EDITORIAL
It is usual, at the end of each year, to analyse the activities of
the year past? in order to point out the errors, to learn from
the teachings derived from experience, to study new programs of
action;
1964 had an historical importance for us Mozambicanss it witnessed
the launching of the armed struggle of the Mozambican people,
under FRELIMO leadership, against Portuguese colonialism. It
witnessed the first defeat, in the tactical field, of imperialism
in our country.
It was not by chance that our fight began in 1964-. One year sooner
would have been too early; the political and military conditions
necessary for the insurrection to start did not yet exist. One
year late would have been tod late J the situation was ripe now
for the armed uprising, and a postponement would have been disastrous. It would have allowed the Portuguese more'time to consolidate their forces in Mozambique.
The international situation was also favorable for us. The colonialist policy of Portugal was unanimously condemned. All the countries out of the orbit of imperialism promised us aid for our
struggle.
Especially the African countries. At Addis-Abeba in 1963? at the
O.A.U. Conference in Cairo in July 1964, it was noted that all
of Africa was united on the side of the Mozambican people and
of FRELIMO in the struggle against the common ennemiess colonialism and imperialism.
In the other colonies still controlled by Portugal, the fight is
also developing. In so-called "Portuguese" Guinea the people,
under the leadership of the P.A.-I.G.C., already control 45$ of
the country.
In South-Vietnam it v/as confirmed once more that the most powerful
imperialism can do nothing against the will of a people. Heavy
losses are daily inflicted on the North-American troops by our
brothers in the struggle - the people of South-Vietnam. In 1964
the U.S. of America was already forced to consider capitulation.
But this year had also somber hours. Reactionary forces of Africa
allied with imperialism in order to fight the legitimate aspirations of all the Congolese people. Thousands of our brothers'
were massacred. As Africans and nationalists, that attack was
also directed against us.