MOZAMBIQUE: ‘Wreckage is all that’s left’ in wake of Islamist insurgency
A bishop from Mozambique has described the “painful” suffering of Christian communities attacked by extremist militias responsible for thousands of deaths.
Bishop António Juliasse of Pemba Diocese told Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) that as soon as it became possible to visit Christians targeted by Islamist terrorists in regions affected by the armed conflict, he “departed immediately”.
Bishop Juliasse wrote in a message to ACN that he “managed to celebrate Mass and administer the Sacrament of Confirmation in the parish of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, in Nangololo” – with the faithful gathered around the ruins of a church that “had been destroyed and vandalised” during an attack in 2020.
He added: “Everywhere I went we celebrated Mass this way, in the open, among the ruins of the churches…
“It is very painful to see the ruins of buildings which, for so long, were an expression of people’s faith.
“Now, not much is left besides the wreckage.”
Violent clashes between insurgents seeking to establish a hard-line Islamic state and the Mozambique Defence Armed Forces have been ongoing in Cabo Delgado Province, northern Mozambique since October 2017.
More than 5,000 people have died and hundreds of thousands have been displaced as a result of the fighting.
The bishop told ACN: “Everywhere there is fear and uncertainty about the future.
“There is still great suffering. Many people are still living in camps for the internally displaced, though with less humanitarian assistance nowadays.
“Without safety, people are afraid to go and work their fields, which are often a few kilometres away from the villages, as they are afraid of being attacked”.
He added that food “production is low” because of the fear of further attacks, “which leads to hunger, because people don’t produce enough food, and also because the other services don’t work properly”.
Bishop Juliasse highlighted: “It is through faith in God and the hope that one day this war will end, that these people manage to endure their suffering.
“My experience during this visit was comforting, because despite the great difficulties people are living with, they are strong in the Faith, and the Lord has blessed them with his grace.”
ACN’s support in Mozambique includes emergency aid, pastoral assistance and counselling for IDPs (internally displaced persons), as well as formation and subsistence support for priests and religious.
Bishop Juliasse concluded: “I am so grateful to all those who support us and allow us to be close to the people.
“Aid to the Church in Need has helped our priests in this way, so that they can provide spiritual support to those who suffer, and I would like to express my thanks to all those who have contributed, making this possible.”
With thanks to Paulo Aido