Mozambique: Nampula authorities warn against fake refugees – AIM

Login

Register

http://www.clubofmozambique.com/

Mozambique: Nampula authorities warn against fake refugees – AIM

4:24 CAT | 06 Oct 2022

Image: Amigos de Mety Gondola / Facebook

The Secretary of State for the northern province of Nampula, Mety Gondola, warns that humanitarian assistance provided by both the Mozambican government and its partners should not be granted to the same people who triggered this crisis.

Currently, there are in Nampula at least 65,000 for Internally Displaced People (IDPs) from the neighbouring province of Cabo Delgado, where terrorists have killed over 3,000 people and forced over 900 thousand to abandon their homes to seek safer places elsewhere since October 2017.

Gondola left the warning on Tuesday speaking to the press, while announcing that humanitarian assistance is underway for the nearly 25,000 new IDPs fleeing from Eráti and Memba districts, which share the same border with Cabo Delgado.

“We are working very quickly to put up a robust response in Memba district, because we do not want our logistical base to be used by the same people who are harming us,” he explained.

Gondola added that IDPs who, for various reasons are unable to go back to their homes, will be hosted at the resettlement camp in Corrane, Meconta district, where there are already 8,000 people from Cabo Delgado.

“Those who are unable to go back either because of psychological or another reasons we can resettle them in Meconta district where we are prepared to provide humanitarian assistance.”

Gondola also expressed his concern with the IDPs emotional state who, besides humanitarian material assistance, also need emotional support because of the traumas they have gone through, in particular children.

“All those who have been affected need special support from us, we must provide our support to allow them to recover, rebuild their lives and social reintegration”, he added.

The Secretary of State acknowledged the need to restore public services, which is conditional to peace and tranquillity in those places affected by terrorist attacks.

“The Defence and Security Forces (FDS) must ensure safety in the entire region to allow the population to return safely to their homes and resume their daily activities”, he said

Local authorities, explained Gondola, want to avoid exposing people to the same risk situation that they have already been through recently.

At the end of September, the 25,000 IDPs, who fled terrorist attacks in Eráti and Memba districts, started receiving food assistance and shelter kits provided by the government and partners of the humanitarian response team in Nampula.

Source: AIM