CENPA-317~02 |
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The law goes further to provide for an African registry and pass book system, the classification of occupations and the mandatory signing of registered contracts between the indigena and master. The indigena is warned to abide by the contract, obey orders, zealously watch over his master's property, never to leave the house without permission and to have the maximum respect for his master and the people he lives with. Hewer-of-Wood All African males over 18 years of age, boys between the ages of 12 and 18 who are employed and all African women who are employed must carry a 32-paged pass-book with them at all times. When permission is granted to travel from one district to another, the destination and purpose of the journey are noted in the pass-book. If the destination is the city, the indigena is given three days to report to the administrative authorities who stamp the book with the limit of time he has to stay. When seeking employment the indigena is forced to seek permission from the administration. The administrator or chef do Posto will then make a note in the passbook that the person concerned is permitted to seek employment only within that district for a period of seven days, Saturday and Sundays inclusive. Those who fail to find employment within the period of seven days are arrested and taken as forced labourers. The pass-book also contains a record of previous employment, the wages received, the reason for the termination of service, criminal records, emigration records, together with other biographical details, his tax records, photograph and thumb-print. Consequently all male indigenas are considered idle and are forced to work as FORCED LABOURERS unless, they can prove that they are usefully employed by means of a pass-book that is in order. To implement, this policy, regular raids are organised to recruit what they call "volunteers" from the rural areas. The raids do not differ from those of the slave trade days. These raids are done with the help of African chiefs who are forced to co-operate with the Government and those who do not, are severely punished. In 1958 aprominent African chief in Vila Countinho Northern part of Mozambique was arrested for having refused to give his people to the Government for forced labour. The chief was taken to Lourenco Marques central prison. A large number of these labourers are sentenced or sold to the farmers in plantations and the rest on public services owned and run by the settler government. The next result of the forced labour system is not merely to force some workers, but the overwhelming majority o f Africans to participate in Portuguese economy on terms which are deeply injurious to the African's welfare but highly lucrative to the dirty-minded European settlers. Not satisfied with forced labour in tht colony alone Portugal has contracted to supply labour to the neighbouring territories, the godforsaken Republic of South Africa, and the white settler minority imposed Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland. Forced Labour Men women and children over the age of 12 years sold as internal forced labourers are forced to live under very bad and difficult conditions, in some respects the situation is more grave than that created by chattel slavery. In chattel slavery the master after buying the slave had always to make sure that the slave was well fed and kept healthy for fear of losing his money if he would have to buy another one. In forced labour he is simply rented by the government. His master cares less if he falls ill as long as he goes on working when he lives. If he dies or becomes unable to work, the master can always ask to be supplied with other labourers without losing one farthing. In spite of the fact that the shibalos are forced to work all days in a week (Saturdays and Sundays inclusive,) they are not allowed the shortest possible time to visit their homes before they complete their contracts which last from 6 to 12 months. On completing their contracts, thc shibalos hardly get half of the fixed wages (though less than twelve pounds ( £12) per 12 months contract). These wages are paid to them by the administrators who before paying, deduct the amount of money he may claim the shibalo to be owing for tax. Owing to the fact that administrators and chefes do Posto are notoriously underpaid by the Salazar regime, they always take the advantage of deducting any amount they desire. For fear of being cruelly punished, the shibalos hardly complain. In May, 1961 fifteen shibalos were shot dead at Mlange because they asked for better wages and improved working conditions. Special Punishment Corporal punishment is common and freely used in the colony. Punishment is carried out by means of a special instrument called "PALMA- TORIO". This is a thick wooden disc perforated with five holes and attached to a short handle. The person who is to be punished is held with his palm of his hand upwards and is struck as many times as the administrator wishes. The holes in the palmatorio suck up the flesh and raise painful welts. Usually after such punishment the culprit is forced though with swollen palms to chop a considerable amount of fire-wood. If one is to be struck more than 50 palmatorios, this is done to both palms and thc soles. External forced labourers are sold to mines in South Africa and the Rhodesias, and this has been turned into profit by the Portuguese colonialists. This South African Settler Government entered into an agreement with Portugal to supply manpower amounting to 100,000 per year and this is known as the Mozambique convention which is divided into three parts:— (a) The fixing of the minimun and maximum number of Africans who are to be recruited and provision of payment to the Portuguese Government for registration, engagement and monthly fees in regard to " each such recruit. Continued on page 26 24 VOICE OF AFRICA
Object Description
Description
