Portuguese Colonies: Victory or Death

146 Pages·1971·28.385 MB·English

by  colectivo

Portuguese Colonies :
Victory or Death
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PORTUC,UESE COLONIES
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PQINCIPE Isl.AND .
SAO TOME .
I.oduction
e d:\wn of the dccadc of the sixties marked the
nsfoi-nation of a continent. Colonial Africa
:a,me independent then, dozens of republics and
in:`de up the new African geographic outline.
t in the majority of cases, republics and flags
to be only formal attributes by which the
fol.ms and mechanisms of neocolonial plunder
disguised.. On the other hand, these same
ublics and flags served as a way of assuring the
b.i[kanization of African territories on the
of the former colonial lines and the future
isionist designs, in treacherous opposition to
ing socioeconc>mic, cultural, and ethnic char-
eristics.
c African territories under Portuguese domi-
ion~Guinea and Cape Verde, Angola, Mozam-
ue, and the small islands o£ S5o Tome and
ncip4+escaped this process. Apparently these
onies were to suffer a worse fate. However, on
10 11
Februa.ry 4, 1961, ].n the streets o£ Luancia. ln.illy, Ti.icontinental Publishers hopes chat
o£ Angc>la, .inother option for liberating t i'i` simple contribution to that struggle will also
1 ve to pay tribute to three heroes who died for
plcs of the Portuguese colonies became e
that of armed revolutiomry struggle.. I C 1 |' eople and who embody their finest values,
i`,`s, and fighting decision. They are Domingo
Tod:`y, while neocolonialism augmcnts i
``mos of Guinea and Cape Verde, Felipe Magaia
dends in Africaj the insurgent and ljbera
f M()zambique, and Hoji Henda of Angola.
ternative of the peoples of the Portuguese
acquires proportioiis of irreversible victo
constitutes all enlightening example
African continent.
The libcr.i`i-ion struggle of the Portugu
oiiics is not only a fight for political in
deiice, it is 1 pi.ocess in which are fc)rg
sciousiiess, n.1tional unity, and the \'cry pcl.
of the African in the face of his c]iemies,
history, his ethnic diversity, and his sccula
wardness. Each battle is a blow against t
ditioml structures, is an action which fu
of different regions and ethnic background
reading book circulated in the forest is
rupture with the ominous past. Both facts
basis of a true future nation, of genuine ii
dence.
Tricon'tinental Publishers dedicates this
that struggle. Composed of a collection o
ments, essays, ;nterviews, and other mate
object is to offer the elements of anal}
evidence which permit our readers a mow
undcrstlnding of the origins, sigi]ifican
magnitude of this struggle and of the
ncccssily of reinforcing our milit{int and
ditioml solidarity with the fighters a
peoples of rh€ Portuguese colonies. And
solidarity in its turn be expressed dii.cc
specific,lily in material and. military re
propaganda, political support, anc! mobiliz
l\TI
ll,apter 1
l't.tiitle in Revolution
\p.()Lfiilbo Ncto
CONCO (I()
I)LIT peop]e's resistance ,igainst the Portuguese
ni.i`upation isn't just beginiling. This isn't the
A,uN,'¢ OC'AN
I:I.`st time our people are rebelhng against the
tobi' l'oi-tuguese colonial domination. Always, ever
'iii`cc the Portuguese first landed on the African
Benguelo
I`ti:`st, our people have been determined to fight
I lti`m, especially when the coloiii*l occupation took
iui ex€rem€1y cruel aspects with the militar}r r€-
Cuando Cubongo iil.t`5sion that the Portuguese clrri€d out to force
I l`i` Ango}in people to submit to their .iuthority.
'l-hei.€ are magnificent examples of this I.esis-
(.ilice €gainst the Portuguese, such as tliat put up
liy Que,en N'Zinga for many long ye.irs, and those
ili{`t were carried out in the South md North of
11}`` coiii]try. But the people were not united; the
\..i.ii.s wei.e led by certain ethnic groups, and the
NAMiel^ (souTN w.sT ^f*ICA| l`{)rutgues€ had a chance to pit some gi-oups
I+.,.`inst the others, thus frustrating the results
r\iicctcd from these struggles.
Chapter l't`()plc in Revolution 17
16
iii``s and the appearance of p<imphlcts and signs
It was only after the twenties that Portug
on the walls against the settlers, police (PIDE)
wa-s- able to `completely dominate the country
ii`pression began. Various comrades in our move-
H~ouw;J;i, -;he--resistanc'e did not end, it sintpl
took on new forms-especially in the cities, whew I`ii`nt were arrested` many of whom are still im-
itrisoned.
Many isolated events could be pointed out, but
iF:ei:s:up:Ix::r;e:i::::o:st!;rr:ea:::[ce:ce:it;:c:aaiTd:::eaf:d:esfcee:, lhis is more or less what happened-these were the
__ 1_
t~h,e\\ . i n -j.u>s'_t-`i,c-`e- - _o_f c-o_lonial occup.ation more (```ential elements for the iiiception, the prepara-
Several movements were born -there, some of the tion, of a vigorous action which has toda}r turned
intellectual, which sought to mobilize the peopl ilito an armed struggle.
against the foreign rulers.
I should mention the Let Us Discover Angol 'I`he MPLA oil Two Dales
Movement, which was started in Luanda; th
African Studies Center, founded in Lisbon; an
At the beginning, in view of the police repres-
