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WHY WE SAY NO The issue raised by the Cahora Bassa Dam has figured in the agendas of the principal international conferences, in the world press, it is discussed in public meeting, it provokes popular demonstrations. Big financial interests and reactionary political forces follow anxiously the developments of events doing everything possible to make the project a reality; while the progressive forces try to prevent its realisation. In this context, it is important to analyse the meaning and the implications of this project - in particular to find out which are the reasons determining the different positions on Cahora Bassa. This ambitious project would provide Mozambique with all the electric power she needs for her development, as well as enabling her to export power to the neighbouring countries. It would seem then in the interests of the people of Mozambique that the dam be built. And this is the argument that the forces interested in the project are using to justify their involvement. They argue that the building of the dam will give work to thousands of Mozambicans both in the building and in the resulting industrial complex. That it will irrigate thousands of hectares of land, thus allowing hundreds of thousands of people to benefit from this arable land. That it would attract foreign investments, thus facilitating the development of the country. That it will make the Zambezi navigable up to the Indian Ocean.And that, since independence will come sooner or later, it is advisable to let the dam be built: because an independent Mozambique will be in a much better economic situation with the dam than without it. The Mozambique Liberation Front opposes the construction of the Cahora Bassa Dam. The previous arguments may appear reasonable to some one who is not familiar with the economics of colonial exploitation. The arguments do not deceive the Mozambican people. Public works projects like Cahora Bassa do not benefit the Mozambican worker, since the system of labour recruitment is virtually forced labour. The Portuguese authorities impose a heavy tax on the people, who have no means to pay it. The law stipulates that persons who do not pay the tax can be forced to work in public utility projects until the amount of the tax is worked off. Roads, bridges, government buildings - all government and semi- government projects are constructed in this way. The payments for the labour does not go into the hands of the worker but rather goes to the Portuguese government who pays foreign personnel for their services, the labourer reaps no economic benefit. In fact, his family is subjected to greater economic hardship, since the family's main breadwinner is unable to provide support. Because of the need for labour demanded by a project of such proportion ,the hunt for impressed labour would be intensified. ONE MILLION WHITE SETTLERS What about the new arable land made available by the Cahora Bassa Dam (One and a half million hectares)? The Portuguese have made no secret of the fact that it will not be Mozambican people who will settle in that area, but rather white settlers immigrating from Portugal, South Africa,Rhodesia and Western European countries. In July of this year the Chief-of-Staff of the Portuguese Armed Forces declared in Mozambique that "The big solution for the security and progress of the Portuguese Overseas Territories is to settle there one million whites'.' 13
Object Description
Title | Mozambique revolution, no. 45 (1970 Oct.-Dec.) |
Description | Contents: Editorial: The coming victory (p. 1); Invasion of Guinea: The lesson for Africa (p. 3); War communique: Big offensive defeated (p. 6); Portuguese atrocities in Mozambique: Hears the evidence (p. 8); Cahora Bassa: Why we say no (p.13); The struggle in Niassa province by Niassa's military commander (p.15); Journey with a camera: British film-makers in Mozambique (p.18); Once they came with sweets and gifts: Portuguese psychological warfare (p. 20); Streamlined exploitation: Caetano calls it 'autonomy' (p. 23). |
Subject (lcsh) |
Nationalism -- Mozambique Self-determination, National Mozambique -- History Portugal -- Politics and government -- 1933-1974 |
Geographic Subject (Country) | Mozambique |
Geographic Subject (Continent) | Africa |
Geographic Coordinates | -18.6696821,35.5273465 |
Coverage date | 1961/1970-11 |
Creator | Mozambique Liberation Front (FRELIMO) |
Publisher (of the Original Version) | Mozambique Liberation Front (FRELIMO). Department of Information |
Place of Publication (of the Origianal Version) | Dar Es Salaam, U.R. of Tanzania |
Publisher (of the Digital Version) | University of Southern California. Libraries |
Date issued | 1970-10/1970-12 |
Type |
texts images |
Format | 28 p. |
Format (aat) | newsletters |
Language | English |
Contributing entity | University of Southern California |
Part of collection | Emerging Nationalism in Portuguese Africa, 1959-1965 |
Part of subcollection | Mozambique Collection |
Rights | The University of Southern California has licensed the rights to this material from the Aluka initiative of Ithaka Harbors, Inc., a non-profit Delaware corporation whose address is 151 East 61st Street, New York, NY 10021 |
Physical access | Original archive is at the Boeckmann Center for Iberian and Latin American Studies. Send requests to address or e-mail given. Phone (213) 821-2366; fax (213) 740-2343. |
Repository Name | USC Libraries Special Collections |
Repository Address | Doheny Memorial Library, Los Angeles, CA 90089-0189 |
Repository Email | specol@usc.edu |
Filename | CENPA-344 |
Description
Title | CENPA-344~15 |
Filename | CENPA-344~15.tiff |
Full text | WHY WE SAY NO The issue raised by the Cahora Bassa Dam has figured in the agendas of the principal international conferences, in the world press, it is discussed in public meeting, it provokes popular demonstrations. Big financial interests and reactionary political forces follow anxiously the developments of events doing everything possible to make the project a reality; while the progressive forces try to prevent its realisation. In this context, it is important to analyse the meaning and the implications of this project - in particular to find out which are the reasons determining the different positions on Cahora Bassa. This ambitious project would provide Mozambique with all the electric power she needs for her development, as well as enabling her to export power to the neighbouring countries. It would seem then in the interests of the people of Mozambique that the dam be built. And this is the argument that the forces interested in the project are using to justify their involvement. They argue that the building of the dam will give work to thousands of Mozambicans both in the building and in the resulting industrial complex. That it will irrigate thousands of hectares of land, thus allowing hundreds of thousands of people to benefit from this arable land. That it would attract foreign investments, thus facilitating the development of the country. That it will make the Zambezi navigable up to the Indian Ocean.And that, since independence will come sooner or later, it is advisable to let the dam be built: because an independent Mozambique will be in a much better economic situation with the dam than without it. The Mozambique Liberation Front opposes the construction of the Cahora Bassa Dam. The previous arguments may appear reasonable to some one who is not familiar with the economics of colonial exploitation. The arguments do not deceive the Mozambican people. Public works projects like Cahora Bassa do not benefit the Mozambican worker, since the system of labour recruitment is virtually forced labour. The Portuguese authorities impose a heavy tax on the people, who have no means to pay it. The law stipulates that persons who do not pay the tax can be forced to work in public utility projects until the amount of the tax is worked off. Roads, bridges, government buildings - all government and semi- government projects are constructed in this way. The payments for the labour does not go into the hands of the worker but rather goes to the Portuguese government who pays foreign personnel for their services, the labourer reaps no economic benefit. In fact, his family is subjected to greater economic hardship, since the family's main breadwinner is unable to provide support. Because of the need for labour demanded by a project of such proportion ,the hunt for impressed labour would be intensified. ONE MILLION WHITE SETTLERS What about the new arable land made available by the Cahora Bassa Dam (One and a half million hectares)? The Portuguese have made no secret of the fact that it will not be Mozambican people who will settle in that area, but rather white settlers immigrating from Portugal, South Africa,Rhodesia and Western European countries. In July of this year the Chief-of-Staff of the Portuguese Armed Forces declared in Mozambique that "The big solution for the security and progress of the Portuguese Overseas Territories is to settle there one million whites'.' 13 |
Archival file | Volume21/CENPA-344~15.tiff |