Mozambique's Escalating Conflict: Displaced Voices, Mental Health Crisis, and Fleeing South

Amidst the lush landscapes of Mozambique's northern province of Cabo Delgado lies a swelling tide of fear and displacement. Alexandrina Calisto's experience is not an isolated tale—it is a chilling testament to the harsh reality faced by tens of thousands in the region. Afflicted by an insurgency more than six years old, Cabo Delgado has plunged deeper into chaos with each jihadist attack, compelling more than 70,000 people to abandon their homes since early February, in search of safety.

The United Nations migration agency (IOM) has documented on-foot exoduses and frantic journeys of Mozambicans by bus and boat, fleeing attacks that have erupted across six districts, only to be confronted with challenges such as floods and cholera. Within mere weeks, registration drives by UN agencies for emergency food supplies have become an urgent priority, while Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) signal an equally concerning battle against the mental scars of sustained conflict.

The terror that pierced Calisto's once-tranquil life led to a desperate move on February 20. Alongside her mother, sister, and three children, Calisto was forced to flee her abode after it was invaded by armed assailants brandishing a horrifying arsenal—from knives to rifles. Their journey for survival stretched to Namapa, a southern town now brimming with displaced souls.

Military reassurances disintegrated when an attempted return home resulted in renewed violence. This cycle of fleeing and devastation has now become emblematic of the struggles faced by countless families who find themselves ensnared in the conflict. Mozambican Defence Minister Cristovao Chume, from the capital of Maputo, paints a contrasting picture, downplaying the situation as stable and attributing panic to sporadic attacks by small terrorist contingents.

The stark disconnect between governmental statements and the lived experiences of those caught in the crisis is palpable. Aid agencies like Doctors Without Borders (MSF) urge the acknowledgment of the ongoing upheaval, citing numerous displacements and marked psychological impacts from years of conflict. Francesca Zuccaro, MSF's deputy head of mission, has raised alarms about the deteriorating mental health of those affected.

Cornelio Alberto, a father who fled with his family, recounts a harrowing escape from market to jungle and ultimately to Namapa, driven by sheer survival instinct. As victims like Alberto press on without adequate sustenance or certainty, the challenges they face only compound.

The year 2021 appeared to offer a glimmer of hope when Rwandan forces and the SADC regional bloc lent military support to quash the insurgency. Though deemed initially successful, long-term stability remains elusive. The human toll is staggering, marked by nearly 5,000 deaths and close to a million individuals uprooted from their homes.

Cabo Delgado's enduring strife exposes the complex mosaic of Mozambique—a nation of beauty now marred by fear and displacement. As international focus fluctuates, those like Alexandrina Calisto and Cornelio Alberto, continue to seek refuge and recovery, serving as a somber reminder that beyond the immediate physical needs, there is a pressing, often unseen crisis of mental well-being inching across an increasingly vulnerable population.