Info For Yous Agostinho Neto: Pan- African Culturalist, Poet, Medical Doctor, Liberty Fighter, Ane Of The Revolutionary Leaders Inwards Africa Together With The Showtime President Of Angola

“Our contribution has to live given non only for the liquidation of the colonial scheme but also for the liquidation of ignorance, illness together with primitive forms of social organization. ” Agostinho Neto, the maiden off President of MPLA together with the maiden off President of the independent republic of Angola, was a great author - a poet - equally good equally a great revolutionary leader.
 Dr António Agostinho Neto, independence liberty fighter, Pan-Africanist together with Culturalist, poet, medical physician together with the revolutionary maiden off president of Angola.

António Agostinho Neto (September 17, 1922 – September 10, 1979) was celebrated Pan-Africanist, renowned poet together with physician equally good equally revolutionary leader who after fighting against imperialist Portuguese acquire the maiden off President of Republic of Angola (1975–1979). This unique together with selfless extraordinary leader founded the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Republic of Angola (MPLA) inward the state of war for independence (1961–1974).
As a medical pupil inward Lisbon, Neto made friends with Amílcar Lopes Cabral of Republic of Guinea-Bissau together with Cape Verde), Marcelino dos Santos  of Mozambique together with several other students from Africa together with formed an Africa cultural guild (known equally the Anti-Colonial Movement) – developing what they termed "the re-Africanization of the mind", a procedure which they compared to the French motion négritude. Many from the guild became leaders of anti-colonial movements dorsum inward Africa.

According to Armenian Ferreira, Augustinho Neto was precociously intelligent from his childhood. " Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 white instructor decided to demonstrate intelligence essay out on his students. When the questions were given to the students, Neto solved the questions within a few minutes." As a final result of this, whenever the white students cannot solve their enquiry rapidly he volition blurt out "if they cannot solve them rapidly them to the "blacks" they tin solve it inward a minute." In the race for his scholarship for brilliant students, Neto, a dark pupil together with protestant competed with  António Pinheiro da Silva ., a colored together with Catholic. This competition engendered serious arguing inward the colonial Republic of Angola equally the scholarship finally went to the ii combatant. da Silva had his maiden off before Neto. The finalist rivals would accentuate their differences inward their subsequently careers. Whilst Agostinho Neto became the revolutionary leader, Pinheiro da Silva became a minion of the colonialist regime together with arrived inward the 60s, to withdraw responsibleness inward governance of Angola, equally provincial secretarial assistant of Education.
In 1948, Agostinho Neto became recognized globally equally a gifted poet, he published his maiden off volume of verse together with joined a national cultural motion that was aimed at “rediscovering” indigenous Angolan culture. He was arrested for the maiden off time. His verse talked nearly  African colonization, struggle of Africans together with chastised the colonial establishment. His piece of work was published inward a issue of Portuguese together with Angolan reviews together with was included inward Mário de Andrade’s Antologia da Poesia Negra de Expressão Portuguesa (1958).

Fidel Castro welcomes the President Sekou Touré  and Agostinho Neto, which he assisted inward the Revolution

There followed a serial of arrests together with detainments which interrupted his studies. Neto returned habitation equally a physician inward 1959 but was arrested inward the presence of his patients inward June 1960 because of his militant opposition to the colonial authorities.

When his patients protested his arrest, the police push clit opened fire, killing some together with injuring 200. Neto spent the following ii years inward detention inward Republic of Cape Verde together with inward Portugal, where he produced a novel volume of verse. In 1962 he managed to escape to Morocco, where he joined the Movimento Popular da Libertação de Republic of Angola (MPLA, Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola) inward exile when it was formed inward 1956. At the destination of 1962 he was elected president of the Movimento Popular de Libertação de Republic of Angola (MPLA).
Until his death, he led the MPLA inward the civil state of war (1975–2002). His birthday is celebrated equally National Heroes Day, a populace vacation inward Angola.

A. Agostinho Neto & J. M. Sidónio Savimbi (with his famous walking stick) after a meeting

Agostinho Neto was born at Kaxicane, parish of S. Joseph at Icolo inward Bengo, bathed yesteryear the abundant waters of the Kwanza River inward the part of Cattete, threescore km from Luanda, Republic of Angola on 17th September 1922. His begetter was Agostinho Neto Snr, catechist of American Methodist Mission inward Luanda, together with subsequently pastor together with instructor inward Dembos, together with the woman parent was Mary d Silva Neto, a teacher.
The immature Neto attended his basic schoolhouse at Methodist Primary schoolhouse inward Luanda together with completed inward 1934. His parents moved to Luanda to settle. Neto pursued his secondary schoolhouse educational activity inward 1934 at the Lycée Salvador Correia (now Mutu-ya-Kevela). After 7 years inward schoolhouse he finally enrolled inward 1944 at the Lyceum, obtaining his certificate from the Liceu Salvador Correia, of Luanda.
After school, Neto was employed briefly equally a Health together with Hygiene worker at Malanje together with Bier inward Angola. Neto writes "here I was refused residence together with booked into a 2d bird hotel whilst white workers mostly illiterates stayed inward authorities estates."  Agostinho Neto received some other scholarship (which status could non determine) which was granted yesteryear a Portuguese institution, IASA - Institute of Social Welfare Angola.

Agostinho Neto (Standing right) with immature human students inward Lisbon

This scholarship, was inward the amount of 3 one 1000 shellings (very high amount at the time). It was raised yesteryear Agostinho Neto inward Overseas Ministry, inward outcome of having been arrested together with pronounced equally "subversive activities" inward the Criminal Court of Porto . Alerted to this fact yesteryear the PIDE, the IASA suspend the laurels of the scholarship inward 1955.

                     Neto together with his wife

After serving for sometime, he subsequently left Republic of Angola to Portugal inward monastic enjoin to attend the Faculty of Medicine of Coimbra together with Lisbon. He combined his academic life with covert political activity of a revolutionary sort; together with PIDE, the safety police push clit strength of the Estado Novo regime headed yesteryear Portuguese Prime Minister Salazar, arrested him inward 1951 for his separatist activism. He was charged for beingness "in possession of subversive pamphlets." According to the Youth bulletin, published yesteryear the Central Committee of the copier MUD Juvenil, the arrest occurred when Neto, inward the society of colleagues together with a White pal, Marília Veiga Pereira, were collecting signatures for the "Appeal for Peace Pact."

                Agostinho neto

Neto was also a hardcore fellow member of the literary salons of Tia Andreza (paragraph 37 Street Actor Valley, Lisbon). Among the regulars of the literary salons were other Angolans such equally Mário Pinto de Andrade, Lucio Lara together with Humberto Machado, the STP poets Francisco José Tenreiro together with Alda's Holy Spirit, the Guinean Amilcar Cabral together with Mozambican poet Naomi de Sousa.  These people were real dedicated together with according to Mário Pinto de Andrade, they brand a witting pledge to "return to the sources, the rediscovery of the African, the" re-Africanization ". It was, after all, the Lisbon replica of a universal African motion (led yesteryear Nicolás Guillén, Sedar Denghor, Aimé Césaire together with others) that the Angolan intellectuals deployed the concept nether the call of "blackness" together with inward Luanda it regain equivalence inward literary tendency "Let's regain out Republic of Angola ".
The PIDE was aware of the activities of  Neto together with all his intellectual immature pals, equally good equally many others who visited them. Whilst the surveillance against them was going on, a immature beautiful immature adult woman who lived downward the street that the CMA had its headquarters, was constantly observing them. This immature lady would sometimes star at the window together with watched the constant entry together with acquire out of students together with seafarers inward front end of her theater street. One twenty-four hr menses she broached come upward a conversation together with established friendly relations was i of their brilliant chaps. The immature human inward enquiry was  Agostinho Neto together with the lady was called Maria Eugenia Silva.
Neto was arrested i time again yesteryear PIDE on Feb 9, 1955, Agostinho Neto spent ii together with spent years inward the cells of the Portuguese political police push clit station together with and then inward Jail Aljube inward Porto.
In Dec 1956 the Angolan Communist Party (PCA) merged with the Party of the United Struggle for Africans inward Republic of Angola (PLUA) to shape the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Republic of Angola with Viriato da Cruz, the President of the PCA, equally Secretary General together with Neto equally President. He was released on June 12, 1957.

