from ARMANDO DOMINGOS in Maputo, Mozambique
MAPUTO, (CAJ News) – ALLEGATIONS of racism have marred the evacuation of victims of terror attacks in northern Mozambique.
This follows reports that white contractors were prioritized ahead of black locals amid the terror by the armed group known locally as Al-Shabaab in the Cabo Delgado province.
The discrimination has been alleged at the Amarula Hotel in Palma where an estimated 220 civilians sought refuge during an attack that started on March 24.
Of these, around 200 were black nationals, and about 20 were white contractors.
In the days that followed, South African private military company Dyck Advisory Group (DAG) rescued some from the hotel.
Witnesses told a human rights organisation that white contractors were prioritised to be airlifted to safety, the blacks nationals were left to fend for themselves.
After the majority of the white contractors and a few well-off black nationals – among them the Administrator for Palma were rescued, those left behind attempted to flee by ground convoy but were ambushed by Al-Shabaab.
“Witnesses told us of racial discrimination in decisions about who to evacuate from the Amarula hotel,” said Deprose Muchena, Amnesty International’s director for East and Southern Africa.
“These are alarming allegations that the rescue plan was racially segregated, with white contractors obviously receiving preferential treatment,” Muchena added.
“The total lack of coordination between the Mozambique security forces and Dyck Advisory Group resulted in evacuations that were racist and must be thoroughly investigated.”
The Mozambique Ministry of Defence is quoted as saying it could only speak about rescue missions their own forces had conducted in Cabo Delgado, and that race was not a factor in their response.
Attacks have intensified in the resource-rich but impoverished Cabo Delgado since 2017.
More than 2 000 people have been killed.
– CAJ News