Cabo Delgado, 13 November, 2020 / 11:35 pm (ACI Africa).
The leadership of the National Community Radio Forum (FORCOM) in Mozambique has expressed concerns about the welfare of a group of Catholic journalists in the Province of Cabo Delgado within Pemba Diocese who have been hiding in bushes for at least 10 days after insurgents raided their radio station.
“The National Forum of Community Radios (FORCOM) received the disgusting news of the forced evacuation of the entire editorial team of São Francisco de Assis Community Radio from the radio’s facilities as a result of an attack carried out by the insurgents in the District of Muidumbe, Cabo Delgado province,” FORCOM officials say in a statement issued November 9.
They add, “On October 31, the insurgents occupied the Parish Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus where the radio station is located, forcing the nine journalists, together with their families, to flee and take refuge for more than ten days in the woods, heading for the nearest districts, Mueda and Montepuez, supposedly considered safer.”
Quoting Fr. Edgard Silva Júnior who is the Coordinator of the radio station, FORCOM leadership says, “It is suspected that the entire structure of the radio station has been completely destroyed by the armed men. The equipment that was rescued is being transported to the city of Pemba.”
“Information held by FORCOM relates that most journalists in the woods are incommunicado and are surviving in deplorable and insecure conditions,” FORCOM leadership laments in the November 9 statement seen by ACI Africa correspondent.