1975 Press Photo MPLA Leader Agostino Neto Returns From Exile to Luanda

Immediately after beingness released from prison, Agostinho Neto resumed political contacts with his quondam comrades inward arms. In no fourth dimension he participated inward MAC foundation - Anti-colonialist movement, that was the driving powerfulness for Republic of Guinea Amilcar Cabral. The organization`s Manifesto was authored yesteryear Viriato da Cruz, together with was subsequently amended yesteryear Mário Pinto de Andrade together with Lúcio Lara. After serial of political activism together with interrupted imprisonments, Agostinho Neto finally completed his medical studies on 27 Oct 1958, 11 years after having enrolled inward Coimbra. He was together with then 35 years old, together with on the same twenty-four hr menses he graduated equally medical physician he married Maria Eugénia da Silva, his white Portuguese girl of 23-years who was born inward Trás-os-Montes. Lúcio Lara is i of the Neto`s groomsmen together with during the popping of champagne fourth dimension at the wedding, Neto told Maria Eugenia`s woman parent that "a political leader does non brand anyone happy."
For a brief period, Agostinho Neto became a normal citizen, a breadwinner for his household unit of measurement who was inward a prestigious profession equally qualified infirmary doctor. In all his medical practice, he never ceased his political meetings.
 He returned to Republic of Angola inward 1959. Edmundo Rocha writes: "After finishing his bumpy course of instruction inward Medicine, Agostinho Neto decided to pose his unloose energy inward a create out against the enemy citadel, the Crown Jewel of Portuguese colonialism. He could have got chosen abroad equally insurance that would allow him to attend the African intellectual salons inward Paris, equally many after him together with his contemporaries such equally  Mário de Andrade, Viriato Cruz, Lucio Lara together with other nationalists did. But (...) settled inward Luanda inward belatedly 1959 equally a physician of the poor neighborhoods (...), half-dozen months after the moving ridge of arrests of most African nationalists, white Angolan together with Portuguese progressives, he revealed his intrepid strength together with moral courage against the colonial establishment acknowledging the tight surveillance PIDE had on him. "
As it has ever been the instance with Agostinho Neto inward Portugal concerning his political activities, on June 8, 1960, just before half-dozen months pf his arrival inward Angola, the Deputy Director of PIDE inward Angola, São José Lopes, flare-up into his business office together with pose him nether arrest. (...) Then they took him, amid the protests of his wife, who also the PIDE officials threatened to arrest. The married adult woman challenged the PIDE officials to arrest her likewise but she was told her married adult man was black, equally if beingness dark was an anathema inward Angola. PIDE arrested other 5 dark men who dared to protestation against unlawful together with racially fueled arrest of the medical doctor.
In Luanda, the arrest of Agostinho Neto gave ascent to massive uproar alongside the native Africans. They could non sympathize why the colonial authorities to quiet their intellectual together with physician who cater for them. The uproar Pb to massive protestation motion inward no time. His patients together with supporters marched for his release from Bengo to Catete, but were stopped when Portuguese soldiers shot at them, killing xxx together with wounding 200 inward what became known equally the Massacre of Icolo e Bengo. The massacre received international coverage thereby culminating inward Angolan colonial regime received international condemnation
 The Portugal authorities straightaway pose upward a containment conception yesteryear exiling Agostinho Neto together with the Archbishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Luanda, Joaquim Pinto de Andrade who gave back upward to the movement, via Portuguese military machine airplane to Cape Verde. He was together with then exported to Portugal; i time more, opposite to what was promised - together with that was found to live an understanding betwixt the Minister of Overseas together with the governor-general of Angola, to avoid farther fuss internationally - Agostinho Neto was incarcerated inward Jail Aljube inward Lisbon inward alone confinement. The initial understanding equally reached inward central of letters betwixt the PIDE together with the Overseas Ministry concerning Neto was that ""Agostinho Neto should live given an chance to practise his profession inward the identify where previously pointed out equally unsafe if the province of affairs is preventable." In line with this, "he was to go to whatsoever of the following islands", ie, Madeira together with the Azores. (...).  The Director-General of the PIDE, proposed to works life residence for Agostinho Neto inward Republic of Cape Verde together with Joaquim Pinto de Andrade inward Sao Tome together with Principe, "provided, of course, to live subjected to for certain conditions together with proper supervision." This understanding was thrown away together with Neto was rather transferred from Republic of Cape Verde amidst outflow of back upward yesteryear the Cape Verdians, to Lisbon on board a ship named "Alfredo da Silva." His boy Mario Jorge was together with then 11 years. Neto`s daughter, Irene was born ii months after their arrival inward Cape Verde.
Neto requested to the Portugal authorities to give him costless passage to seek political asylum inward whatsoever of the latin American countries but it was declined. The Portuguese cited a propaganda photograph (which was white dick with dark cock) they claimed his married adult woman was circulating equally an excuse. His married adult woman together with Portuguese Communist Party (PCP) of which Neto was a fellow member waged a media elbow grease against the Portuguese authorities over the unlawful arrest of Neto.
 After international protestation Salazar's direction urging Neto's release, Neto was freed from prison theater together with pose nether theater arrest. From this he escaped, going maiden off to Kingdom of Morocco together with and then to Zaire.

                            Agostinho Neto together with Eduardo Dos Santos

In 1962 Neto visited Washington, D.C. together with asked the Kennedy direction for assist inward his state of war against Portugal. The U.S. authorities turned him down, because it had oil interests inward colonial Angola, choosing instead to back upward Holden Roberto's comparatively anti-Communist National Liberation Front of Republic of Angola (FNLA).
Neto met Che Guevara inward 1965 together with began receiving back upward from Cuba. He visited Havana many times, together with he together with Fidel Castro shared similar ideological views.

Republic of Angola Luanda. African adult woman demonstrates her joy.Arrival of Agostinho Neto. Returns after 4 years of exile.

Following the Carnation Revolution inward Portugal during Apr 1974 (which deposed Salazar's successor Marcelo Caetano), 3 political factions vied for Angolan power. One of the 3 was the MPLA, to which Neto belonged. On Nov 11, 1975, Republic of Angola achieved total independence from the Portuguese, together with Neto became the nation's ruler after the MPLA seized Luanda at the expense of the other liberation movements. He established a one-party province together with his authorities developed closed links with the Soviet Union together with other nations inward the Eastern bloc together with other Communist states, especially Cuba, which aided the MPLA considerably inward its state of war with the FNLA, the National Union for the Total Independence of Republic of Angola (UNITA) together with South Africa. However, spell Neto made the MPLA declare Marxism-Leninism its official doctrine, his spot was to favour a socialist, non a communist model. As a consequence, he violently repressed a motion subsequently called Fractionism which inward 1977 attempted a coup d' état inspired yesteryear the Organização dos Comunistas de Angola. Tens of thousands followers (or alleged followers) of Nito Alves were executed inward the aftermath of the attempted coup, over a menses that lasted upward to ii years.
Neto died inward a infirmary inward Moscow, spell undergoing surgery for cancer, shortly before his 57th birthday. Jose Eduardo dos Santos succeeded him equally president. But the Angolan civil state of war continued to rage for almost a quarter of a century more.

Agostinho Neto (left) with Cuban President Fidel Castro

Legacy

     Neto together with Angolan ambassador Brazil trip the low-cal fantastic whilst his married adult woman Maria chat with the ambassador`s wife

The Soviet Union awarded Neto the Lenin Peace Prize for 1975-76.
The populace academy of Luanda, the Agostinho Neto University, is named after him. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 verse form yesteryear Chinua Achebe, Africa’s leading novelist, whose novels, including No Longer at Ease together with Things Fall Apart, are contemporary classics, entitled Agostinho Neto was written inward his honor.
Agostinho Neto
by Chinua Achebe

Agostinho, were yous no more
Than the middle i favored yesteryear fortune
In children's riddle; Kwame
Striding ahead to accost
Demons; behind yous a laggard third
As yet unnamed, of twisted fingers?

No! Your secure strides
Were hard earned. Your feet
Learned their tearing balance
In violent slopes of humiliation;
Your fragile hands, patiently
Groomed for finest incisions,
Were commandeered brusquely to kill,
Your gentle vocalization to battle-cry.

Perhaps your household unit of measurement together with friends
Knew a merry flash neat the gloom
We reckon inward pictures but I prefer
And volition maintain that sorrowful legend.
For I have got seen how
Half a millennium of alien rape
And murder tin postage stamp a smile
On the vacant human face of the fool,
The sinister grin of Africa's idiot-kings
Who oversee inward obscene palaces of gold
The slaughter-house of their ain people.

Neto, I sing your passing, I,
Timid requisitioner of your vast
Armory's most congenial supply.
What shall I sing? Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 dirge answering
The gloom? No, I volition sing tearful songs
Of joy; I volition celebrate
The human who rode a trinity
Of awesome fates to the cause
Of our trampled race!
Thou Healer, Soldier together with Poet!

Agostinho Neto"  and friends

An aerodrome inward Santo Antão, Cape Verde, is named after him, due to the honey piece of work he performed at that spot equally a doctor. For the same reason, the main infirmary of Republic of Cape Verde inward the working capital missive of the alphabet Praia is named "Hospital Agostinho Neto" (HAN). There is also a morna dedicated to him. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 street inward New Belgrade inward Serbia is named after him, the Dr. Agostina Neta street.
In 1973, during i of his few unofficial visits to Bulgaria, Neto met a adult woman with whom he had a daughter, Mihaela Marinova, who was raised inward orphanages inward Bulgaria. Neto's household unit of measurement has non recognised the child.


Statue of Agostinho Neto inward Maianga, Luanda, Angola

Poems of Agostinho Neto  
Night 
I live
In the dark quarters of the world
Without light, without life.


They are slave quarters
Worlds of misery. Dark quarters
Where the volition is watered down
And men have got been confused
With things.

Anxious to live,
I walk inward the streets
Feeling my way
Leaning into my shapeless dreams
Stumbling into servitude.

I walk lurching
Through the unlit
Unknown streets crowded
With mystery together with terror,
I, arm inward arm with ghosts.
And the nighttime likewise is dark.

Agostinho Neto together with MPLA are visited yesteryear Che Guevara

“Western Civilization”

1
Sheets of tin nailed to posts
driven inward the ground
brand upward the house.


Some rags consummate the intimate landscape.

The Sun slanting through cracks
welcomes the owner

after twelve hours of slave
labour.

breaking rock
shifting rock
breaking rock
shifting rock
fair weather
moisture weather
breaking rock
shifting rock

Old historic menses comes early
a mat on dark nights

is plenty when he dies
gratefully
of hunger.

African Poetry

Out on the horizon
at that spot are fires
together with the dark silhouettes of the beaters
with arms outstretched,
inward the air, the light-green olfactory holding of burning palms.

