From civil war to floods: Implications for internal migration i  Gaza province of Mozambique

Inês Macamo Raimundo
Eduardo Mondlane University
Faculty of Arts, Department of Geography
Maputo, Mozambique
inesraimundo@hotmail.com

Abstract.

This paper explores the links between migration and rural livelihoods in Gaza province as conditioned by internal migration from 1992 to 2000. Contrary to the general argument that internal migration in Mozambique is caused by factor like as poverty and uneven development between urban and rural areas. I argue that the main causes of internal migration are related to cultural factors, civil war and ecological factors (drought and floods). Based on the use of qualitative research methods such as life histories, focus groups and in depth interviews, this study reveals that despite the ecological hazards factors, many rural villages still choose not to migrate because of cultural beliefs and myths. The study also demonstrate that in spite of serious employment problems and the struggle to survive in the city, there is little interest among the migrants to return to their homeland on rural area.