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Description of the Event
Date of event
24-02-2024
What happened, where and when?
Due to the increased armed violence in Cabo Delgado, as of February 24th, the National Institute for Disaster Risk Management and Reduction (INGD) estimates that 33,218 people were displaced and arrived in Erati district in Nampula province after fleeing Chiure district, Cabo Delgado, due to fear of attacks. 5,973 families, including 4,100 men, 6,898 women, 11,096 boys, and 8,989 girls, among them 249 pregnant women, 60 persons with disabilities, and 419 elderly. District authorities requested immediate assistance from humanitarian organizations during cluster meetings, prompting the plan from CVM and the subsequent DREF operation launched in coordination with country partners.
Early March, returns started to be reported because people noticed improved conditions in their Location of origin and were seeking better conditions in general that were not met in Erati, especially in terms of food access. By 27 march only 1503 IDPs were still in Erati based on UNOCHA report.
Second half of April, attacks restarted in Cabo Delgado province leading to displacement in several villages, Erati and other Nampula districts. Multiple entry points are reported in Nampula province. This creates various paths and destinations, new displacement and further move from the already displaced people that were in Erati. End of April, displacement data are not precise as people are dispersed and on the move between multiple locations, access restriction to IDPs communities. Based on information from some registration points, it is reported that Following the attacks in Macomia, 3,106 people were displaced. This may not represent the overall picture.
Scope and Scale
Due to the heightened armed violence in Cabo Delgado, as of February 24th, the National Institute for Disaster Risk Management and Reduction (INGD) estimates that 33,218 individuals (5,976 families, comprising 4,100 men, 6,898 women, 11,096 boys, and 8,989 girls, including 249 pregnant women, 60 persons with disabilities, and 419 elderly) have arrived in Erati district, Nampula province, after fleeing Chiure district, Cabo Delgado, due to fear of attacks.
The situation escalated from the 19th to the 21st of February, with a significant increase in population movement on the 21st and 22nd. Due to the violence and prolonged insurgency, those fleeing from Cabo Delgado into Nampula were more likely to have unmet health and livelihood needs. Humanitarian aid implementers in Cabo Delgado have had to pause aid delivery in the province during various periods of violence. The number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) going to Nampula province has been rapidly increasing due to the violence and lack of food. Schooling, and health care facilities disrupted in Cabo Delgado.
A joint government-cluster assessment team, including local NGOs, visited Erati on February 24th and 25th. This followed an assessment conducted using methodologies such as focus group discussions with men and women at two sites: Macucha (a transit site where IDPs are hosted at a school) and Muanona (a registration center at a school), key informant interviews with IDPs and government key informants, and observations. The final report is being compiled. The preliminary assessments indicate the need for shelter, water, basic sanitation supplies, and items such as hygiene kits, mosquito nets, and other basic household supplies. Among the IDPs, children, pregnant women, unaccompanied minors, the elderly, and people with disabilities are most at risk of suffering from unmet needs in the areas of health, water, sanitation, hygiene, shelter, education, and other essentials, due to socio-economic hardships and difficulties in traveling long distances. In addition to IDPs, host communities are also being affected by the influx of IDPs and fear of violence reaching their communities. Children in host communities are now out of school as schools are being used as temporary settlement areas for IDPs.
Two weeks after the massive displacements, People started to return from Erati district to their location of origin across Cobo Delgado villages. Only 1503 IDPs were still in Erati districts by 27th March. However, others attacks in different places of Cabo Delgado, include Erati in the second half of April resulted on additional displacements in Nampula province and Cabo Delgado villages. Figures remain unknown on these displacements due to limited access to the IDPs communities and areas, continuous people on the move, diversity of entry new entry points and displacement paths. The available information at the end of April following the recent attacks are limited. After the April attacks, IOM data (Displaced tracking Matrix)indicate that 444 individuals were displaced following attacks in Cabo Delgado villages. 102 families with 373 individuals have been recorded within displacement sites at a few registration points. The fear of attacks by Non-state Armed Groups in Macomia (Cabo Delgado) also triggered the cumulative displacement of 3,106 individuals/ 1,021 families within Cabo Delgado. This may increase the number of people being displaced to Nampula Province. There are multiple entry points now, and the displacement figures are still not available, and these are only from a few points.
Given this context, it is important for the Mozambique Red Cross to have a presence in the Erati and other districts bordering Cabo Delgado. Displacements have been occurring within the districts, particularly near the border with Cabo Delgado, which is approximately 30-60 minutes from the district capitals (for example, Namapa - the capital city of Erati District). Coordination with INGD and other partners is ongoing, but it is important to make some adjustments to the strategy for this operation to align with the current humanitarian priorities agreed upon with clusters.
In our scenario planning, we anticipate that people displaced across Cabo Delgado and potentially Nampula may encounter humanitarian needs. Based on assessments after the February displacement, the IDPs may include several vulnerable groups with unmet needs. Despite the limitations mentioned, the Mozambique Red Cross will begin by adjusting pending activities to the context, maintaining coordination and presence across various platforms, and continuously monitoring the situation and availability of data.