African poetry

In the street
a line of 1Bailundu bearers
shiver nether the weight of their load
inward the room
a mulatto immature adult woman with meek eyes
colours her human face with rice pulverization together with rouge
a adult woman wriggles her hips nether a garish cloth
on the bed
a man, sleepless, dreams
of buying knives together with forks so he tin eat at table
inward the heaven the glow
of fires
together with the silhouette of dark men dancing
with arms outstretched,
inward the air, the hot music of marimbas

African poetry

together with inward the room the mulatto girl
on the bed the man, sleepless

the burnings consume
consume
the hot the world with horizons afire.

1Bailundu:A bird of urban workers who hire out their casual labour, yesteryear carrying loads on their heads often for long distances, for which they are paid barely survival wages. In Republic of Ghana they called kayaye together with other West African countries they are mostly called Kayakaya.

Lusaka, Republic of Zambia The Zambian President Kenneth Kaunda greets the President of Republic of Angola Agostinho Neto (centre) together with President Julius Nyerere of Tanzania during their talks hither on the futurity of Rhodesia.

We shall return

To the houses, to our crops,
to the beaches, to our fields
nosotros shall return


To our lands
Red with coffee
White with cotton
Green with maize fields
nosotros shall return


To our mines of diamonds
Gold, copper, oil
nosotros shall return


To our rivers, our lakes
our mountains, our forests
nosotros volition return


To the shade of the mulemba
To our traditions
To the rhythms together with bonfires
nosotros shall return



To the marimba together with the quissange
to our carnival
nosotros shall return


To our beautiful Angolan homeland
our land, our mother
nosotros shall return

We shall return
to liberated Angola
independent Angola.


Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 verse form yesteryear Agostinho Neto, Aljube Prison inward Lisbon, Oct 1960

FEBRUARY – AGOSTINHO NETO

It was together with then the Atlantic

inward the course of instruction of time

gave dorsum the carcasses of men

swathed inward white flowers of foam

together with inward the victims’ boundless hate,

brought on waves of death’s congealed blood

And the beaches were smothered yesteryear crows and

jackals with a bestial hunger for the battered flesh

on the sands

of the land, scorched yesteryear the terror of centuries

enslaved together with chained,

of the terra firma called green

which children fifty-fifty at nowadays telephone call upward light-green for hope.

It was together with then that the bodies inward the sea

swelled upward with shame together with salt

inward the course of instruction of time

inward blood-stained waters

of want together with weakness.

It was together with then that inward our eyes, fired

at nowadays with blood, at nowadays with life, at nowadays with death

nosotros buried our dead victoriously,

together with on the graves made recognition

of the argue men were sacrificed

for love,

for peace,

fifty-fifty spell facing death, inward the course of instruction of time,

inward blood-stained waters

And within us

the light-green terra firma of San Tome

volition live also the isle of love.

Source: From Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 Selection of African Poetry Anthology introduced together with annotated yesteryear Kojo E Senanu together with Theo Vincent

Agostinho Neto, Pamphlet, 1972

“Messages to Companions inward the Struggle”

Liberation Support Movement Pamphlet Collection

 

Prepared together with Printed by

LSM INFORMATION CENTER

BOX 338

RICHMOND, B.C. CANADA

December 1972

MESSAGES TO COMPANIONS IN THE STRUGGLE

Contents:

(1) Message to Companions inward the Struggle

(8) Speech delivered to the 3rd Conference of Non-aligned Countries: Working Together inward Defense of Justice

(11) Commemorating the 15th Anniversary of MPLA

[Radio broadcast, undated, prior to 1972]

Message to Companions inward the Struggle

Companions inward the Struggle,

Comrades,

It is with great pleasance that I withdraw this opportunity, offered yesteryear the External Service of Radio Tanzania, to shipping yous this message - a message that is destined non only for our Angolan compatriots together with comrades of the MPLA but also our brave companions inward struggle inward Mozambique who, nether the banner of FRELIMO, enhance high the flame of revolt against Portuguese colonial occupation.

United inward the same combat, the people of the Portuguese colonies of Republic of Guinea (Bissau), Mozambique together with Republic of Angola have got inflicted innumerable defeats upon the enemy, especially inward recent times. The areas controlled yesteryear the guerrillas are continuously growing. The novel life inward these areas is advancing and, inward the process, opening upward roads towards the restoration of our peoples' independence that was lost inward yesteryear centuries, together with also their dignity together with just identify inward the world.

Thus it is that, inward monastic enjoin to hit mutual objectives, the movements directing the struggles inward these countries that are silent dominated yesteryear Portugal are united together with cooperate closely, spell respecting the differences that be inward the specific conditions of each country. In general, however, what is for certain is that our struggle volition non halt developing together with progressing.

The cooperation of the people of the nowadays Portuguese colonies inward this stage together with also inward the futurity is together with volition live absolutely essential non only for the conquest of independence but also during the stage of national reconstruction.

Fortunately, nosotros already have got before us the experience of Africa after the independence of the countries of our continent that were dominated yesteryear imperialism. If, on the i hand, this experience has shown many positive aspects, it is evident that, inward other ways, it has revealed weaknesses - i of the principal beingness the full general economical dependence inward relations with the quondam metropolitan countries, the effect of which is to impede access to consummate independence.

This experience must have us, who are fighting with arms inward hand, to seem for to a greater extent than advanced together with much to a greater extent than effective forms of scheme inward monastic enjoin to hit our purpose: consummate independence. The blood that is beingness shed yesteryear the best of the sons of our countries, together with the efforts of each guerrilla together with of every i of our people, must non live spent inward vain, inward methods that are inappropriate for scheme inward the nowadays together with inadequate for direction inward the future. It is necessary that the existent command of the country, whether from the political, economical or social dot of view, live inward the hands of the people who are devoted to the struggle, together with non inward the fists of bureaucrats who - it could live said inward passing - are dishonest together with non ever those who volition live found or are, today, to live found inward the battle-field. Much less could nosotros allow foreigners to maintain to exploit our peoples; for imperialism to extend its clutches over our countries together with subjugate them inward neo-colonialism. We have got to create out for consummate independence!

There is no uncertainty that for consummate independence, political, economical together with social, together with for our peoples to actually live the masters of their ain destiny, it is necessary that nosotros provide ourselves with the appropriate instruments for action. In the nowadays phase, it is necessary that the struggle live completely nether the orientation of an independent political party with well-defined ideas; that its militants live disciplined together with absorb fully the doctrine of their party. It is necessary that the leaders themselves live honest, modest together with active, together with that they make non spare their efforts for the adept orientation together with scheme of their people. It is necessary that they live ever at the side of their people, with them inward their suffering together with inward their daily sacrifices.

One of the to a greater extent than debated problems of recent times is the presence inward our territories of Portuguese, or the descendants of Portuguese, whose ideas coincide with ours, whose lives have got been dedicated to the struggle against fascism inward Portugal, together with who sympathize together with withdraw the correct of the peoples of the Portuguese colonies to regain their independence together with self-government, similar whatsoever other sovereign people.

On this dot nosotros have got sometimes observed negative reactions on the constituent of some of our combatants together with of our friends. It is those negative attitudes that tin prejudice together with deter the success of our struggle for freedom. I speak of the job of racialism.

In our countries nosotros are non making a racial war. Our objective is non to create out against the white human solely because he is white. It is that nosotros create out those who back upward the colonial regime. All those inward our territories who demo raised unarmed hands, or who demo themselves willing to give their collaboration to the guerrillas, providing them with foodstuffs together with products that are unavailable inward the forests; all those who inward whatsoever trend demo their want non to cooperate with the colonial regime must non live despised or treated equally enemies. They constitute a strength that operates inward our favor, inward the same way equally on the international plane. There nosotros make non seek back upward only inward the countries of Africa southward of the Sahara, called Black Africa, where the peel of the inhabitants is darker; but nosotros also go to seem for the assist of countries of No. Africa, where the people have got a low-cal skin. We go fifty-fifty farther to Europe to seem for political, diplomatic together with stuff assist from countries where the bulk of the population have got white color, together with inward other continents where the racial differences are fifty-fifty to a greater extent than evident. If, on business organisation human relationship of racial differences, nosotros despise that formidable strength that is represented yesteryear progressives of the whole world, together with yesteryear the underdeveloped countries, nosotros volition only live earthworks our ain grave.

Our struggle is non an isolated struggle inward the world. It is constituent of a global struggle yesteryear humanity to convey an destination to the exploitation of human yesteryear man, together with it is within this framework that nosotros must view our struggle exterior the narrow limits of racial prejudice.

Therefore, nosotros invite the Portuguese, the sons of Portuguese people, who are inward uniform together with armed inward Angola, Mozambique together with Republic of Guinea (Bissau), to desert the ranks of the colonialist regular army together with non to soil their hands with the blood of innocent men, women together with children whose only objective is to live costless - acting inward the same trend equally did the heroic Portuguese themselves during the Arab business of Spain. Instead of assassinating defenceless people, they must enhance their arms inward give upward when confronted yesteryear the guerrillas of MPLA, FRELIMO or PAIGC. They volition live received equally men together with volition live given the alternative of a destination inward those countries that withdraw political refugees. Or ameliorate still, nosotros brand an appeal to the Portuguese to desert with their arms together with cross to the side of the nationalists, avoiding the shame of participating inward an unjust state of war that is equally dingy equally the state of war inward Vietnam.

During the course of instruction of the state of war inward Angola, MPLA have got had occasion to acknowledge to neighboring countries some Portuguese who had deserted. And there, inward diverse countries, some of them are actively engaged inward struggle against the Salazar regime, spell others go nearly their piece of work so that they together with their families may alive inward peace.

