Resume
Under the context of the rapid expansion of coal mining in Tete province (Mozambique), it has been brought large environmental, social and economic impact for the larger communities close to the coal extraction and transportation regions. The most immediately affected people (and arguably the worst affected) are the resettled families. Several communities were resettled to make way for the Vale S.A. concession into the rural settlement of Cateme and the urban settlement of 25 de Setembro in Moatize, resulting in 360 families removed elsewhere. Some 679 households were moved to make way for Rio Tinto’s Benga coal mine. Many more concessions are in various stages of the approval process, and all may entail resettlement and other impacts on the local population. Moreover, in Tete alone the government has tied up 60% of the province’s land in mining concessions of one type or another. Presently, Jindal Steel and Power is preparing to implement its resettlement plan for the Cassoca and Xissica communities in Tete. Taking into consideration the context above, this project intends to strengthen Associacão de Apoio e Assistência Jurídica as Comunidades (AAAJC) in mobilizing the communities that are being resettled by the international mining companies. With this, the project wants to contribute to the long term development of a strong movement of the poor farmers who are unable to speak for themselves towards the authorities and mining companies, and thereby protect their access to land.