Title | CENPA-317~02 |
Filename | CENPA-317~02.tiff |
Full text | The law goes further to provide for an African registry and pass book system, the classification of occupations and the mandatory signing of registered contracts between the indigena and master. The indigena is warned to abide by the contract, obey orders, zealously watch over his master's property, never to leave the house without permission and to have the maximum respect for his master and the people he lives with. Hewer-of-Wood All African males over 18 years of age, boys between the ages of 12 and 18 who are employed and all African women who are employed must carry a 32-paged pass-book with them at all times. When permission is granted to travel from one district to another, the destination and purpose of the journey are noted in the pass-book. If the destination is the city, the indigena is given three days to report to the administrative authorities who stamp the book with the limit of time he has to stay. When seeking employment the indigena is forced to seek permission from the administration. The administrator or chef do Posto will then make a note in the passbook that the person concerned is permitted to seek employment only within that district for a period of seven days, Saturday and Sundays inclusive. Those who fail to find employment within the period of seven days are arrested and taken as forced labourers. The pass-book also contains a record of previous employment, the wages received, the reason for the termination of service, criminal records, emigration records, together with other biographical details, his tax records, photograph and thumb-print. Consequently all male indigenas are considered idle and are forced to work as FORCED LABOURERS unless, they can prove that they are usefully employed by means of a pass-book that is in order. To implement, this policy, regular raids are organised to recruit what they call "volunteers" from the rural areas. The raids do not differ from those of the slave trade days. These raids are done with the help of African chiefs who are forced to co-operate with the Government and those who do not, are severely punished. In 1958 aprominent African chief in Vila Countinho Northern part of Mozambique was arrested for having refused to give his people to the Government for forced labour. The chief was taken to Lourenco Marques central prison. A large number of these labourers are sentenced or sold to the farmers in plantations and the rest on public services owned and run by the settler government. The next result of the forced labour system is not merely to force some workers, but the overwhelming majority o f Africans to participate in Portuguese economy on terms which are deeply injurious to the African's welfare but highly lucrative to the dirty-minded European settlers. Not satisfied with forced labour in tht colony alone Portugal has contracted to supply labour to the neighbouring territories, the godforsaken Republic of South Africa, and the white settler minority imposed Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland. Forced Labour Men women and children over the age of 12 years sold as internal forced labourers are forced to live under very bad and difficult conditions, in some respects the situation is more grave than that created by chattel slavery. In chattel slavery the master after buying the slave had always to make sure that the slave was well fed and kept healthy for fear of losing his money if he would have to buy another one. In forced labour he is simply rented by the government. His master cares less if he falls ill as long as he goes on working when he lives. If he dies or becomes unable to work, the master can always ask to be supplied with other labourers without losing one farthing. In spite of the fact that the shibalos are forced to work all days in a week (Saturdays and Sundays inclusive,) they are not allowed the shortest possible time to visit their homes before they complete their contracts which last from 6 to 12 months. On completing their contracts, thc shibalos hardly get half of the fixed wages (though less than twelve pounds ( £12) per 12 months contract). These wages are paid to them by the administrators who before paying, deduct the amount of money he may claim the shibalo to be owing for tax. Owing to the fact that administrators and chefes do Posto are notoriously underpaid by the Salazar regime, they always take the advantage of deducting any amount they desire. For fear of being cruelly punished, the shibalos hardly complain. In May, 1961 fifteen shibalos were shot dead at Mlange because they asked for better wages and improved working conditions. Special Punishment Corporal punishment is common and freely used in the colony. Punishment is carried out by means of a special instrument called "PALMA- TORIO". This is a thick wooden disc perforated with five holes and attached to a short handle. The person who is to be punished is held with his palm of his hand upwards and is struck as many times as the administrator wishes. The holes in the palmatorio suck up the flesh and raise painful welts. Usually after such punishment the culprit is forced though with swollen palms to chop a considerable amount of fire-wood. If one is to be struck more than 50 palmatorios, this is done to both palms and thc soles. External forced labourers are sold to mines in South Africa and the Rhodesias, and this has been turned into profit by the Portuguese colonialists. This South African Settler Government entered into an agreement with Portugal to supply manpower amounting to 100,000 per year and this is known as the Mozambique convention which is divided into three parts:— (a) The fixing of the minimun and maximum number of Africans who are to be recruited and provision of payment to the Portuguese Government for registration, engagement and monthly fees in regard to " each such recruit. Continued on page 26 24 VOICE OF AFRICA |
Archival file | Volume19/CENPA-317~02.tiff |