other groups that utilized literature, music, an
`ion, we formed several political groups that pur-
`iied a common objective. Most of them operated
;:}t£}rn:U°:£¥:c:£ai°opnug[atrh:uj:;rue[>a:::? a great Cat
in Luanda, the capital, the most important being
The literary forms used, particularly poetr
llic Movement for the N`.ttionnl Indepcndencc o£
le in content rathe
differed from the European sty
Angola (MINA) and the Party for the United
than form. Generally, the writings wei.e in t
Struggle of the Angolan Africans (PLUA) . From
P+ o`,Lr-t-ua g-.-u.-e s e__ _l a n CgJ u a g \Je and the style followed t1h `hc unification of these and other organizations
of the I'ortuguese writers-since the writers ha
lhe People's Movement for the Liberation of An-
studied in Pourtuguese schools-but their conte
the coloni i:(j[a (MPLA) wns born in December 19j6-that
;-1ieady marked a-breaking ?way £rorT
i`, over 12 years ago.
;+j;~e~r': -iii;-u;h protests~ it showed the unj
r`,T.'_. ___ _ - - 1 _1 L1__ _^^ The action of February 4, 1961, marking the
character of colonization and urged the peop
I)i`ginning of armed struggle, should be especially
to rise against it.
i``cntioned. When the repression had reached its
The action which began in the cities spread t
i`i``ik and ,many comrades had been arrested for
the rural areas, and it became evident that it w
I licir patriotic activities, several MPLA members
necessary to create political organizations, whic ii` Luanda decided to attack the prisons and police
i::;u:i6 einer-ge as c+ompletely dif ferentiated` fro
I)tists in order to free those ari.ested.
First they attacked a patrol and seized its weap-
:::¥j::]Scrhe£:I::tae[r.°i±r;bma[[[;tg:::Posftahs:upmo[i:tic
Inis, then, so armed, they proceeded to attack the
:::feprst¥::eobfys[;:¥f[tca[:ifi;:ng:::;}sio#tng; lit)lice parts and the prisons. The operation was
iittt altogether successful, as they did not succeed
;Wr.o-t~:d'-i;io:-an-d with increasing political aware
Chapter 1
l'ruiile in Revolution 19
in setting the prisoners free, but it helped t il` objective, in spite of the support it received
;-;a-ken tie peop-le to the imperative need to fit,;ht I I-trm the Congo (K) , which because of its frontiers
and the Port-uguese were faced with an unexpecte with Angola, might have given much aid to our
situation, the prelude tc> the di££iculties they woul li[icration struggle. The MPLA continued its ef-
begin to confront in maintaining their rule. l'itrts to advance the war, and at present it is the
After the first actions, the people who wer nn!y politico-military force actively engaged in
most active in the armed struggle were those fro ll`Lrhting in the country.
:ii-e-iv-orth. This is explained -b-y the fact chat th
political evolution of the newly independent Gong 'rhti War Regioiis
t(h¥)p€e%;ri:€dmao:emefi:i::leas:rcera:tatd:::r?i;::5;nt
The Cabinda District, off the norchcm fi-ontier,
fight. Observing the political evolution of th
\\Ji`nt into the war about 1964. Previously we had
C6ngo (K) , th€y were ins_pired .to. try .to `aTttai
wicountc'red difficulties in carrying out activities
someuthiag ;i'milar- for Angola, and thus the Nort
l'i.t)ii.i the Congo (Brazzaville) because it was thi`n
was the ~sccne of the most important activities
tm„i' the re`i`ctiomry regime o£ Fulbert Youlou,
No outstanding combats took place in th
wlio was closely linked to French imperialism ancl
South until 1966.-Small actions were carried ou
i`\i`n to the Portuguese themselves.
in some cities, but not in any orderly, organize
[n 1963 the Congo (8) revolution emerged
W a:ry .
victorious, and ever since then we have had autho-
The dev€lopmer]t of revolutionary activity i
I.iz;`tion to engage in certain activities. This has
the North w-ent through critical stages, due
i`i`ftbled us to spread the insurrection-from a small
l`*se~to the Cabinda District, which is rather
iaart%:spoafr:hte°J§ei{:;£:I?aEiis:s:Pfatog::eudp:;Cp°r]e[:::
`im[1 (about 50 kin wide, with .in area of some
the people's struggl; against colonialism. Not onl
7()00 km2) and where there is a dense concen-
did -the} foster lfibali;in (they mobilized a trib
tration of Portuguese soldiers.
from near the border against the ethnic grou
The Cabinda Front was really useful to our
that was closest to the capital-the Kicong
i`it)vem€nt. Many cadres were formed there, and
against the Kimbundus) but they also prop.ounde
ll`cr€, too, the fii-st revolutiomry cen'ter was
`t;onviolent" methods as opposed to armed sti-ug
r/tunded and we acquired valuable experience for
91e: Strictly political activities that were to bea mnducting guerrilla warfare. Most of our com-
fruit with- tfi€ aid of the independent Africa i`i.iiiders were formed in that territory. Cabinda
nations and through talks with Portugues w.`s the school in which were trained the essential
politicians. iilcments for the development of the struggle in
Our movement did not allow events to tan ttlher regions.
such a course, and the aforementioned tendenc I would like to refer again to the Northern Front.
=i;-hich emer;ed from Kinshasa~did not achiev
It is frequently claimed that it is isolated. This