CENPA-027~20 |
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hard to get "workers". When these civilians arrive in Mozambique
they are drafted to the armed forces, given a summary training
and sent North to fight, with no idea what they are fighting for.
Most of these soldiers only fight because, finding themselves on a
battlefield, they have no alternative but to fight in order to
defend their own lives. But in every way they can, they avoid
taking any military initiative. A Portuguese soldier who deserted
in October 1966, lose Inacio Bispo Catarino, stated "Our officials
never tell us anything about the war. I never knew directly that
we were fighting FRELIMO troops. I was aware of what FRELIMO was
because I used to listen secretly to Radio Moscow. I knew that
FRELIMO guerrillas had killed many Portuguese troops, and I knew
it was true because I could see many of my colleagues being
killed."
The fact that the Mozambican people's war of liberation is a
just war and that the colonialists' war is immoral and unjust,
also contributes to this demoralisation. This happens as soon
as the Portuguese soldiers come to understand the nature of the
war and the reasons for it. This soldier, for example, stated:
" I deserted because we, the Portuguese, took by force the land
which belongs to the Africans. Now the owners want their land.
Why should we fight against them? I cannot fight on the side of
the Portuguese, because I know that what they are doing is wrong.
I saw many of my companions being killed, my sergeant died in
front of me, and many others; all of them died for a cause which
is not theirs. I often spoke to my soldiers, telling them that
they should pretend to be sick to be evacuated to Nampula. I
organised meetings with some of the ones I trusted, and explained
to them that we were suffering for a cause which was not ours.
I gave them the example of our sergeant, who died for nothing.
We met anywhere, when we were sure of not being heard - even
in bathrooms."
The only thing that still keeps the Portuguese soldiers
together is the sense of relative safety that their superior
equipment gives them - especially aircraft, helicopters and
military vehicles.
19
Object Description
Description
| Title | CENPA-027~20 |
| Filename | CENPA-027~20.tiff |
| Full text | hard to get "workers". When these civilians arrive in Mozambique they are drafted to the armed forces, given a summary training and sent North to fight, with no idea what they are fighting for. Most of these soldiers only fight because, finding themselves on a battlefield, they have no alternative but to fight in order to defend their own lives. But in every way they can, they avoid taking any military initiative. A Portuguese soldier who deserted in October 1966, lose Inacio Bispo Catarino, stated "Our officials never tell us anything about the war. I never knew directly that we were fighting FRELIMO troops. I was aware of what FRELIMO was because I used to listen secretly to Radio Moscow. I knew that FRELIMO guerrillas had killed many Portuguese troops, and I knew it was true because I could see many of my colleagues being killed." The fact that the Mozambican people's war of liberation is a just war and that the colonialists' war is immoral and unjust, also contributes to this demoralisation. This happens as soon as the Portuguese soldiers come to understand the nature of the war and the reasons for it. This soldier, for example, stated: " I deserted because we, the Portuguese, took by force the land which belongs to the Africans. Now the owners want their land. Why should we fight against them? I cannot fight on the side of the Portuguese, because I know that what they are doing is wrong. I saw many of my companions being killed, my sergeant died in front of me, and many others; all of them died for a cause which is not theirs. I often spoke to my soldiers, telling them that they should pretend to be sick to be evacuated to Nampula. I organised meetings with some of the ones I trusted, and explained to them that we were suffering for a cause which was not ours. I gave them the example of our sergeant, who died for nothing. We met anywhere, when we were sure of not being heard - even in bathrooms." The only thing that still keeps the Portuguese soldiers together is the sense of relative safety that their superior equipment gives them - especially aircraft, helicopters and military vehicles. 19 |
| Archival file | Volume2/CENPA-027~20.tiff |