Therefore, if at that spot silent exists inward some of our combatants the thought of a state of war against the white man, it is necessary that it live straightaway substituted yesteryear the thought of a state of war against colonialism together with against imperialism; a state of war against oppression, for the liberty together with for the dignity of all men inward the world. This thought volition fortify our struggle. It volition offering to a greater extent than guarantees together with novel perspectives that opened upward up a brilliant futurity for all men. In a fourth dimension of hatred nosotros volition have got fraternity together with understanding.

I make non want to say, comrades together with dear companions inward the struggle, that nosotros must live weak, that nosotros make non have got to develop hard together with inflict the bravest possible blows upon the racists who want to dominate the African people; that nosotros have got to live complacent with the agents of PIDE or with the settlers organized into militias. Absolutely not! To those only i linguistic communication is applicable. Only i jurist is possible. Only i law of state of war tin live adopted. They have got to live liquidated, for they are the bulwarks of colonialist exploitation.

But nosotros must non confuse friends together with enemies. We have got to withdraw aid inward differentiating - to chose, to distinguish who are our friends together with who are our enemies.

At times it is exactly our enemies who maintain us from friends, taking reward of our political naivete or our weaknesses - i of which could live racial prejudice. Where at that spot does non be a clear thought on this subject, the imperialist enemy tin easily divide us from our friends together with nosotros could fifty-fifty liquidate, with our ain hands, valuable forces within our ain ranks.

There was a time, betwixt 1961 together with 1963, when reactionary forces commanded yesteryear imperialism showed themselves active inward the due north of our terra firma together with thousands of coloreds together with assimilados were assassinated only because they were coloreds or assimilados. In this way, nosotros lost thousands of men, women together with children, almost all of whom were sincere patriots together with combatants, ardent for our cause of liberation.

This happened only because the imperialists were able to inculcate inward the mentality of politically-unclear combatants the thought that all those who had slightly lighter peel or who know how to speak Portuguese or silent had to serve inward the colonial direction were necessarily traitors who were non able together with had non the correct to create out for independence. It was the Angolan nationalist forces who suffered from this - losing precious lives, of import cadres for the revolution together with for the futurity life of the country. They were victims who were added to the victims of the colonialists themselves.

But the germs that produced such deviations from our line of political activity are non only originated yesteryear imperialism. They derive also from ourselves, together with so nosotros have got also to combat our weaknesses together with our deficiencies; combat all that is negative inward ourselves, inward our militants, inward our combatants. At times, what generates that hatred based upon peel color is ambition - the want to secure for himself a adept identify inward the future.

And from racialism to tribalism it is only i step.

Within our organization, the MPLA, nosotros rigorously create out against such defects. The ambitious, the presumptuous, those who provoke disturbances together with slanders inward monastic enjoin to live able to occupy posts that they oftentimes make non deserve or are non fifty-fifty able to create total properly - these are denounced before the militants together with before the entire people.

It is also yesteryear fighting inward this sphere of combat - inward the ideological formation of men together with inward the political educational activity of the militants - that nosotros volition live able to guarantee for our futurity a life that is really free.

In our parties nosotros must, therefore, seem for a political line that could salve us from racialism together with tribalism together with from the mistakes that were committed inward those countries where independence came before together with yesteryear other means.

Fortunately, for those who create out on the side of jurist together with against tyranny, for those who want freedom, armed activity is non only a sacrifice, it is inward a higher identify all a FORCE. It is non only the irrigation of our battlefields with the blood of the best sons of our peoples. It is also a schoolhouse - a way yesteryear which the people maintain this struggle inward the future, after political independence, inward monastic enjoin to live completely costless - politically, economically together with socially independent.

The experience of Africa has taught us many things. Amongst those, nosotros tin call i to a greater extent than - the lesson that the political party must command the life of the terra firma during every moment. The strength that gave us arms with which to defend ourselves from unusual business volition also able to guarantee truthful independence inward the future. And it is necessary that the political party live built up, that it constitute the backbone, the base of operations together with the principal chemical factor inward the life of the nation.. .and that it live independent. Where at that spot is no party, where the militants are non placed nether a strict discipline, where the leaders are non saltation to revolutionary principles - at that spot anarchy enters. There the enemies penetrate to a greater extent than easily, together with instead of independence nosotros volition have got neo-colonialism or an insecure residue betwixt progress together with reaction.

And that nosotros make non want! We want consummate independence.

At the outset of this message I spoke nearly the existing wedlock betwixt the organizations directing the armed struggle inward the countries dominated yesteryear Portugal, namely FRELIMO, PAIGC together with MPLA, or betwixt the peoples of Mozambique, Republic of Guinea (Bissau) together with Angola. This wedlock is just together with necessary, together with the forms of our cooperation inward the struggle must live perfected because our enemies also coordinate their activities. Nobody is ignorant of the back upward given yesteryear the NATO countries to assist Portugal maintain her unjust war. No i is at nowadays ignorant of the fact that the struggle inward Angola, Mozambique together with Republic of Guinea (Bissau) could have got already ended victoriously for the respective peoples were it non for the stuff together with other assist rendered to Portugal yesteryear the imperialists united inward the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. It is the USA of America, the Federal Republic of Germany, France, Great U.K. together with for certain other countries which sustain Portugal.

Yet some other danger, however, is appearing together with is already taking concrete shape inward for certain spheres - the intervention of the racist regime of South Africa - hated yesteryear all honest Africans for its violent oppression of the Non-White people of that country. The alliance betwixt these reactionaries together with those of Rhodesia with the Portuguese fascist authorities holds a real great danger for the people of Republic of Angola together with Mozambique. In South Africa at that spot is opened upward discussion, inward the press together with over the radio, of directly intervention inward Republic of Angola together with Mozambique against our peoples. Clearly, if that aggression takes place, the South African racists volition larn from their ain experience what the Portuguese already know. They volition have got many corpses to bury. They volition have got many families inward mourning, equally inward Portugal. They volition have got many vehicles destroyed together with many planes downed. And inward the destination they volition know the shame of defeat, because inward this state of war victory tin belong only to our peoples. That victory volition live the victory of our peoples together with of the whole world over the disgrace of colonialism. It is this that the arrogant South African racists volition learn, despite all their aggressiveness together with technical potential.

One of the most appropriate weapons to enable us to repel this danger is exactly the consolidation of our unity, extending it to other peoples who also endure from the same oppression. But, this unity must live completely costless from hostile influences - completely free!

Now, I volition address myself especially to many Angolan compatriots, to the comrades of our movement, our honey MPLA, together with to the combatants who, on diverse fronts, are giving the finest examples of courage, spirit of sacrifice together with dedication inward this hard war.

This state of war that is total of incidents - some of which are discouraging but the greater bulk of which are total of satisfying encouragement. The progress that has been made yesteryear our guerrillas is clear inward their putting into practise of the slogan of generalising the state of war throughout the national territory. When the Portuguese say that the guerrillas have got non yet reached the key regions of the country... .it way that the guerrillas are already there. Those who want to mislead the Portuguese people, blinding them to the truth, only autumn into ridicule, because the Portuguese population knows that the guerrillas are established inward the centre of the country, together with knows that real presently they volition hit the urban centers where, equally yet, at that spot are non military-type activities. We tin guarantee to the "Honorable" representatives of the colonial direction that they volition shortly experience to a greater extent than  the centre but also the South together with the North that volition know a menses of struggle, of much to a greater extent than difficulty together with of much to a greater extent than blood for the piteous colonialists.

It is non hard to unmask the liars of the colonial authorities inward Republic of Angola who are endeavouring to blindfold their settlers together with world populace opinion. On the i hand, they say that the guerrillas cannot advance, together with yet, on the other hand, inward the districts where at that spot is armed warfare, all the Angolan inhabitants are forcedly controlled yesteryear way of certificates of residence.

These certificates are compulsory equally much inward Moxico equally inward Bi, equally much inward Uige equally inward Malange; together with real shortly at that spot volition live decrees together with orders making these certificates compulsory inward Huila together with inward Mocamades, inward Cuanza Sul together with inward Huambo. The state of war volition live generalized.

They tell us that their armed forces are inward high morale; yet it is publically debated within the colonial regime whether the great merchants should give upward only their rings or must sacrifice also their fingers inward monastic enjoin to protect their property. There is opposition betwixt the military machine together with the civilians because, spell the military machine withdraw chances their precious lives, the masters of theft together with exploitation are involved inward accumulating property, inward luxurious carefree living, together with inward intoxicating themselves with inexpensive (or at times expensive) pleasures, inward monastic enjoin to forget the misery of the colonial war. The Portuguese soldier is cypher but cannon provender for the defence of the wealth of the masters of exploitation.

On the i hand,it is said that almost cypher exists inward Angola, that at that spot is peace; together with yet, on the other hand, they so fearfulness that the Angolan people volition back upward the guerrillas that they compel them to alive inward encampments closed to the barracks. There is no trust betwixt the Portuguese together with the Angolan population, together with at that spot are hundreds of men who leave of absence these encampments to go to alive inward the forests where they are already edifice a costless life nether the leadership of MPLA.

The desperation of the colonialists volition shortly live greater equally the technical resources of MPLA acquire to a greater extent than consummate together with greater inward volume. The scheme is continually broadening. The men are to a greater extent than clear inward guerrilla tactics together with have got to a greater extent than political experience. The morale of the Portuguese troops tin best live illustrated yesteryear the desperate outcry of that poor soldier (perhaps the boy of a peasant or of a worker) who, during the onset yesteryear our forces on Karipande Barracks, abandoned his shelter, weeping together with calling for his honey mother, total of fearfulness or remorse. Shame! Thus it is, almost always, that the courage together with conviction of the Portuguese soldier fighting inward Republic of Angola is expressed.

