Why IDPs in Mozambique are Rejecting Humanitarian Assistance: Catholic Charity

He adds, “I can imagine their thoughts that once they accept houses, they have accepted their fate; to stay in Niassa permanently. They don't want that because Niassa is not a place they imagine to live and make a livelihood.”

The IDPs, the Director of the peace entity of the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SACBC) says, relied on fishing and farming, and had other lifestyles typical to those of coastal residents before they fled inland to Niassa. 

Niassa, which is about 200 kilometers from the sea, is cold, dry, and has a very high altitude, he further says, and adds, “The place is not suitable for agriculture. These are some of the factors influencing their decision to want to go back and not to accept the houses that they are being offered.”

The delegate of the National Institute of Disaster Risk Management and Reduction (INGD) in Niassa, Friday Taibo, told DW that the attitude of the IDPs in Niassa Province has been going on for two years. 

The displaced are reportedly taken on trips to exchange experiences where they can see the conditions in which other displaced people are, with the idea of inspiring them to settle in the region as well. 

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The Governor of Niassa Province, Judite Massengele, has reportedly expressed her concern about the situation of the displaced people, claiming it is necessary for the population to be sensitized because, if the situation persists, the government will no longer be able to provide help.

Agnes Aineah is a Kenyan journalist with a background in digital and newspaper reporting. She holds a Master of Arts in Digital Journalism from the Aga Khan University, Graduate School of Media and Communications and a Bachelor's Degree in Linguistics, Media and Communications from Kenya's Moi University. Agnes currently serves as a journalist for ACI Africa.