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FREEDOMWAYS  THIRD QUARTER 1972

population composed of settlers, and civil servants of the colonial administration who exercise complete control over the country. The result of the combination of such factors is that colonial exploitation and domination were and are still based essentially on yield from the land. The consequence of this is that Portugal could not - and was not able to- introduce political changes which could facilitate decolonization. Thus, the objective reality force the antagonistic contradiction to take the form of armed confrontation.

The armed struggle therefore, is the historical way for the Mozambican people to realize their aspirations for liberty and national independence. For our people, under colonial, fascist  domination, the realization of liberty can only take place within a new historical category- the Nation; and the contradiction which is expressed in the conflict: the Mozambican people- Portuguese colonialism cannot be resolved except through the armed struggle.

2. Unity- First Condition for Victory

The engagement in the armed struggle makes its own demands- the first and most pressing is the unity of all the nationalist forces in the country. All the different social groups in our country were oppressed by Portuguese colonialism. At different degrees, some deeper than others, all classes suffered economic exploitation, political and social domination, and everyone was a victim of racial humiliation. Miners and plantation workers, peasants, civil servants, intellectuals, tribal chiefs as well as the simple people in the villages, everyone suffered colonial oppression.

Objectively every social group had reason to rise against Portuguese colonialism. The existence of an objective and clear basis for the realization of unity does not mean, however, that unity is automatic. The obstacles are immense and diverse.

In the first place, all of us are scarred by the colonial society. We bring with us vices and defects which characterize this type of society: personal ambition, material interests, individualism, the desire for cheap publicity, and many other weaknesses. On the other hand, if it is true that the demands for exploitation and domination established economic and administrative ties among the different tribes and regions; if it is true that under the impact of colonialism a phenomenon of the disintegration of tribal structures began, it is also true that the cultural values have survived substantially and they still preserve, in different degrees, the personality of each tribe. 

The process of formation of the Nation has certainly started- but

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LIBERATION STRUGGLE IN MOZAMBIQUE  PANGUENE

the tribe has not yet died. A correct orientation for the liberation movement demands that these factors be taken into consideration. It is essential that the leadership of the movement be formed from healthy elements; nationalists and people with political consciousness, in order that the struggle can develop. It should be understood clearly that each one of these factors is important. And that unity is a process in constant evolution- and once the motion is launched, the action becomes the cement for unity.

3. The People's War, the People's Solution

The involvement in the armed struggle is, without doubt, a fundamental decision. 

But the war is not an end in itself. The armed struggle is an instrument- the main form of action to implement the objective: national independence.
But what type of independence?

All liberation struggles proclaim the defense of the interests of the people. In order that this happens, it is important to conduct correctly the process of liberation. It is necessary to have a clear perception of the interests of the different social strata and to take them into due consideration.

In Mozambique the people include individual peasants, workers in the plantations, in the mines, in transport, on the docks, in light industry. But there is also the petit-bourgeoisie formed from the civil servants, small traders and intellectuals; and the agrarian petit-bourgeosie. Under these conditions, the defense of the people's interests means essentially the defense of the interests of the masses of the workers in the country and in the towns.

It is necessary, therefore, that progressively, the different social strata be made to understand and accept this. Thus, mobilization must be general and involve all individuals from all social strata into the liberation movement, so that they can become activists in the struggle.

Following popular goals, and promoting the mobilization of the whole population, what remains to the organization is to set up a structure in such a way that can permit the participation of all, men and women, young and old, not only in executive tasks, but also in those of conception and decision. Such orientation of the action in the organization aims at assuring the participation of everybody in the process of transforming the political and social situation- a process that, at the same time, provokes change in the individual

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