make them quiet, they invoke the name of
the Portuguese, as mothers in other countries
invoke the bogy or the darkness, the
Portuguese oppression in these regions
appears now as a shodow which has passed.
But what we have done is still very little. It is very little
compared with what still needs to be done. We have destroyed
the colonial machine in certain areas - but we have to destroy it
completely, everywhere. We have liberated some regions of Mozambique but we must liberate the whole territory of Mozambique. About
800,000 Mozambicans are now free, but we must free all the 7
milion which constitute our people. We are giving education to
some thousands of young Mozambicans - but we must create conditions
under which all Mozambicans will have the opportunity to study.
We have liquidated some of. the companies which exploit our labour
and our wealth - but we must liquidate all the companies which
exploit us, all the thiefs of our land.
For this to be done we must continue fighting. We must fight
without flagging or allowing difficulties to overcome us. There
are many difficulties. The guerrillas sometimes have to spend
whole days without eating, have to sleep out in the cold and
sometimes have to march days or even weeks in order to carry out
an attack or an ambush. They suffer from hunger, thirst, cold and
fatigue. Sometimes, even, though not often, one of our guerrillas
is hit by enemy fire.
The people also suffer in this phase of the liberation struggle,
for the enemy intensifies its repression to try to terrorise the
population and prevent them from supporting the guerrillas. There
are many difficulties. The battle for liberty is not easy. But ,<
that liberty which we want to gain is worth all these sacrifices.
It is not living, to live like a slave, exploited, beaten, humil-
ated. Suffering is nothing when in the end we shall gain freedom.
The great bulk of the people of Mozambique understand this. That
is why every day they come to FRELIMO bases: young men and young
women, asking to join the FRELIMO forces to fight for the liberation of Mozambique. This is why the people do not hesitate to take
part in the struggle, to give food to the guerrillas, to hide them,