Maputo, 28 Jun (AIM) – The Secretary of State in the northern Mozambican province of Cabo Delgado, António Supeia, has discouraged the return of displaced officials, including state employees, to the districts plagued by islamist terrorists, since infrastructures and security conditions have not been fully established yet.
Supeia, cited in Friday’s issue of the independent newsheet “Carta de Moçambique”, was reacting to the orders coming from administrators of some districts of Cabo Delgado who have been forcing state employees to return to their workplaces after they fled in search of safer places.
He stressed that public servants were displaced in search of security and their return is conditional on the restoration of infrastructure. The government he added, is aware that the displaced officials did not leave their areas in good health and there are cases in which some are traumatized.
“We’re dealing with human beings, we’re dealing with people whose first priority, like any of us, is safety, so I’m asking us to find a compromise with the officials”, he said.
He explained that when he interacted with the displaced officials, it became clear that they wanted to return, but could not do so due to security concerns.
Supeia’s reaction comes two weeks after the Administrator of Muidumbe district, João Bosco Casimiro, threatened to take administrative action against state employees who have not yet returned to their jobs.
Macomia and Quissanga districts are currently completely abandoned by state employees. In the case of Macomia, they presented themselves for the first time on 23 June on the occasion of African Civil Service Day but then returned to the provincial capital, the city of Pemba.
The officials left Macomia town after the major jihadist attack of 10 May.
(AIM)
