AFTER MOCIMBOA DA PRAIA ATTACKS

According to the Public Prosecutor’s Office in the northern Mozambican province of Cabo Delgado, about 100 people have been detained in connection with the abortive islamist uprising in Mocimboa da Praia district on 5 October, reports Tuesday’s issue of the independent daily “O Pais”.50 of these detentions have been formalised, and he detainees will stand trial. The delays in the other cases, the Public Prosecutor said, is because everything is being done to ensure that the detainees enjoy the right of defence.A prosecution source told the paper that the great majority of the detainees are Mozambican citizens, and they include some women. However, there are some foreigners – but the source did not reveal how many, or from which countries they came.Furthermore, the attacks in Mocimboa da Praia, in which 16 people died (two policemen, a community leader and 13 islamists), did not come as a complete surprise. The source said there had been earlier disturbances in the district of Chiure, where “we had cases of individuals who were using religion to commit certain acts which, as far as we are concerned, are contrary to the established order in the Republic of Mozambique”.Some of the people arrested in Chiure were brought to trial and sentenced. The source gave no further details. This is the first time there has been any mention of the Chiure islamist disturbances in the Mozambican media.Last week the Cabo Delgado provincial government met with the local moslem community to discuss the Mocimboa da Praia attacks. The provincial branch of the Islamic Council of Mozambique denounced the attacks and promised to collaborate with the authorities to ensure peace and stability.According to information reaching “O Pais” about the meeting, the Islamic Council stressed that the events in Mocimboa da Praia “bring no dignity to the moslem community, much less to the Islamic Council”.The Council agreed to send opinions to the government about any moslem organisation entering or working in Mozambique. The meeting underscored the need to strengthen collaboration between the police and religious and community leaders, in order to prevent further illegal acts.