The situation of children following terrorist attacks in Chiúre district

Ilustrative photo

The Chiúre district, in the south of Cabo Delgado province, was targeted by attacks carried out by non-state armed groups, also known as terrorists, between July 24 and 31 of this year, with the administrative post of Chiúre-Velho as the entry point.

Local sources describe the details of this incursion as alarming, affecting not only adults but also children.

"We were sleeping, my siblings and I. I heard gunshots. My mother screamed that we had to run. We ran without looking back. I left my notebooks, my backpack, my shoes," recalled Rabia Merino (a fictional name), a 14-year-old girl who, in the silent dawn of July 25, saw the small village of Ntonhane, in Chiúre, invaded by an armed group.

Rabia Merino, like other children, is now housed with her parents at the Namissir reception center in the Chiúre district headquarters.

The offensive has further aggravated the human rights situation in the region, where the population comprised of families already displaced from other parts of Cabo Delgado province and sheltered in Chiúre was trying to overcome the trauma of previous attacks in their areas of origin.

Mozanorte learned that although there were no minors among the fatalities, children face immense challenges and constitute the majority of the displaced population. Publicly released numbers so far indicate that about 30 people lost their lives, including two members of the Defense and Security Forces.

According to a report from the Mozambique Peace Psychology Institute, which worked in Chiúre town during the last week of July, 25,017 of the more than 43,000 displaced people are children. These numbers may increase as more people arrive. The majority of the adult victims were parents, teachers, and neighbors whose absence has left children orphaned, frightened, and facing an uncertain future for now.

Civil society organizations operating at the Namissir reception center in Chiúre-Sede identified several situations that increase children's vulnerability.

Among the main problems are: a lack of safe spaces for children, health issues, precarious hygiene conditions, and the presence of unaccompanied minors. Initially, 93 unaccompanied children were identified, in addition to another 200 who fled to Nampula also without direct guardians.

Exposure to forced recruitment, the absence of civil identification documents, and the urgent need for psychosocial support due to fear and trauma are other reported issues affecting the children.

"I dream of Al-Shabab chasing me. I wake up and stare into the dark, unable to sleep," Rabia said, scratching her head. She no longer attends school. Her classes stopped the day her feet hit the road to Chiúre-Sede.

In Namissir, cases of teenage mothers were also identified, without proper supervision from child protection agents. The lack of proper bathrooms for girls exposes them to the risk of sexual violence, in addition to many children sleeping on the ground without any protection.

"I was in the 5th grade, and now I'm missing school because everyone fled. I'm very scared to walk alone; we walked from Ntonhane to the town here. We don't have the things we had at home, the food is scarce, and we don't play well because I don't know the girls who are here," echoed Maira Sousa (a fictional name).

In a report, the Mozambique Peace Psychology Institute recommended, after highlighting issues of overcrowding and a lack of school materials, the adoption of measures to mitigate post-traumatic stress, including cognitive stimulation games and psychological education.

"The children have lost school materials and fear losing access to education. Schools are overcrowded, which compromises the teaching and learning process. Therefore, we recommend the use of recreational games for the prevention of post-traumatic stress, as well as educational games for cognitive stimulation and the continuity of learning."

A civil society member, speaking on condition of anonymity, stated that while no child deaths have been reported, the loss of adults directly impacts their lives. "For example, the 18 namparamas (militia members) who were killed left children who are now orphans. Other victims also left families with children. So, this also affects the children," they lamented.

The same source noted that children's education is compromised, even if they manage to return to their villages. "In a general or specific way, in the case of the children of Chiúre, in the attacked areas, they have lost everything. Some classrooms were burned, the teachers are traumatized, and the students are too. Thus, the educational fabric has been destroyed once again," they concluded.

This statement is consistent with what Maira reported: "I am here, in an area I don't know, and I don't have friends here, but I have made friends and I'm still not used to them. I want to go home and go to school." "My school was burned down. The teachers ran away. The children of Chiúre have lost everything," Rabia added.

Government Response

The presence of authorities on the ground is evident. However, the specific attention to children has been insufficient, as many of the issues raised by civil society organizations have not been adequately addressed.

Currently, the government's priority, through the National Institute for Disaster Management (INGD), is to provide food to the displaced families in Namissir.

Marques Naba, the INGD delegate, stated that families displaced by the terrorist attacks in Chiúre are already receiving humanitarian assistance kits, in addition to the construction of bathrooms. Previously, humanitarian organizations such as Save the Children and the International Organization for Migration had already carried out interventions in the region, but the response challenges remain significant. (by AA)