VISITORS   IN    FREE   MOZAMBIQUE
Last September Mozambique received three more
visitors (below). They are
Americans members of movements which oppose the
pro-colonialist and imperialist policy of the U.S.
Government and act in solidarity with our liberation
struggle. They were invited by FRELIMO to make
a film on our struggle, in
order to mobilise the A-
merican people in support
of our cause. Robert van
Lierop head of the team,
tells about their impressions.
The
revolution
lives
in the
hearts
of the
((During our stay of five and a half weeks
inside Free Mozambique, we were fortunate to experience many different aspects
of the life of our comrades — the people
of Mozambique. Not only did we live,
eat, march and sleep with the people, but
we were also outraged by an enemy
attack and we experienced the determination and resolve of the masses and guerrillas which not only drove the enemy
away in defeat but also used the occasion
of the enemy attack to learn of continued
enemy weaknesses and contradictions.
It is difficult to describe our feelings
upon crossing the border and entering
into the areas which have been freed
from Portuguese colonialism. This was
the culmination of many years of hard
work by the comrades of FRELIMO
which made it possible for us to come
film, photograph and record this historic
struggle. And it was the culmination of
many years of planning so that our crew
could report this story to the American
public.
The people of Mozambique know that
the American government is one of Portugal's main supporters. Despite America's liberal rhetoric at international forums, the fact remains that American
economic, political and military aid assists the maintenance of the Portuguese
colonial administration in Mozambique,
Angola and Guine (Bissau) and Portugal's
efforts in its wars against the people of
these three countries. It is no secret that
without this support (and that of other
NATO allies such as Britain, France, West
Germany, Italy, Holland and Belgium)
Portugal could not fight these wars at all.
However, the people we met always distinguished between the actions of the
American government and the American
people just as they distinguished between
combatting the Portuguese colonial system (which FRELIMO is doing) and
fighting against the Portuguese people
(which FRELIMO is not doing) who are
themselves the victims of a cruel and
oppressive regime.
Everywhere we went we were welcomed
as friends. The people opened their
hearts and told us of their sufferings under
colonialism and of their work in creating
a new society through the revolution.
Even though the people face many difficulties in waging this protracted struggle
they also found a way to communicate
their warmth, their generosity and their
hospitality.
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