By CHRISTOPHER KIDANKA
In Summary
Thirty police officers killed, 16 civilians, too, and 60 firearms lost, all in a period of two years.
These are the disturbing numbers from an independent study by
the human-rights watchdog, Legal and Human Rights Centre (LHRC) that are
at the centre of differing interpretations between Tanzania security
forces and civil society over the intent of the group behind it all.
While the police attribute the killings to organised crime, intelligence sources and human-rights watchers say it is terrorism.
Police Commissioner for Operation and Training Nsato Marijani
said a criminal gang is killing officers to acquire firearms, all the
while passing themselves off as Muslims.
Now LHRC wants the authorities to declare the attacks acts of
terrorism “so that the people may take appropriate measures to arrest
the situation.”
LHRC executive director Dr Helen Kijo-Bisimba said since 2015,
armed men have been killing police and village leaders who happened to
be interviewed by the police in the same area.
“The April 13 incident, where eight police were brutally killed,
is among a series of similar incidents since 2015 in the same area and
the perpetrators seem not to target monies but the police,” she said.
Terror network or syndicated crime group?
Two weeks ago, intelligence sources told The EastAfrican
that a terror network was gaining a foothold in the country and was
recruiting youth in Tanga, Dar es Salaam, Zanzibar and Lindi.
However, Mr Marijani said the gang was collecting arms for
organised crime. He added that the gang was behind attacks on banks and
mobile money kiosks.
“We know that syndicated crime groups are building up but
Tanzanians were not used to such things. These people do not identify
themselves as criminal groups but they want to terrorise people so that
they can think they are untouchable,” he said.
Rufiji district, about 140 km from Dar es Salaam, has recently reported attacks on police officers and local leaders.
For at least two months, there has been no word from the
authorities on the killings, triggering speculations of possible
terrorist- linked groups in the predominantly Muslim community.
End the killings
According to The Citizen, in one of the incidents in
March, the killers left behind a note, saying, “...We are doing this
because of injustices committed by the police force in collaboration
with local government leaders against the people. We are not ready to
tolerate these evils. We shall make sure that everyone who is involved
is treated equally. We thank all the citizen for their good
co-operation. A peaceful Tanzania is what we dream of.”
Neither Inspector General of Police Ernest Mangu nor Coast
Region Police Commander Bonaventure Mushongi has commented on the
message.
The IGP and Home Affairs Minister Mwigulu Nchemba visited the
area and assured the residents that they would end the killings. They
had even banned the use of motorcycles, mostly used by the attackers, as
a way of restoring safety.
CCM assistant secretary (operations and administration) for Coast Region Mary Nchimbi demanded action from the police.
“I would like to ask one question: What is really going on in
Rufiji? These killings are escalating and unfortunately, CCM leaders are
the target. Where is the police force? Where are the national security
guys and other security organs? Is it true that the police are present
in these areas?” she asked.
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