To all of them, to the cowards together with to the fanatics, nosotros say: at that spot is only i way to halt this shameful situation. That way is to recognize the correct of our people to independence; to abandon repression together with works life just relations betwixt our peoples -- the Angolan people together with the Portuguese people.

The Portuguese colonialists together with their allies have got spread to the 4 corners of the terra firma the rumour that the state of war inward Cabinda is paralyzed because American dollars have got had their effect upon MPLA. We want to brand it perfectly clear that, inward this war, it is neither MPLA nor the Angolan people who have got sold their colonies. It is the piteous Portuguese Government that has mortgaged together with sold their colonies together with fifty-fifty their ain country. It is the Portuguese fascists who are granting to a greater extent than together with to a greater extent than facilities to unusual investors, to the disadvantage of the Portguese people (this Portuguese people of glorious traditions) who gain cypher from the transactions.

Who exploits the iron-ore inward Angola? The Germans! Who exploits the petroleum? The Americans together with the Belgians! And to whom does the Benguela Railway belong? To the English! Who owns the Diamond Company? The Americans, the Belgians, the French together with the English! Who exploits the crude inward the district of Cabinda? The Americans! And inward the metropolitan terra firma itself, the Portuguese people know real well, despite the camouflaged forms of exploitation, that at that spot are parts of Portuguese territory that are non nether their control, that are mortgaged, parts where the Portuguese make non command, but obey the dollar: it is so inward the Azores, inward Beja together with inward a considerable constituent of the tourist industry...

 

Who is it, then, who is sold to foreigners inward monastic enjoin to live able to maintain with their shameful politics? It is only the Portuguese fascists. MPLA, the vanguard of the Angolan people, who create out honorably with arms inward hand, has non sold itself. We withdraw cypher inward central for our independence! Victory or death! Victory is certain!

If the musical rhythm of the struggle has slackened of late inward Cabinda, this is non due to whatsoever variety of compromise made yesteryear MPLA. It is due, on the i hand, to the necessity of generalizing the war, on which business organisation human relationship nosotros sent to other regions leaders together with political together with military machine cadres who, during a for certain period, had functioned only inward Cabinda. And it is due, on the other hand, to the activity of counter-revolutionaries, called the "Revolutionary Government of Republic of Angola inward Exile". They provided a adept agent for the enemy when they sent Alexander Taty, who, making occupation of tribalistic arguments, has placed himself at the service of the Portuguese.

 

Conference of Angolan leaders inward Mombasa, Kenya.: The 3 Angolan Liberation leaders (L to r) Dr. Agostinho Neto, Dr. Jonas Savimbi together with Holden Roberto milk shake hands nether the optic of Kenya's President Kenyatta at the conclusion of their unity talks stage at State House, Mombasa. Credit: Camerapix

In the same way, if it were non for the counter-revolutionaries inward the due north of Angola, the Portuguese would at nowadays live feeling the effects of guerrilla state of war non only inward Calomboloca together with Caxito, but inward the streets of Luanda. But now, fortunately, the counter-revolution is inward its death's agony. The collaborationists together with their colonialist patrons volition live smashed together.

There be today areas within our terra firma controlled yesteryear MPLA. In i of these areas the Headquarters of our motion is established.

At this juncture, I want to repeat the appeal to all Angolan nationals who are refugees inward neighbouring countries - inward Congo (Kinshasa), Congo (Brazzaville), Zambia, Republic of Botswana together with Southwest Africa - to homecoming to the areas controlled yesteryear MPLA, at that spot to brand their contribution to the struggle, to create out the enemy, to repopulate the territory.

Angolans must homecoming to Angola, to the areas controlled yesteryear MPLA together with at that spot alive a really costless life, within the hardships of struggle.

Students, men trained inward Universities or Technical schools must homecoming to the terra firma together with at that spot brand their contribution to the war. With regard to students it is necessary to seriously counter the opportunistic arguments that some pose forrad inward monastic enjoin to conceal their want non to participate inward the state of war together with piece of work with the people - to escape danger. They want to alive a adept life on unusual scholarships which they earn through the reputation won yesteryear the combatants inward our country.

I repeat the appeal to all men together with women who regain themselves inward the interior of our terra firma to redouble their activities, whether underground or inward the liberated zones. It is necessary that at that spot live no dot inward Republic of Angola where the Portuguese make non experience the effects of the war.

Groups together with committees of activity must live constituted where they don't yet exist, together with they must live pose into well-ordered action, destroying the economic scheme together with the resources that the Portuguese possess to pursue state of war together with maintain exploitation.

Our contribution has to live given non only for the liquidation of the colonial scheme but also for the liquidation of ignorance, illness together with primitive forms of social organization. It is inward the schools inward the literacy campaign; it is inward the clinics, inward the Centers of Revolutionary Instruction, inward agricultural together with industrial production, equally good equally inward commerce, that each Angolan must brand his contribution ... beneath the bombs that periodically autumn over the forests.

 

All sincere Angolan patriots have got to homecoming at nowadays to the interior of the country. They must live active.

Organizations of the masses, merchandise unions, organizations of youth, women together with others are at nowadays task their maiden off activities within the country. Institutions of medical assistance, educational activity together with commercial exchange, together with of cooperation inward labor are making their appearance inward the Liberated Zones.

It is, therefore, at nowadays that all Angolans must leave of absence those unusual lands inward monastic enjoin to homecoming to their terra firma together with at that spot piece of work for the victory of the revolution.

I volition non speak of those who necessarily autumn during the war. To these nosotros homecoming our sincere together with uncomplicated homage. The liberation of the fatherland necessitates blood and, maiden off together with foremost, the blood of our best sons.

We volition non weep over deaths. We volition follow the instance of their heroism together with their valor inward monastic enjoin to advance equally much equally possible together with with the greatest rapidity possible. Thus, make nosotros plow their heroism to the service of our people. We must maintain the action.

We should know how to turn a profit from all elements at our disposal inward monastic enjoin to throw the Portuguese colonialists into the sea.

Comrades: VICTORY IS CERTAIN! Comrades: victory is certain!

[Lusaka, 1970]

Speech delivered to the 3rd Conference of Non-aligned Countries:

Working Together inward Defense of Justice.

"The African liberation movements are witting that they are defending inward their countries the mutual cause of humanity".

Mr. Chairman,

Comrades inward Struggle,

It is for me a real great pleasance to address the distinguished Heads of State together with Government at this Third Conference of Non-Aligned Countries, to fulfill the job entrusted to me yesteryear the representatives of the authentic African national liberation movements: the African National Congress of South Africa (ANC), the Republic of Zimbabwe African People's Union (ZAPU), the South West African People's Organisation of Namibia (SWAPO), the Mozambique Liberation Front (FRELIMO), the People's Movement for the Liberation of Republic of Angola (MPLA), the African Independence Party of Guin6 together with Republic of Cape Verde (PAIGC), the National Liberation Front of the somali Coast (FLCS), together with the National Liberation Front of the Comores (MOLINACO). This chance to province our opinions together with depict the conditions inward our countries nosotros consider a tribute to the heroic struggle of our peoples for independence, republic together with peace. Further, nosotros deem it a just appreciation of our spot inward the world today on the constituent of the non-aligned countries gathered hither inward Lusaka.

Clearly the major concern of the distinguished delegates assembled hither is the job of decolonization together with the liquidation of racial oppression.

We believe that the feature of this historical menses is the confrontation of irreconcilable forces. On i side are the forces fighting inward defence of the peace, independence together with liberty of their peoples; on the other side are the forces trying to neutralise this historic procedure leading to liberty together with social progress, i.e. the forces of colonialism, imperialism, together with racism.

 

The problems arising from this confrontation are extremely acute, equally much inward Africa equally inward Asia together with other continents.

The province of affairs inward Southeast Asia, especially inward Indochina, where the heroic resistance of the Vietnamese people against US aggression stands out with vigor together with beauty, equally good equally the struggle of the peoples of Kingdom of Cambodia together with Lao People's Democratic Republic together with also Korea, the struggle of the Palestinian people together with all Arab peoples against

Israel's aggression,the struggle of the Latin American peoples against regimes submissive to American imperialism, together with also the demands of the Afro-American population, often drowned inward blood, are all expressions of this confrontation.

On our continent nosotros are openly resisting colonialism together with racism. The armed struggle of the peoples inward the Portuguese colonies is constantly advancing. Facing the most anachronistic type of colonialism, the patriotic liberation forces are steadily extending their zones of influence: inward Guin6 (Bissau) to a greater extent than than twothirds of the terra firma is nether the PAIGC's effective control; inward Mozambique the districts of Niassa together with Cabo Delgado, to a greater extent than than a 5th of the territory, are nether FRELIMO's control; together with inward Republic of Angola the MPLA controls to a greater extent than than a tertiary of the total area.

In Namibia SWAPO is developing sustained activity for the reconquest of rights usurped from its people. In Republic of Zimbabwe the ANC together with ZAPU have got joined together their liberation operations. South Africa's racist forces, however, have got intervened to counter this co-operation.

And for obvious reasons this real same South Africa is becoming to a greater extent than together with to a greater extent than involved inward the colonial state of war inward Republic of Angola together with Mozambique, providing the Lisbon authorities with economic, technical together with military machine aid.

