EDITORIAL
CENTRAL COMMITTEE
REVIEWS   THE   WAR
The general strategy which has been guiding FRELIMO is still valid, although
certain aspects of our tactics must, however, be brought up to date, in line
with the developing politico-military situation in Mozambique.
This is one of the conclusions reached by the Central Committee of FRELIMO, which met from 4 to 30 December this year to analyse the situation
of our liberation struggle, to clarify certain aspects of the political line and to
draw up guidelines for our movement.
The decision on strategy was taken after the various Departments had submitted reports on their activities. These reports provided the Central Committee with an overall picture of the progress of the struggle in each sector.
A summary of these reports gives the following general picture.
Four provinces are at war, and in 3 of them vast regions have already been
liberated. In these 3 provinces — Cabo Delgado, Niassa and Tete — the
enemy control only the towns and still occupy a few fortified military
centres, but even these are the constant targets of our attacks. The whole
people fully support the liberation struggle. The enemy's reaction has been
to try to seal them off in concentration camps, while at the same time launching brutal reprisal raids against villages in the war zones. In the liberated
areas, which cover about one-quarter of our country, the people are finally
living free from colonial oppression and exploitation, engaged in the great
tasks of national reconstruction, which include the opening up and development of agricultural fields, handicrafts, schools, medical posts and trading
centres. About five months ago, on 25th July, armed struggle was also
started in Manica e Sofala Province. The struggle is advancing impetuously
there and has already reached the centre of the Province, which is the geographical centre of our country.
In the areas still under enemy control, FRELIMO's presence and influence
is daily growing and the people's level of political consciousness is steadily
rising. There too the people as a whole support the ideal of independence
and follow the policy of FRELIMO.
Internationally, FRELIMO's prestige is increasing and being consolidated as
shown by the support we receive and by the recognition of our Movement
by a growing number of countries and international organisations. This
recognition is not confined to the socialist countries which, by virtue of their
policies, are naturally with us; it is even being shown by western capitalist
countries which are Portugal's traditional allies. Some of them, concerned to
see the day of our final victory coming ever nearer, sustain the hope that by
supporting our stand in this phase they will be able to safeguard their interests in independent Mozambique.
The major difficulty we are facing is lack of cadres, able to undertake the
multiple tasks imposed by the development of the struggle — in the political