Mozambique target of debunked narrative

There is no evidence that the Mozambican state committed abuses in Afungi

- Marcelo Mosse

Mozambican President Daniel Chapo was in Cabo Delgado, Northern Mozambique this week.

Despite the absence of any evidence implicating the Mozambican state or TotalEnergies in wrongdoing, a debunked allegation from 2024 has resurfaced in Europe, where it has been repurposed into a criminal complaint - fueling a crisis built on unsubstantiated claims.

The narrative alleging that Mozambican Armed Forces detained or tortured civilians in shipping containers inside the perimeter of the Mozambique LNG project dubbed the “container massacre” - traces back to a September 2024 POLITICO article. That report, published without field investigation or corroboration from independent sources, has since been widely discredited.

From the outset, the Mozambican government rejected the allegation. Defense Minister Cristóvão Chume stated publicly that no national forces were implicated in abuses, stressing that there were no facts, evidence, videos, independent reports, or verified testimonies to substantiate the claim.

TotalEnergies likewise issued a categorical denial, reaffirming its strict compliance with human rights protocols. With no credible basis, the accusation quickly lost momentum and collapsed. Or so it seemed.

The allegation was never buried; it lay dormant, awaiting a politically opportune moment. Its return was surgical: a false claim revived on the very day TotalEnergies announced it was lifting the force majeure imposed back in 2021. The timeline underscores the strategic nature of the attack.