The Archbishop of Nampula and President of the Episcopal Conference of Mozambique, Archbishop Inacio Saure, has issued an urgent plea for immediate humanitarian support to aid over 30,000 displaced individuals in the Alua district of Memba.
Cremildo Alexandre – Nampula
The Nampula Archbishop emphasised the critical need for concrete solidarity to assist families fleeing violence inflicted by jihadist militias operating in northern Mozambique.
Concerning humanitarian situation
In an interview with Vatican News, Archbishop Saure expressed his deep concern about the dire conditions faced by the displaced families. “More than 30,000 people are currently sheltering in the administrative post of Alua, having fled their homes due to recent terrorist incursions in Nampula Province,” he explained.
The Archbishop said that he is in regular contact with the Bishop of Nacala, whose jurisdiction includes Memba. He had already instructed Nampula Archdiocesan Caritas to prepare a concrete response to support the internally displaced persons (IDPs).
Need for immediate support
Apart from violence, the onset of the rainy season, in Southern Africa, is exacerbating the already fragile shelter conditions for many IDPs living in makeshift homes. “The plight of these people is painful and heartbreaking,” said Archbishop Saure.
The situation is particularly dire for children, with reports of deaths from hunger and thirst as families escaped the gunmen.
Archbishop Saure urged both Mozambicans and the global community to assist the displaced, emphasising their urgent needs: “They require money, clothes, medicines, tents for shelter, and above all, food.”
