Mozambican survivors relay racist evacuation practises during Al-Shabaab attacks

Amnesty International says survivors of an attack by ISIS-linked Al-Shabaab in Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado have told their researchers that white contractors were prioritised for evacuation ahead of black locals in what points to blatant racism.

An estimated 220 civilians sought refuge in the Amarula Palma Hotel in Palma, during an attack that started on March 24, 2021.

At least one South African, Adrian Nel, was killed in the attacks.

Amnesty International’s Southern Africa Researcher David Matsinhe says, “We interviewed 11 survivors for that attack and all have said that white contractor expatriates were prioritized for the evacuation operations to the detriment of locals, especially women and children, despite a previous agreement that all those who were trapped in there made that children, women and disabled people would be evacuated first but that’s not what was done during the operation. So these are the allegations and the complaints that the survivors, black national survivors have told us.”

Discussing Mozambique’s humanitarian crisis:

The international community is calling for decisive action to end the fighting.

Countries such as United States of America, France, Italy and Portugal have said they are willing to help Mozambique’s government.

The African Union (AU) has, however, warned against this move saying the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and AU must take the lead.