However,this has non prevented our peoples from edifice an independent life inward the liberated areas of the Portuguese colonies yesteryear way of the organisation of defense, production, educational activity together with medical care. Moreover, at no fourth dimension have got the peoples of South Africa, Republic of Zimbabwe together with Namibia ceased to create out yesteryear all possible way for the liquidation of the violent racial together with economical oppression of a minority which does non conceal its expansionist aims.

The non-aligned countries are perfectly aware of this province of affairs together with they back upward our struggle. Their statements hither have got assured us that nosotros are indeed working together inward defence of justice.

However, the Portuguese colonialists have got non yet been disarmed. The racist minority regimes have got non yet been defeated. Our activity must so live sustained.

Since most countries inward the world are on our side, the African liberation movements are witting that they are defending inward their countries the mutual cause of humanity. Ours is a mutual fight. And our solidarity - on the Guinea, Republic of Angola together with Mozambique fronts, inward the struggle of the peoples of South Africa, Zimbabwe, Namibia, the somali Coast together with the Comore Islands also helps sustain the stability together with safety of the already independent African countries. I should similar together with then to stress a few factors which mightiness live of assist inward to a greater extent than effectively advancing this mutual struggle for the independence of our peoples, their liberty together with progress.

Our stuff needs are well-known. Essentially they relate to funds, military machine equipment, carry facilities together with the necessities for reconstruction inward the liberated areas.

There is a scandalous disproportion betwixt the fiscal way of the enemy nosotros are facing inward Southern Africa (Portugal, South Africa together with Rhodesia) together with those of the liberation movements. Our inferiority inward damage of military machine equipment is flagrant. Despite this, however, effective command of the liberated areas together with the steady expansion of combat fronts are clear proof of the determination together with firmness with which nosotros are fighting to win or pop off for our countries, our peoples, our independence together with dignity.

For our mutual cause, for our freedom, nosotros appeal to the countries represented hither for concrete assist inward arms together with funds to come across our most pressing stuff needs.

The armed struggle nosotros are waging does non allow us to go from conference to conference, from terra firma to country, without precise objectives. War is non compatible with the oratorical slowness of eloquent speeches or with the fourth dimension bureaucratically intervening betwixt intention together with decision, betwixt conclusion together with implementation. War is something immediate. Its needs are immediate together with practical. Therefore, immediate activity is required. We so repeat our appeal for immediate activity from the non-aligned countries.

We think it appropriate at this Conference of Non-Aligned Countries to recall the want expressed yesteryear the eminent Heads of State together with Government that i should non confine oneself to resolutions. We seem from Your Excellencies concrete solidarity according to the actual possibilities of each country.

We hail the Conference's conclusion to have inward this hall together with withdraw heed the delegation of the Provisional Revolutionary Government of South Vietnam. The PRG of South Vietnam is the genuine seem of the people of South Vietnam; that its vocalization should live heard here, inward full, is for us all both a requirement together with an honor.

We hail the Cambodian Government led yesteryear Prince Norodim Sihanouk,which is the truthful authorities of the Cambodian people together with which adheres to the principles together with political positions inward defence of which nosotros are assembled here.

As regards the African national liberation movements which are acting consistently for our liberation, which command regions of our territories together with which have got pop back upward inward each of our countries, they are entitled to the recognition of their legal personalities inward the community of nations.

This is the pregnant of the recommendations of the Rome Conference inward Solidarity with the struggles led yesteryear FRELIMO inward Mozambique, MPLA inward Republic of Angola together with the PAIGC inward Guine (Bissau), recognized yesteryear 177 delegations from 64 countries equally the truthful representatives of the peoples they are leading inward their armed struggles for independence together with national reconstruction.

By receiving leaders of the liberation movements of these 3 countries to limited to them the Catholic Church's back upward for the peoples silent suffering colonial domination together with racial oppression, his Holiness Pope Paul VI made the resolution of the Rome Conference to a greater extent than universal.

The recognition of the authentic liberation movements yesteryear each of the non-aligned countries equally the truthful together with legitimate representatives of their peoples, with all that this implies, notably the potency to live heard on matters concerning their ain countries,would, then, live a uncomplicated human activity of justice.

This mental attitude should together with then live taken to the United Nations, where, equally at this Conference, the illegality of the Portuguese presence inward our countries should live declared together with the Security Council forced to implement to the missive of the alphabet Articles 41 together with 42 of the United Nations Charter. Since the colonialist together with fascist Portuguese regime is persisting inward its refusal to comply with the General Assembly's decision, it should live expelled from all United Nations bodies together with specialized agencies. Such measures should also live taken against the racist minority regimes of South Africa together with Rhodesia.

We think also that the liberation movements which are leading the struggle inward each terra firma should live nowadays inward the UN's specialized agencies. The vast areas nether the command of the liberation movements should bask a status which would permit them bilateral contact together with co-operation with independent countries, inward the same way equally exists for the developing countries of our continent. Indeed, at that spot already exists a novel national potency inward the countries partially occupied yesteryear the Portuguese colonialists.

We would similar also to suggest to Your Excellencies, inward connective with the commemoration of the 25th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations together with of the 10^th anniversary of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries together with Peoples, that a special session of the General Assembly live devoted to the national liberation movements, inward monastic enjoin that their legitimate representatives may address the representatives of all the world's peoples. And the UN, which has already recognized our correct to independence, should at nowadays live able to grant us stuff assist equally well.

We consider that the non-aligned countries assembled inward this Conference - because they are concerned with the fate of our peoples - could also withdraw a positive stand upward against the imperialist powers which are giving massive assist to the colonialist regimes of Portugal, South Africa together with Rhodesia, the imperialist forces of the USA of America, Federal Germany, Britain, France, Belgium, Italy, Nippon together with many other nations.

The non-aligned countries must brand these countries recognize that it is cheers to their complicity that colonial domination is beingness maintained inward Southern Africa; they must persuade them to alter completely their attitude, already unanimously condemned yesteryear world opinion.

We should so similar to suggest that this Conference back upward together with withdraw on its ain business organisation human relationship the conclusion taken yesteryear the OAU to shipping delegations to countries which are giving their back upward to the colonialist together with racist regimes of Portugal, South Africa together with Rhodesia, inward monastic enjoin to dissuade them from collaborating inward the slaughter of our people.

On behalf of the Africa Liberation Movements, of which I have got the honor to live the spokesman at this Conference, I limited our heartiest thanks.

[MPLA was founded inward December, 1956]

Commemorating the 15th Anniversary of MPLA

COMPATRIOTS! COMRADES!

Today our Movement is completing 15 years of life, a life of continuous action, of constant growth together with victories.

Our People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola,the heroic vanguard of the fighting Angolan people, has been successfully leading the armed struggle for national liberation for to a greater extent than than 10 years, winning for the Angolan people non only liberty inward a constituent of our national territory, but also the abide by together with esteem of other peoples. We have got established novel together with to a greater extent than just relations at the international level, affirming inward a today uncontested way our political personality inward the world, quite distinct from that of Portugal. We are together with ever shall live Angolans. Never Portuguese.

The founding of the People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola, marked yesteryear the publication inward Luanda of the Political Manifesto of 10 Dec 1956, signaled an historic alter inward our people's mental attitude towards colonialism, expressing the Angolan people's deepseated want to struggle for independence. Four years later, on 4 Feb 1961, the armed struggle of resistance against shameful slavery, for liberty together with democracy, was launched.

These are silent our objectives: nosotros are struggling for national independence together with democracy.

It required several years of hush-hush work, using diverse forms of action, to mobilise the most witting constituent of the Angolan nation together with to go over to opened upward confrontation with the Portuguese occupiers.

After xv years' experience of revolutionary struggle, our Movement prides itself on having built itself upward from North to South, embracing all classes together with social strata inward fraternal unity inward the struggle for independence together with dignity.

Guerrilla state of war continues to inflict important losses on the enemy, both inward lives together with equipment. Military activity inward Cabinda, Cuanza-Norte, Luanda, Moxico, Cuando-Cubango, Lunda together with Bi' is increasingly discouraging the colonialist generals, who think of themselves equally great strategists - though they are inward fact specialists inward retreating. But their genocidal acts, cruelty together with savagery cannot halt the advance of our Movement's military machine units inward the field.

Since 1961, the enemy, Portuguese colonialism together with some of its allies, have got never ceased to holler inward despair either that the state of war has ended or that the corpses carried away yesteryear helicopter are a outcome of operations yesteryear little groups infiltrated inward from following countries.

Even now, when cannon shells are destroying their barracks inward the East together with when they are beingness forced to withdraw their troops, the Portuguese generals maintain just equally insolently together with shamelessly to essay to have got it believed that Republic of Angola is actually at peace. They have got fifty-fifty laid upward "villages of peace", where at that spot reigns only the peace of cemeteries or prisons.

But the soldier, the trader, the farmer, the truckdriver together with the administrative official know perfectly good that Republic of Angola is at state of war together with that it is a state of war which volition destination only with the victory of the Angolan people.

It is non hard to sympathize the embarrassing province of affairs inward which the Portuguese rulers at nowadays regain themselves. They are at nowadays threatening each other inward Lisbon because they make non know how to intermission with the Salazarist line together with brand a graceful entry into the democratic era which the Portuguese people are demanding ever to a greater extent than forcibly.

The fascist rulers inward Lisbon were non able to solve the colonial problem, but they silent believe that yesteryear evading it they volition succeed inward effacing from the hearts of Angolan patriots the indomitable volition to live independent.

