Nampula — "In Mozambique, the cross is not merely a symbol of faith; it has become a cause of persecution for those who bear it. Since 2021, insurgents have begun fighting under the banner of the Islamic State, attacking Catholic missions and forcing people to convert to Islam. However, the religious issue does not appear to be the most significant cause of the conflict." This was stated by the Archbishop of Nampula, Inácio Saure, I.M.C., during a recent meeting at the European Parliament in Brussels. "One of the main causes of the war in Cabo Delgado appears to be the interests of groups centred on mineral resources. However, our response is not hatred, but forgiveness, service and love. In the provinces of Nampula and Cabo Delgado, the Catholic Church remains on the front line, transforming its parishes into centres of refuge without armoured walls or armed guards," the prelate noted regarding the nature of violent extremism in northern Mozambique, emphasizing that "we believe the solution to the problem in Cabo Delgado and Mozambique lies not only in military action, but in the integral development of human dignity."
"Your support, through the second 'Hungary Helps' program, can be a light," said Archbishop Saure, who is also president of the Mozambican Bishops' Conference (CEM), addressing the European Parliament, "a beacon of hope at the end of a dark tunnel for thousands of displaced people, ensuring that Christianity and peace continue to flourish on Mozambican soil."
The prelate's remarks form part of his call to put pressure on multinationals to train and employ local young people, in order to help resolve the issues that are fuelling the resurgence of violent extremism in the region. According to local press reports, regarding what he considers economic pressure, the Archbishop of Nampula also invokes 'corporate responsibility', so that 'gas and mining multinationals in Cabo Delgado and Nampula are not the problem, but part of the solution, and are obliged to hire and train local young people, ensuring that humanitarian aid is a top priority'. Saure has also called on the European Union to put pressure on the Mozambican government to ensure that aid reaches its intended recipients and addresses root causes such as exclusion, underdevelopment, corruption and resource management, as well as providing military support, "in training, not just in the supply of weapons."
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"Although it is hardly ever mentioned, the violence that erupted in Cabo Delgado in October 2017 has not ended. It has simply taken a different form," he points out. "Whilst the main towns appear to be safe - hence their overcrowding with displaced people living in appalling conditions - the bush and rural areas remain contested, places of inhuman death. According to publicly available statistics, the war has already caused millions of internally displaced persons, as MP Gyorgy Holvény has just stated, and over 6,000 deaths!" In the context of the war, it is stated that "this is not just about the 'faceless enemy', as the rulers called it at the start of the conflict. It is about local youths radicalized by poverty and exclusion, and experienced foreign fighters. They are more mobile, operating in smaller cells, and are now also attacking the province of Nampula. Let us recall Chipene, where the Italian nun Maria de Copi was killed in 2022 (see Fides, 7/9/2022) to disperse military forces", and "the profile of internally displaced persons is as follows: 80% are women and children. Nampula is hosting hundreds of thousands of them. They are not only found in formal centres; most live with already impoverished host families, which is straining the province's resources."
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"The model of resettlement centres is a failure. We need permanent housing solutions integrated into local communities. Nampula is plagued by recurring cholera outbreaks caused by overcrowding and poor sanitation, which lead to ecological imbalances and a scarcity of resources. Basic sanitation is a matter of biosecurity. An entire generation is being lost. Thousands of displaced children have no documents and no access to school, making them easy targets for terrorists," he said regarding the response to the humanitarian crisis. "And the Church," concludes the Archbishop of Nampula, "has been the last bastion, with the response it has provided, centred on psychosocial support, the distribution of humanitarian aid and the promotion of social cohesion."
