Awa Salama had to flee her home in Palma, Mozambique, amidst gunfire and explosions as fighters approached. She sought refuge in the wild before attempting to escape through the Afungi facility, built for a gas project by TotalEnergies. Unable to find a way out, she eventually settled in Quitunda, a village constructed for families displaced by the gas development. Salama, along with many others impacted by the conflict and gas project, spoke anonymously to Al Jazeera due to the dangers associated with critical expression in the country.
The discovery of natural gas off the coast of Cabo Delgado in Mozambique initially promised to uplift the impoverished province. However, the extraction project, led by TotalEnergies, has displaced thousands of residents from their homes and farmlands. The conflict in Cabo Delgado, led by insurgents known as al-Shabab, has resulted in thousands of deaths and millions displaced. The presence of a major gas project in Palma has exacerbated socioeconomic and political tensions, leading to violence and insecurity in the region.
Residents displaced to Quitunda have faced harassment and abuses from the Mozambican security forces, with reports of soldiers raiding homes, arresting, and attacking civilians. Despite these abuses, many victims have not officially reported the incidents due to fear of repercussions. The militarization of the region in response to the conflict and protection of the gas project has further strained relations between the local population and the security forces.
The ongoing conflict in Cabo Delgado has left communities displaced and facing hunger and rising prices. Many residents resettled to Quitunda have not been compensated for their land or provided with the promised resources for farming and fishing. The lack of support from humanitarian organizations and the Mozambican government has made it difficult for residents to sustain themselves in their new environment. The focus on military solutions rather than addressing the root causes of the conflict has left civilians vulnerable to further abuses and violence.
TotalEnergies aims to resume construction on the gas project in Cabo Delgado, despite concerns about potential human rights abuses and ongoing conflict in the region. The company has implemented social programs and provided training on security and human rights to local law enforcement. However, activists and human rights organizations warn that restarting the project without addressing the underlying issues may worsen the situation, leading to further human rights violations and humanitarian disasters.
Residents of Palma remain uncertain about the future, wary of the potential consequences of the gas project resuming amidst ongoing conflict. They are waiting to see if they will benefit from the project and if their safety and rights will be protected. The situation in Cabo Delgado highlights the complex interplay between resource extraction, conflict, and human rights in the region, with residents caught in the middle of a dangerous and precarious situation.
