Chissano slams organ traffic
2004-04-29 14:27
Maputo - Mozambican President Joaquim Chissano on Thursday condemned a recent wave of killings and mutilations allegedly linked to the trafficking in human organs in a province of the southeastern African country.
In a state of the nation address, Chissano said the recent killings in the northern province of Nampula must be thoroughly investigated "in order not to create a general feeling of insecurity and panic."
"We should not allow Mozambique to become a fertile ground for this evil," Chissano told parliament.
Investigations into 14 cases of violent death and mutilations concluded that they were not linked to an organ trafficking network.
But Chissano condemned the killings "as an aberration to human morals, which must be denounced and severely punished".
He called on neighbouring countries to be on alert in order to combat human organ traffickers who may be operating from the region, and other types of cross-border crimes, including drugs and arms trafficking.
The Mozambique Human Rights League recently blamed the mutilations on foreign witchdoctors, mostly from west Africa, who have settled in the country lately.
A Mozambican woman and her two-year-old son were found murdered in Nampula province in late March, with the woman's genitals removed.
Local Roman Catholic leaders contend that the killings are linked to organ trafficking and have demanded a thorough investigation.