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Secretarial work in progress in Niassa Some of the Portuguese reactions to these activities indicate the extent of their demoralisation. For example, last year they sent a bomb hidden in a parcel to a Portuguese trader called Manuel, who had a shop in Malica near Vila Cabral, and whom they suspected of collaboration with FRELIMO. When he opened the parcel the explosion blasted off both his hands. The Portuguese are nervous. They have been forced to resort to this kind of action because they realised that we were not only active in the rural areas but also were operating inside Vila Cabral itself, and as they could not comprehend how this could be possible, they assumed that one of their own people must be collaborating with us. This illustrates well the confusion within the Portuguese ranks, but but it should also be a good lesson for the Portuguese people themselves, to show that the only solution to their situation is to fight their government of exploiters and murderers as we do. It is possible that when we talk of national reconstruction people may think that we are talking about building nice new houses, etc. This is not the case. By national reconstruction we mean primarily an ideological transformation: the rejection of the backwardness and dedication to a new life and society. Our people are now working together, not as in the colonial past where each used to work individually. They handle their own affairs through district, locality and circle committees and everything they undertake is based on a collective assessment of their requirements. The guerrillas are integrated into this organisation, and all military problems are solved together with the people. The province of Niassa has great possibilities for agriculture wheat, rice, cotton, etc. Although the Portuguese never established their organised control over production in Niassa as in other provinces, nevertheless they still managed to exploit what little the people did produce. That is why Niassa produces less in relation to the other provinces. But we are now starting to create conditions for increased production of a kind never known before. The people are learning new systems and methods of cultivation. They work together in co-operatives and are introducing new seeds such as cashew nuts, and several kinds of vegetables. Also, in each district there are camps where the people cultivate together, the produce of which is divided partly among themselves, part is reserved for the guerrillas, and yet another share is kept for exchange with neighbouring provinces and countries. At present in Niassa we are producing maize, different kinds of beans, cassava, sesame, as well as other crops. These products are sometimes damaged by the enemy who bomb thQm with napalm. And sometimes in the knowledge of an imminent offensive we have to harvest before crops are ripe. 1 am certain that with the passage of time Niassa will be able to establish simple methods of processing to preserve food surpluses. It is also possible to introduce cattle into many places where there is no tsetse fly, but in the meantime the province is very rich in game. We eat the meat and trade the skins and also ivory. It is well known' that Niassa is one of the provinces where the Portuguese did nothing in the educational field. The maximum that most children learned was to recite the Koran by heart. But now we have many schools in our zones, including two boarding schools where children from different areas and tribes stay and study together. The children cultivate their own shambas to feed themselves, and this year in western Niassa they harvested potatoes and cassava. Through working and living together the children also learn of the different cultures of other tribes, their dances and their songs, and perform them in addition to their own. Finally, the situation with regard to medical cafe was the same as that for education - the people had nowhere to go for treatment. But now each locality has its own small clinic and mobile teams of nurses travel around the villages. In each sector there is a central hospital. However, one of the greatest obstacles to efficient medical services is the acute shortage of medicines, equipment and medical cadres. Indeed these shortages are experienced in every field, and we still have a great deal more work to do in Niassa. But we feel we can justly be proud of what we have achieved so far. 17
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-344~19 |
Filename | CENPA-344~19.tiff |
Full text | Secretarial work in progress in Niassa Some of the Portuguese reactions to these activities indicate the extent of their demoralisation. For example, last year they sent a bomb hidden in a parcel to a Portuguese trader called Manuel, who had a shop in Malica near Vila Cabral, and whom they suspected of collaboration with FRELIMO. When he opened the parcel the explosion blasted off both his hands. The Portuguese are nervous. They have been forced to resort to this kind of action because they realised that we were not only active in the rural areas but also were operating inside Vila Cabral itself, and as they could not comprehend how this could be possible, they assumed that one of their own people must be collaborating with us. This illustrates well the confusion within the Portuguese ranks, but but it should also be a good lesson for the Portuguese people themselves, to show that the only solution to their situation is to fight their government of exploiters and murderers as we do. It is possible that when we talk of national reconstruction people may think that we are talking about building nice new houses, etc. This is not the case. By national reconstruction we mean primarily an ideological transformation: the rejection of the backwardness and dedication to a new life and society. Our people are now working together, not as in the colonial past where each used to work individually. They handle their own affairs through district, locality and circle committees and everything they undertake is based on a collective assessment of their requirements. The guerrillas are integrated into this organisation, and all military problems are solved together with the people. The province of Niassa has great possibilities for agriculture wheat, rice, cotton, etc. Although the Portuguese never established their organised control over production in Niassa as in other provinces, nevertheless they still managed to exploit what little the people did produce. That is why Niassa produces less in relation to the other provinces. But we are now starting to create conditions for increased production of a kind never known before. The people are learning new systems and methods of cultivation. They work together in co-operatives and are introducing new seeds such as cashew nuts, and several kinds of vegetables. Also, in each district there are camps where the people cultivate together, the produce of which is divided partly among themselves, part is reserved for the guerrillas, and yet another share is kept for exchange with neighbouring provinces and countries. At present in Niassa we are producing maize, different kinds of beans, cassava, sesame, as well as other crops. These products are sometimes damaged by the enemy who bomb thQm with napalm. And sometimes in the knowledge of an imminent offensive we have to harvest before crops are ripe. 1 am certain that with the passage of time Niassa will be able to establish simple methods of processing to preserve food surpluses. It is also possible to introduce cattle into many places where there is no tsetse fly, but in the meantime the province is very rich in game. We eat the meat and trade the skins and also ivory. It is well known' that Niassa is one of the provinces where the Portuguese did nothing in the educational field. The maximum that most children learned was to recite the Koran by heart. But now we have many schools in our zones, including two boarding schools where children from different areas and tribes stay and study together. The children cultivate their own shambas to feed themselves, and this year in western Niassa they harvested potatoes and cassava. Through working and living together the children also learn of the different cultures of other tribes, their dances and their songs, and perform them in addition to their own. Finally, the situation with regard to medical cafe was the same as that for education - the people had nowhere to go for treatment. But now each locality has its own small clinic and mobile teams of nurses travel around the villages. In each sector there is a central hospital. However, one of the greatest obstacles to efficient medical services is the acute shortage of medicines, equipment and medical cadres. Indeed these shortages are experienced in every field, and we still have a great deal more work to do in Niassa. But we feel we can justly be proud of what we have achieved so far. 17 |
Archival file | Volume21/CENPA-344~19.tiff |