Catholic Charity Fundraising to Support Victims of Violence in Nigeria, Mozambique

The consequent movement of fleeing populations, both as internally displaced persons and as refugees in neighboring countries, ACN notes, represents “a serious and unresolved humanitarian problem.”

The organization reports that incidents of violence also grew significantly in Mozambique, with two thirds of the attacks being meted out against civilians in 2020.

“Currently, more than 730,000 internally displaced persons are estimated in the provinces of Cabo Delgado, Niassa, Nampula, Zambezia and Sofala,” ACN reports, and adds, “The perpetrators of the attacks, in many cases, are mercenaries or local fighters pursuing equally local interests. However, these individuals are incited by extremist preachers and armed by transnational terrorist groups, who target state authorities, the military, police forces and civilians, both Christian and Muslim.”

The Pontifical organization’s other initiative is for the Diocese of Quelimane that is located in the Ecclesiastical province of Beira town in East-central Mozambique.

It is at this Mozambican Catholic Diocese that hundreds of Christians fleeing from the Province of Cabo Delgado find refuge, ACN reports, adding, “All the ecclesial realities of Quelimane are committed to helping refugees, especially women and children.”

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The organization notes that the funds raised for the project in Mozambique will allow Diocesan personnel to distribute food, hygiene products, seeds and small tools for cultivating fields to 500 displaced families.

ACN Italy Director, Alessandro Monteduro says that the humanitarian crisis in countries facing extremism has been heightened by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The violence, in addition to the victims, generates destruction of infrastructure, loss of livestock and forced removal of farmers from their farms resulting in an inability to provide for the harvest. Add to this the increase in food prices resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic,” Mr. Monteduro said.

He explained that the danger of a humanitarian crisis in embattled countries is young people joining the ranks in military groups.

“Young people frustrated by oppressive poverty and exposed to extremist preaching may be tempted to join the ranks of jihadists,” he said, and added, “The combination of these factors will probably force the international community to react, not so much for noble reasons but to stem the growing migratory pressure coming from African shores.”