Estado, produção do espaço urbano e conflitos de terra em Moçambique:

uma reflexão a partir das práticas da região metropolitana deMaputo e cidade de Xai-Xai

Abstract

        Land conflicts in Mozambique are considered ancient, as they have been recorded since the early stages of the formation of Mozambican society. In this article, we aim to understand land conflicts in Mozambique, focusing on specific cases in the metropolitan region of Maputo and the city of Xai-Xai, both located in the southern part of the country. In Maputo, we examine conflicts that arose during the construction of the Maputo-Catembe Bridge, the Maputo Circular Road, and the 5,000 Houses Project. In Xai-Xai, we analyze the case of population resettlement in areas belonging to local communities.

These two locations were chosen because we understand there is a difference in community resistance. In the metropolitan region of Maputo, the State encounters a certain degree of resistance, which leads to the emergence of conflicts. In Xai-Xai, however, no social conflict occurs. For the development of this article, we conducted a literature review, working with the concepts of territorial planning, urban space production, and social conflicts over land. To present our problem, we used the following categories: location of the conflict, original motivation, key protagonists and antagonists, and repertoire of actions

Keywords: Social Conflict; Urban Space; Metropolitan Region of Maputo; City of Xai-Xai; Territorial Planning