days.
The UN is also calling on Mozambican authorities to throw light on accusations of human rights violations against their security forces in recent years, including extrajudicial executions and ill-treatment. — NNN-AGENCIES
