Mozambique’s National Human Rights Commission (CNDH) has announced the initiation of an investigation into allegations of severe abuses by government soldiers against villagers fleeing jihadist violence near a significant TotalEnergies gas development. Reports indicate that in the wake of a major attack in 2021, soldiers assigned to protect the French energy firm’s project detained a large number of villagers, accusing them of insurgency ties.
According to a report published by Politico last September, between 180 and 250 villagers were rounded up and imprisoned in containers where they allegedly faced extreme abuse. Accounts from survivors and witnesses described harrowing experiences of beatings, suffocation, starvation, and torture, culminating in a tragic outcome where only 26 individuals reportedly survived the ordeal.
The CNDH’s statement underscored the gravity of the situation, suggesting that if the allegations are confirmed, the actions of the soldiers could amount to summary executions, torture, and other forms of cruel and inhumane treatment. To tackle this serious matter, the commission has mobilized a team of investigators to collaborate with local officials in Cabo Delgado province. The team intends to visit the affected areas to gather testimonies from witnesses and victims and engage with representatives of Mozambique LNG, the subsidiary of TotalEnergies operating in the region.
While the CNDH plans to produce a comprehensive report that will outline recommendations for accountability and potential reparations for the victims, no specific timeline for the investigation has been disclosed.
In response to these serious allegations, Mozambique LNG had previously stated its lack of awareness regarding the reported atrocities that allegedly occurred between April and July 2021. The allegations come in the context of escalating violence from Islamic State-affiliated militants in Cabo Delgado, which has been ongoing since 2017. Notably, in March 2021, the town of Palma, located only a few kilometers from the TotalEnergies site, was attacked, leading to mass displacement as thousands fled the escalating violence.
Conflict tracker ACLED has reported that over 800 individuals, civilians and combatants alike, have lost their lives due to the conflict, while investigations highlighted by journalist Alex Perry indicate that over 1,400 people may be dead or missing. This ongoing conflict has notably disrupted a multi-billion-dollar liquefied natural gas project that was anticipated to significantly benefit the impoverished nation of Mozambique, leaving its future hanging in the balance.
