Nyusi calls for unity to defeat terrorism

Maputo, 18 Mar (AIM) – Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi on Friday urged Mozambicans to unite as a pre-condition for achieving effective results in the fight against terrorism in the northern province of Cabo Delgado.

Speaking at a graduation ceremony at the Academy of Police Sciences (Acipol), on the outskirts of Maputo, Nyusi warned against those who want to divide the country and create disunuity among Mozambicans.

Cited in Monday’s issue of the independent newssheet “Mediafax”, he said that, without effective unity, “we run the risk of having no country”.

“We have to be united”, Nyusi insisted, “instead of looking for arguments. Let’s not invent arguments. Now we must all work together in unity. We have to be united to fight terrorism, because, if we play around, we may find that we have no country”.

He found it strange that internationally there is unanimous repudiation of terrorism, but Mozambicans are divided on the subject.

“Terrorism is one of the phenomena that the world has come together to fight”, he claimed. “If the world unites, if the continent unites to fight terrorism, why is it that a country which is experiencing the problem of terrorism is not uniting?”

The presence of foreign forces supporting the Mozambican defence and security forces in the fight against terrorism should not be grounds for questioning, he continued, bearing in mind that they are playing an irreplaceable role.

“We don’t have the moral force to speak ill of those who have come here to help us”, the President declared.

He was referring to the contingent from the Rwandan armed forces and police and to the SADC military mission in Mozambique (SAMIM).

Although Nyusi recognized the difficulties that the Mozambican forces and their allies are facing, he urged them to continue advancing “striking the enemy hard as far as we can”. For if this is not done “tomorrow we may be routed”.

Nyusi also spoke of the threat posed by organized crime, and particularly by kidnap gangs, whom he compared to the Cabo Delgado terrorists.

He said that work is under way to fight the kidnappers, and claimed that 90 per cent of the kidnap cases that occurred over the past 12 months have been cleared up.

Nyusi pointed out that Mozambique is far from the only country struggling against kidnappers, and suggested that the critics of the performance of the Mozambican police should look at the situation in South Africa.

(AIM)

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