By Sheila Nhancale
Maputo (MOZTIMES) – The Mozambican organisation Justiça Ambiental (JA!) has raised concerns over the growing repression of environmental activists in communities affected by megaprojects across the country. The warning comes after the arrest, on 25 May 2025, of two JA! activists in the community of Nachiropa, in Nacala-a-Velha district, while documenting pollution caused by coal transport along the Nacala Logistics Corridor, operated by the company Nacala Logistics.
In an interview with MOZTIMES, Érika Mendes, coordinator of JA!’s Corporate Impunity and Human Rights programme, said, “The activists were documenting environmental impacts along various points of the corridor, but in Nachiropa they encountered a particularly serious situation. The population suffers from water pollution and dust, which are harming local agriculture and fishing.”
The activists' presence attracted the attention of dozens of residents, which, according to Mendes, triggered suspicion among individuals linked to the company. “Community members report seeing a man in uniform from the Logistics Corps, and we suspect he alerted the police. Shortly afterwards, eight armed officers arrived, behaving aggressively, which sparked outrage among the residents, who threatened to expel the officers,” she said.
To avoid confrontation, the activists stepped in to calm the residents, explaining that they were on a mission for Justiça Ambiental, with no hidden agenda.
The two activists were taken to the district command of the Mozambican Police (PRM) in Nacala-a-Velha, where they remained for approximately six hours without formal charges. Their work equipment was confiscated.
According to Érika Mendes, the PRM commander justified the arrest on the grounds of an alleged failure to notify local authorities in advance – an informal requirement that the organisation contests. “There is no law obliging civil society organisations to inform local government in order to carry out their work. It is an arbitrary formality used to restrict freedom of investigation and public reporting,” she stressed.
Mendes also denounced the complicity between government, police, and mining companies, stating that the latter “do not protect the interests of communities, but those of the companies. We know that Nacala Logistics donated vehicles to the local police command, which represents a clear conflict of interest.”
This collusion, Mendes added, paves the way for the repression of communities and their defenders, who often face threats and violence for standing up for their rights. “Instead of guaranteeing peace and the right to peaceful protest, the police are often the ones provoking conflict. This hostile environment seriously undermines the defence of human and environmental rights in the country,” she concluded.
After several hours in custody, the activists were released, but Justiça Ambiental warns of the chilling effect of such actions, which aim to silence civil society. “Today it was us. Tomorrow it could be any citizen who decides to fight for their rights,” Érika Mendes warned. (SN)
