Memorando do MPLA ao Comité de Libertação de África

PEOPLE’S LIBERATION MOVEMENT OF ANGOLA M P L A African Liberation Committee DAR-ES-SALAAM, 31st January, 1966 This 8th session of African Liberation Committee plays a crucial role in African History. Thus the MPLA looks forward to seeing immediate plans for action developing out of this meeting in hopes that the most important problems facing Africa today can be resolved. Southern Rhodesia’s Declaration of Unilateral Independence has caused world-wide indignation, particularly in Africa. It constitutes one of the gravest problems facing the honourable delegates of African Liberation Committee. The MPLA feels that the problem of Southern Rhodesia cannot be separated from that of Southern Africa, Mozambique, South West Africa and Angola. Southern Rhodesia’s Declaration of Independence once again demonstrates the imperialist plan to maintain control over the enormous wealth of Africa South of the Sahara. And it is a further step in solidifying its diabolical alliance with Salazar-Smith-Veroed. The Portuguese propaganda machines, its press and radio joyfully welcomed the Yan Smith declaration and called it “heroic”. Before UDI Portugal was the first country to receive a diplomatic representative of Yan Smith. The Rhodesian question is once again proof of the correctness of MPLA’s political line. It confirms the uselessness of asking for anything whatever from the imperialisms, and affirms our position that armed struggle is the only salvation for people under colonialist and imperialist domination. The MPLA is contributing to the fall of Yan Smith, when in Angola it fights against the portuguese colonialists. In order that MPLA may carry out an armed struggle in all of Angola, it hopes that this meeting will take a more viable form thus permitting to the angolan through its organization, the MPLA, to intensify its fight and help the ZIMBABWE liberation movement. Since the Liberation Committee Meeting, MPLA has developed to the point where it is now recognized by the angolan people as the only movement fighting in our country. Before there were several factions, now there is only one party integrating all. In the region of Cabinda our combatants have caused heavy losses to materials and to hundreds of colonialist troops. This has been followed by reconnaissance of enemy positions and control operations so as to be able to carry out a large-scale offensive in the near future which will give us total control of the Cabinda district. Already, 25% of this territory is under control of our maquisards. We are now forming school and first-aid posts in the liberated zones in preparation for when normal life can begin again for those thousands of women and children, for all who have had to flee their villages because of criminal portuguese bombardments. The MPLA has published literacy books for children and adults and is giving nursing courses to the refugee women so that they will be able to help the people of their villages upon their return. In Cabinda all of our political and military cadres have received political and syndicalist orientation. At the same time, our recruits as militiamen defending the civilian population receive military training. So as to avoid past mistakes we are now mobilizing other regions of the country and organizing the people living in the hills and in the fields. Thus the struggle will spread better organized and this as a basis we will be able to accelerate the liberation of Angola. In the towns, the MPLA has put in action secret groups which, finally in Luanda, Angola's capital have caused the destruction of factories and industrial establishments. At the same time, MPLA’s announcements have appeared everywhere even in the european quarters. They tell the people to shun the colonialist propaganda, and call for their heroic preparations in the confrontation with the fascist and colonial regime which is Portugal. However the colonialist press keeps its lackeys and their fix announcements to the walls which call for a general mobilization of colonialists, the newspapers tell the european colonialists to remain armed at night, and also urge them to practice marksmanship at the shooting range. All African owners for fire arms must turn them in to Military Command Headquarters. If they do not, they are cruelly punished. All African whom the portuguese consider to be aligned with the MPLA which they consider a communist organization with Headquarters at Brazzaville, are also cruelly punished. The MPLA has done great work mobilizing and organizing the population of the southern and eastern regions. This work has been done quickly and with positive results. This favourable work has been made possible by the active solidarity and understanding of our brothers, the people of Tanzania and Zambia and their governments. From these countries we have already sent hundreds of our trained militants. Those already in Angola have organized popular resistance groups working in the very heart of our country. The second paragraph of the Heads of State Conference in Accra says: - Request all neighbouring African States of the Portuguese colonies to allow a greater freedom of action of men and the necessary materials for the fast success of the liberation Movement struggle. The Congo-Leopoldville government has refused to give freedom of action to the MPLA. It does not allow MPLA militants residing in Congo-Leo to move to Congo-Brazzaville, and on the contrary, it keeps some MPLA militants in its prisons. In a letter to His Excellency the Ambassador of the Democratic Republic of Congo in the Dar-es-Salaam, last 25th November, the Executive Secretary of the African Liberation Committee, informed the authorities that the MPLA is receiving assistance from African Coordinating Committee. For this reason the Executive Secretary invites the Republic of Congo to grant similar aid to MPLA through bilateral negotiation. The MPLA reminds the African Liberation Committee of the fact that the positions taken by Mr. Adoula, Mr. Tshombé and some African Heads of State which support non-African interests, have greatly contributed to the lack of total development of the angolan people’s struggle. The MPLA defending the higher interests of its people who are engaged in the struggle against portuguese colonialism, presents to the honourable delegates the following points:- 1- That the countries bordering on Angolan allow freedom of action to MPLA in the transporting of men and materials. 2- That the help given to the Angolan People be done exclusively through the organization that carries out the armed fight in Angola, the MPLA. 3- That an inquiry be opened by AOU Military commission into the politico-military activities of each of the Angolan nationalist organizations. The MPLA takes this opportunity to thank the African Liberation Committee for the understanding it has shown in the execution of its immediate tasks and it hopes that this understanding be further developed so that the Committee can accomplish the difficult task which was conferred on it by the Heads of State. The MPLA will wage its struggle until Portuguese colonialism is totally liquidated from Angola. Thank you very much. DAR-ES-SALAAM 31.1.66 JC/. MPLA STEERING COMMITTEE