6.
V/e are glad to toil our people that, as we expected, these
journalists did not betray our confidence and did not let themselves be deceived by Portuguese propaganda.
The following are excerpts from the first report made by
the Soviet journalists.  These statements prove better than our
words the honesty and perception of these journalists.
"All that we knew of this country had been gleaned from
books and from vivid exotic postcards and stamps.  It has been
mentioned of late as a country where the grapes of popular
wrath against colonial oppression are ripening.  The repercussions
of the guerilla war that has started in the northern jungle land
had reached us.  We seemed to hear the explosions in which road
bridges blew up, and we seemed to see the soldiers of the People's
Army wend their way along hidden paths to bring nearer the hour
of national liberation....
"So is this a lovely country?  Certainly.  Is nature generous
there and its earth fertile? No question about it.  It has an
untold store of mineral treasures.  The ocean whose waters lave
it can yield marvelous products.  But one is at a loss to find
a word that would briefly sum up the misery and suffering v/hich
have fallen to the lot of the people inhabiting magnificent
Mozambique.
"This land could feed tens of millions of people.  However,
its people — and v/e mean the people, not the colonialists — are
starving...
"Over 35,000 soldiers of the Portuguese army are stationed.
in Mozambique''. In ever;y airport, in every town we met colonial
soldiers, dressed in fancy-coloured tropical uniforms.
"'All is quiet in Mozambique',' v/e v/ere told.
"'Then why should you need such an army?1
"It was as difficult to get any answer to this question as
to fire from the rust-covered cannon of San Sebastian fort.
Centuries of oppression failed to strangle the strive of Mozambique
for freedom.  Mozambique, situated close to the countries which
have gained their independence, could not help being affected by
the storm of national liberation.  Despite the severe regime of
terror and persecution, the people of Mozambique have come to •
understand that their freedom is in their own hands....
"V/ith his fancy talk about "equality" and about "all of us
being Portuguese, but merely with a different colour of skin",
Salazar wants to convince the world public opinion that there is
no racial discrimination in the Portuguese colonies.  However,
you merely have to stay a few days in Beira or Nampula, Porto
Amelia or any part of Mozambique to see that there is an unwritten
law according to which a "native" will never move to Polana or
enter a restaurant or bar patronised by the Europeans.  You will