The Lisbon fascists were non able to solve the job inward 1961 together with state of war started inward Angola. They were non able to solve it inward 1963 together with state of war broke out inward GuinE. They did non want to human face facts inward 1964 together with that twelvemonth armed struggle began inward Mozambique. Since 1928 the Portuguese fascists have got failed to sympathize that the Portuguese people must live freed from PIDE oppression together with misery inward Portugal itself, together with that the Portuguese people's nowadays demand for an destination to the colonial era must live met. And today they are confronting the violence of Armed Revolutionary Action.

Today they are having to create out on 4 fronts for only i argue - colonialism.

Such is the "peace" the colonialists together with fascists verbalise nearly so much.

In our terra firma the People's Movement for the Liberation of Republic of Angola has gone from little to large, from weak to strong, together with its strength volition constantly grow.

The attending together with prestige nosotros have got throughout the world today is great. This development is clear proof of the fact that, determined together with firm, the Angolan people are invincible.

Therefore, the Portuguese authorities cannot ignore the Angolan people's volition or the volition of the Portuguese people. Both want an destination to the colonial state of war together with a solution which volition satisfy our aspirations. In Republic of Angola nosotros want the destination of exploitation together with oppression. We want Independence together with Democracy.

Our political programme clearly indicates that the MPLA is opening the way to wide together with genuine cooperation betwixt men of unlike races. We are non against the white human simply because he is white. We are against racist together with colonialist whites.

For us independence does non hateful eliminating the white human from our country. It does non hateful the appropriation of honestly acquired property. What it does hateful is that political powerfulness must live inward the hands of our people. Our country's economic scheme must live controlled yesteryear our people together with made to serve a costless together with progressive life.

There are at nowadays serious contradictions betwixt the settlers inward Republic of Angola together with the colonial administration. These contradictions volition sharpen. They volition live transformed into opened upward conflict i time the interests of the settlers are increasingly subordinated to the government's state of war policy.

But why this war? What is this state of war for? To mortgage Republic of Angola off to unusual countries? To brand the farmer together with trader pay to a greater extent than taxes? To oblige the landowner to maintain a military machine unit of measurement of soldiers who are mostly demoralised? To brand it impossible for anyone to say what he thinks nearly the problems of his terra firma without beingness bothered yesteryear the PIDE?

What is this state of war for? In the call of what is it beingness waged? Portugal's prestige? For the defence of the West? For economical reasons?

If it is none of these reasons, together with then what is this state of war for? Why murder Angolan people, old people, children together with women, destroying crops with herbicides together with committing the greatest atrocities?

Is it inward monastic enjoin to manus Republic of Angola over to South Africa or the USA of America?

There is no way out of this province of affairs apart from recognizing our people's correct to Independence. Without such recognition, without the Portuguese authorities handing over powerfulness to the genuine representatives of the Angolan people, at that spot volition live no peace, no break for whatsoever Portuguese inward Angola.

It would live adept if the settlers were to sympathize that it is non inward their interests to throw themselves into the arms of South Africa, the United States, French Republic or Federal Germany. In this event, they would live equally colonised together with exploited equally us.

Neto together with Eugenia Marie

Their interests tin only live protected through the establishment of just relations with the Angolan people, yesteryear their recognising that our want for independence is just together with yesteryear respecting our correct to determine our ain affairs. Today everyone is suffering because of the war, because of Lisbon's disastrous policy of repression.

The armed forces of the People's Movement for the Liberation of Republic of Angola are increasing their capacity from twenty-four hr menses to day. Conscious of the province of affairs nosotros are at nowadays passing through, they volition neither retreat nor be

fooled yesteryear the simulated "peace" the colonialists are offering inward the villages.

We volition non withdraw whatsoever variety of autonomy equally a solution, nor the honorary titles on which some Portuguese rulers appear to live banking at present. No solution tin live found for Republic of Angola without the concrete participation together with understanding of the MPLA.

So long equally shells have got non yet started to explode inward the large towns, so long equally commercial firms, banks together with vehicles have got non started to blow upward inward the urban centres, so long equally the soldier silent knows where the nurture is, this is the fourth dimension to safeguard lives together with property.

 

Agostinho Neto, Samora Machel & Julius Nyerere

COMPATRIOTS, COMRADES,

With dedication together with the spirit of self-sacrifice, MPLA militants are ever to a greater extent than effectively fighting the colonialist barbarian who has been exploiting us for centuries.

But nosotros silent have got a long route to go together with nosotros are prepared to endure a protracted war.

We have got entered a novel stage of our national liberation struggle.

We effectively command a vast constituent of our territory, where it is hard for commandos or special troops to penetrate or operate on the ground. Whenever they essay to leave of absence their barracks, the enemy endure heavy losses.

In the areas nether our Movement's command nosotros have got organised our people's independent life, establishing uncomplicated forms of people's powerfulness together with organising schools together with medical care.

The colonialists' law-breaking of using chemic agents on our crops has non lessened our production efforts.

Support from abroad is an of import factor inward our struggle. In recent years international back upward for our people's struggle has acquire increasingly broadbased. Practising an independent policy, our Movement is non subordinated to the policy of whatsoever other terra firma or bloc of countries. Because of this line nosotros are today able to maintain friendly relations with unlike countries inward the world, both socialist together with capitalist. One of the principles guiding our relations with other countries together with political organisations is that each abide by the other's independence together with correct to follow the route suited to the defence of the interests of their respective peoples.

Hence, maintaining friendly relations with the Soviet Union, China, Yugoslavia, Sweden or Kingdom of the Netherlands does non hateful that nosotros mechanically follow the policy or ideology of whatsoever i of them, fifty-fifty if their experiences are useful to us. In whatsoever case, the elbow grease mounted yesteryear the enemy together with their lackeys claiming that the MPLA is a communist organisation, sometimes linking it with the Soviet Union together with at other times with China,can only live seen equally propaganda intended to fool our people. What is for certain is that Portugal is becoming increasingly isolated politically.

The MPLA is a progressive movement, for it is closely linked with the interests of the Angolan people, which it defends with vigor together with courage, fifty-fifty demanding of its militants heroic sacrifices inward armed combat. At the same time, the MPLA is authentically African inward that it is defending the frontiers of liberty inward Africa inward closed cooperation with other African peoples.

Yet the enemy are silent inward our terra firma together with are treacherously hatching intrigues, bribing or attempting to bribe neighbouring countries together with manoeuvring politically to rest inward Angola. For this reason, our create out must live continuous together with increasingly vigorous.

All Angolans united, nosotros must create out Portuguese colonialism. We must bargain it blows from all sides, together with carry out ever to a greater extent than action. There tin live no liberty without independence together with no independence without struggle.

The proposals on autonomy are of no occupation to us. Modifications inward the administrative construction together with novel methods of production together with distribution of stuff goods are only palliatives which solve nothing.

The advertisement of Angolans to higher posts inward the colonial administration, increased salaries together with the introduction of higher educational activity are only consequences of the war. The enemy are trying to give the impression that they are introducing measures for the progress of our people. But these measures have got been taken only because the enemy tin experience the tips of our bayonets at their throats. That is all.

The rural reorganisation campaigns are intended only to officeholder together with command the Angolan people to forestall them from contacting the guerrillas.

Indeed, most of the colonialists' actions are governed yesteryear fear. Everything is done for propaganda purposes together with to demobilise the people. For example, they opened upward schools together with universities, but they straightaway persecute, arrest, deport together with murder Angolan students who dare to enroll inward these schools.

All this is comprehensible if nosotros consider that since 1482 Portugal has never been interested inward the progress of the Angolan people. What did involvement it was stealing terra firma together with using our resources for itself. It was greed for stuff wealth that gave ascent to colonialism.

How tin a terra firma similar Portugal (where inward a unmarried night, according to the daily "0 SECULO", they had to arrest to a greater extent than than 200 vagrants together with prostitutes inward Lisbon's Barrio Alto neighbourhood) live interested inward the progress of the Angolan people?

How tin a authorities which keeps its people inward misery, inward degrading subjugation, together with which denies its citizens the correct to pick out the variety of authorities they want, live concerned nearly the progress of the Angolan people?

COMPATRIOTS, COMRADES,

We must costless ourselves from colonialism. All Angolans must unite or so the MPLA. There are no hatreds betwixt us which tin brand us forget the enemy. All those who experience the patriotic want to liberate our terra firma tin bring together the MPLA, which volition give them weapons together with brand fighters of them.

A few compatriots are allowing themselves to go along with reactionary together with counter-revolutionary currents, which, subordinated to imperialism but nether the comprehend of to a greater extent than or less progressive watchwords, are only delaying our victory.

The MPLA is prepared to withdraw inward its ranks all those who acknowledge the mistakes they have got made. They volition live good received.

The 15 years of our Movement's activity have got taught us to adopt a policy of clemency, fifty-fifty towards captured soldiers or those who come upward of their ain costless volition to enquire for the MPLA's protection. The MPLA volition give those who leave of absence the unjust state of war the necessary facilities to works life novel conditions of life.

The people inward the Angolan district of Cabinda have got already realised the error they were nearly to brand yesteryear accepting the Portuguese government's wily proposals. Alexandre Taty, Nzita Tiago together with other traitors who silent held illusions ruined themselves through their opportunism.

Now that they fully sympathize Portugal's objectives, all the people inward Cabinda district must ascent upward to a human together with organise themselves within the MPLA, arms inward hand, to create out against the abuses, the corruption together with the exploitation of the colonialists.

The MPLA has sufficient weapons to arm every man, it has an ideology together with a policy for the liberation of the country. It actually is our people's only leading force.

COMRADES,

Let us strengthen our activity on every front. Let us organise novel groups of the Movement together with go into action, fifty-fifty without succeeding inward making contact with the leadership of the MPLA.

