Trouble in Mozambique

[pooky]

This e-mail was sent to me. It comes from the 4x4 forum

Hi all

Thurs 20 June at 0900.

Just off the phone to Gorongosa and the very bad news is that
Gorongosa that all tourists have been evacuated from the Parque Nacional da Gorongosa (National Park) and he saw about 30 military transport trucks heading north towards the Gorongosa Mountain. So looks like a big show-down to root out the rebels.

This after Renamo on Tuesday looted a weapons depot at Savane (about 100km from Beira on the Dondo - Caia road), killing 6 soldiers, the Moz govt is now moving to attack the Renamo base at Satunjira also called Casa Banana.

Renamo has vowed to sabotage the Beira - Sena railway and to attack any road traffic between Save and Muxungue (120km north of Save) on the main road EN.1

While the disarming and disbanding of Renamo bandits is long overdue, this is a damned shame as this could spiral out of control and will cause a major blow to tourism and investment.

Will keep posting as info comes in.

Advice? Well right now no road travel on main road all the way from Save River in the south to Caia in the north.

For those heading to Inhambane, Vilanculos etc area, no word on threats to these places, but I think things are about to get very ugly in Moz, so huge caution is advised.

Mike www.mozguide.com

ííka ukáálya.""kúnóógwa kwáshákuúlya kúmá



Best wishes

Mike Slater www.mozguide.com

[Sprocky]

Thanks for this info pooky, please keep us updated.

[pooky]

Will do

[pooky]

URGENT WARNING!

Gorongosa Park (PNG) Evacuated.

Renamo Threatens road and rail traffic.

Hi all

Thursday June 20, 2013, 0900.
I am just off the phone to Gorongosa and the very bad news is that all tourists have been evacuated from the Parque Nacional da Gorongosa (National Park) and that he saw about 30 military transport trucks
heading north towards the Gorongosa Mountain. So looks like a big show-down to root out the rebels may be being planned by the Mozambique Army. Or just a "show of force"?

Advisory from the Park: We are issuing this note to potential guests: Note: there is some civil unrest in the center of Mozambique and we recommend that you should check the news and be in touch with us before traveling to Gorongosa.
The Girassol Gorongosa Lodge & Safari is also sending this info to the persons trying to book for the coming days:

Note: Due to access restrictions to the Gorongosa National Park at the moment we are not able to accept bookings till the end of June.
As soon as the situation is normalized we hope that you can visit us.

The best contact is the reception of the Girassol Gorongosa Lodge & Safari: (+258) 82 308 2252

Best regards,
Vasco Galante

This after Renamo on Tuesday looted a weapons depot at Savane (about 100km from Beira on the Dondo - Caia road), killing 6 soldiers, the Moz govt is now moving to attack the Renamo base at Satunjira also called Casa Banana.

Renamo has vowed to sabotage the Beira - Sena railway and to attack any road traffic between Save and Muxungue (120km north of Save) on the main road EN.1

While the disarming and disbanding of Renamo bandits is long overdue, this is a damned shame as this could spiral out of control and will cause a major blow to tourism and investment.

Advice? Always difficult but right now but the Mozambican Army are now operating armed convoys between Save and Muxunge, in both directions. There may be delays as the convoys only operate at uncertain intervals during the day. I assume no night travel will be permitted on this stretch of road. No word on any threat to Inhassoro, Vilanculos, Inhambane and place south area, but looks like a big showdown between govt and Renamo so who knows how this could progress.

Will keep posting as info comes in.
LATEST: 20 June at 16h20:
Some good news from Gorogosa is I have just spoken to Sakkie van Zyl who has Gorongosa Adventures gorongosa-adventures.blogspot.com just outside Gorogosa Park gate and he is reporting business as usual with guests coming and going as usual. He lives amongst the local population and so far no reports on the ground of problems. So we hold thumbs that the Renamo bite is weaker than its bark
Mike
http://www.news24.com/Africa/News/Renam ... e-20130619

21 June at 13h50:

This morning a bus and a truck were attacked on the main road EN.1 at the Muari / Ripembe river about 20km north of the Save river in Machanga district. The bus continued on with no injuries but the truck was forced to stop and a women passenger with a bullet wound was taken to hospital in Muxungue. There is a steel "Bailey" type bridge over the Ripembe river where traffic is forced to walking pace as there are very steep on and off ramps to the bridge.

Otherwise traffic all along the main road between Muxungue and Caia is reported to be moving normally and police have increased patrols. Night driving is certainly not advisable at present but this applies to the best of times in Mozambique as there are frequent unlit vehicles, domestic and wild animals on the road, drunk drivers and unpredictable pedestrain behaviour. http://news.yahoo.com/mozambique-police ... 10647.html

22 June at 15h30

I am informed via a lodge in Inhassoro that there are now armed convoys in both directins between Vila Franca do Save (Save river bridge) and Muxungue, 108km north of Save. Expect some delays as the convoys run when there are sufficient vehicles to warrant a trip, and according to the availability of military personell and vehicles.

[dup]

I hope that the following remarks from me is wrong and if it was mentioned somewhere else ,sorry for that. At least then there is more than one person that sees the problem and if the problem exist then we got problems big problems. We; means in this , everybody who cares about the poaching.
The problem is that:
Political Northern Mozambique is not stable. A few months ago there was reports in the media about Renamo, it is not happy with the service delivery in Northern parts of Moz. Stories from Beira and the northern parts is that there is movement in convoys ,para military games on the beach and tourist beiing advice not to move alone in some areas ....etc.
If it is so that Renamo is not happy or even want to put pressure on the Government it need money and that they will get from poaching , why?
-they control the area
-they know how to do it because they did it during the civil war.
-they got weapons.
- they got the support from the local population


did some one said there is a war ...

[dup]

I did not read pooky's post, but Toko put my strory at the correct heading. Thank' s.
It confirm's the storry and it is more worst that I 'have heard.
Goebaai transfrontier park and KNP here they come.

[Richprins]

Seems things are getting worse, and moving down to level with Giriyondo/Massingir.

Am struggling to get info, but would suggest tourists exiting the Park there phone Letaba 013 07356636 for the latest, just in case.

Don't have Giriyondo's number?

My mates who work in the South of Moz. are avoiding the North, although army/police escorts are available on the main road.

[Flutterby]

Not good news!

[dup]

I will definitely not visit the north of Moz.. Contacts said that you are not "allowed" to go fishing in the rural areas of Beira.
It is as simple as that ;...the government of Moz had no control over former Renamo areas. Other things that is a problem (I hope it is not only for me )is :
- Why is the SA government or press quiet about the situation?
-There is a direct link between rebel groups/terrorist /rebels, name them what you want and poaching of game like Elephants and Rhino- easy money .These day's it is even easier as contact s to the east is everywhere.The Chinese colonization of Africa.
- The smuggle routs is already a long time (before 1994)in place , weapons , ammo, drugs etc.West and Rhino horns , tusk , money East.
It is a sad ,sad situation

[Richprins]

True, dup! Press have been struggling since I forwarded at the beginning of this thread!

Politics!


It is no secret that rebel armies use things like ivory, diamonds and illicit animal parts to fund themselves in Africa. All relevant here!