Many MPLA groups paralyse their activity for lack of contact with the leadership. They are eternally waiting for directives.

But it is piece of cake to acquire inward at directives yesteryear analysing the concrete conditions on the spot. Political mobilisation, either through personal contact or through leaflets, contributions inward money together with variety for the guerrilla state of war together with other higher forms of activity are permanent directives which must live pose into practice.

Everywhere activity is needed. In the offices together with inward the factories, inward the barracks together with inward the neighbourhoods, inward the mines, inward the villages together with towns.

The route to our independence is beingness travelled over the blood of the most honey sons of our people. The dedication together with heroism of our militants is a decisive factor for the outcome of this struggle. And despite the machinations of the enemy, our people volition triumph.

On this historic engagement when nosotros are celebrating the 15th anniversary of the founding of our Movement, nosotros are happy to affirm that at that spot are no cannon, helicopters or defoliants capable of shaking our people's will. Colonialism volition live defeated. An era of cooperation betwixt all volition live achieved.

OUR VICTORY IS CERTAIN!

Agostinho Neto forged non only a consciousness, but the musical instrument of the struggle…Fidel

Posted on September 17, 2013

91st anniversary of the nativity of Agostinho Neto

António Agostinho Neto was born on September 17, 1922.  He served equally the maiden off President of Republic of Angola (1975–1979), after having led the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Republic of Angola (MPLA) inward the state of war for independence (1961 – 1974). Until his death, he Pb the MPLA inward the civil war(1975-2002). His birthday is celebrated equally National Heroes Day, a populace vacation inward Angola.

Source:  Granma International

Fidel y Neto (2)On September 10, 1979, xxx years ago, the noble pump of Antonio Agostinho Neto ceased beating. We received the word from a tearful Kundy Paihama, who was leading the Angolan delegation to the sixth Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement, which had concluded inward Havana the previous day. Fidel, Raúl, Almeida, together with President Samora Machel of Mozambique who, at that moment, was talking with us nearly the historic event, were filled with profound dismay.

Dedicated to the liberation of his terra firma from colonial oppression

Seven days later, on September 17, Neto would have got turned 57 years old. His was a life of passion, heroism, together with intelligence dedicated to the liberation of his terra firma from colonial oppression together with the edifice of a just guild for all Angolans, which would also live a bulwark of solidarity for the sis nations who were victims of the shameful apartheid regime — Zimbabwe, Namibia together with South Africa.

Antonio Agostinho Neto was an independence fighter, a poet, doctor, guerrilla together with statesman, inward that order.

For a immature human inward a colonialized African country, where the overwhelming bulk of the people were illiterate, it was hard to have got access to secondary education. Neto, the boy of a Protestant pastor begetter together with a instructor mother, was able to destination secondary schoolhouse together with went to piece of work inward Luanda equally a wellness services assistant. His dream was to live a doctor.

During those years, he began to stand upward out equally a figure inward the cultural motion that grew swiftly inward the 1940s nether the motto of “Let’s larn nearly Angola.”

A dream of independence for Angola

For several years he saved upward his money, together with at the historic menses of 25, inward 1947, left for Portugal together with enrolled inward the Faculty of Medicine of the ancient University of Coimbra.

A scholarship from the U.S. Methodist Church for the pastor’s boy helped Neto, after his 2d twelvemonth of living inward Portugal, to go inward the metropolis together with maintain his dream of becoming a doctor.

But other, fifty-fifty stronger dreams illuminated Agostinho’s life: the independence of his homeland together with saving the world from some other world war.

After becoming involved inward political activity, he was imprisoned for the maiden off time, for 3 months, after beingness arrested inward 1952 collecting signatures supporting the Stockholm Appeal for World Peace.To advocate world peace was a law-breaking nether the Portuguese fascist colonial regime, with its closed ties to the USA together with Britain, which were on a novel crusade against the USSR together with the pop democracies of Europe together with Asia.

Amilcar Cabral, Lucio Lara together with Marcelino dos Santos

That maiden off fourth dimension inward prison theater did non defeat Neto. He helped create institutions to convey together people living inward Portugal who were from its colonies: the African Maritime Club, the Portuguese House of Africa, the Center for African Studies. It was during that fourth dimension that he became friends with Amílcar Cabral, an agronomy student, equally good equally Lucio Lara, Marcelino dos Santos together with Mario Andrade.

Neto’s ideas went beyond the independence movement: he joined the Portuguese Communist Party.

Statue of Agostinho Neto inward Huambo, Angola

Solidarity with Latin America

The quaternary World Festival of Youth together with Students for Peace together with Friendship took identify inward Bucharest, Romania, from belatedly July to early on August of 1953, together with at that spot I had the privilege of beingness the maiden off Cuban to come across Agostinho Neto. I was 23 years old together with he was 30.

An outstanding medical student, he had traveled secretly to Romania to stand upward for the Portuguese colonies equally constituent of the Portuguese delegation. But instead of staying with the European delegates, he preferred to live with the Latin Americans, specifically the Brazilians, together with somebody had told him that I could facilitate his transfer from i expanse to the other.

Neto was the maiden off Angolan I had come upward across inward my life. All I knew nearly his terra firma was its name, together with that it was a Portuguese colony inward Africa. He knew to a greater extent than nearly Cuba. He remembered the verse of Nicolás Guillén, whom I admired equally the highest vocalization of dark verse inward the world.

The Liberation Front of Mozambique, FRELIMO

Marcelino dos Santos, who with Modlane together with Samora Machel founded the Liberation Front of Mozambique — FRELIMO — was also constituent of the delegation of democratic youth from Portugal together with its colonies.

Neto talked to me nearly the Angolan people’s desires for liberation. I talked to him nearly our struggles, nearly the assail on the Moncada Garrison, which had taken identify a few days earlier, at a dot when nosotros silent didn’t know the fate of the leader of that heroic action, Fidel Castro, or of his blood brother Raúl, who was i of the signatories to the telephone call upward for the World Festival inward which nosotros were taking part. We asked all of the national delegations to bring together inward the elbow grease initiated yesteryear the World Federation of Democratic Youth (WFDY): “Save the lives of Fidel Castro together with his comrades!”

I ran into Neto i time again inward Vienna inward Dec 1954. I had left Republic of Guatemala after many months inward that Central American nation. After the imperialist coup against the democratic authorities of President Jacobo Arbenz, together with having fought inward the underground against Castillo Armas, the vicious leader imposed yesteryear the United States, I managed to leave of absence the terra firma inward September together with rejoined the WFDY inward Europe.

Political prisoner of the year

The WFDY was preparing an International Conference of Rural Youth. Agostinho Neto attended that trial inward belatedly 1954.

A few weeks later, on Feb 9, 1955, Neto was arrested yesteryear the fearsome PIDE, the Portuguese political police. It was a fell incarceration of to a greater extent than than ii years. Neto had already published his maiden off collection of poetry.

Internationally-known intellectuals spoke out for the liberty of the anti-colonialist together with anti-fascist fighter: Jean Paul Sartre, André Mauriac, Aragón, Simone de Beauvoir, Nicolás Guillén, Diego Rivera, together with others.

In 1957, Amnesty International declared him “political prisoner of the year.”

A physician amidst the poor together with leader of MPLA

The regime felt obliged to mount a legal farce. The courtroom that tried him sentenced him to xviii months inward prison, fifty-fifty though he already had been behind bars for 28 months together with 3 days.

In Oct 1958, at the University of Lisbon, he finished his medical studies together with married María Eugenia, his companion until expiry together with woman parent of his 3 children.

After working equally a gynecologist inward a Lisbon infirmary for a small time, he returned to Republic of Angola inward 1959, where he worked equally a physician amidst the poor, especially women, together with at the same fourth dimension assumed the leadership of the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Republic of Angola (MPLA), founded inward Luanda inward 1956.

Jailed for a tertiary time

In June 1960, he was jailed for the tertiary time. The local PIDE (secret police) main personally arrested him inward his Luanda medical office. Sent to prison theater inward Lisbon, he was subsequently confined to the isle of Sao Antón, together with and then Santiago Island, both constituent of the Republic of Cape Verde archipelago. He continued practicing medicine amidst the people of Republic of Cape Verde together with his comrades, patriots from diverse Portuguese colonies who were exiled there.

Once again, a elbow grease was built to costless Agostinho Neto, honorary president of the MPLA, together with the Portuguese authorities were forced to release him inward 1962, ordering him to alive inward Portugal.

The MPLA together with the Portuguese anti-fascists devised an escape plan. Neto left Portugal with his married adult woman together with little children, together with after a hazardous journey, arrived inward the working capital missive of the alphabet of Congo Leopoldville (present-day Kinshasa), where the MPLA together with then had its headquarters exterior of Angola.

In Dec of that year, Neto was elected MPLA president at the organization’s national conference.

Neto receives Che together with requests Cuban assistance 

In 1963, the MPLA headquarters was transferred from Kinshasa, where the authorities had acquire a yanki-Belgian instrument, to Brazzaville, working capital missive of the alphabet of the quondam French Congo, where a progressive authorities was inward power, presided over yesteryear Massemba Debat.

In belatedly August 1965, 11 years after nosotros saw each other inward Vienna, I met upward with Agostinho Neto again, this fourth dimension inward Africa, inward the Congo.

Earlier that year, inward January, at the MPLA headquarters inward Brazzaville, Neto had received Comandante Ernesto Che Guevara, who was on a tour of Africa. One hundred days later, Che returned to Africa, this fourth dimension equally commander of Column One, to bring together upward with Lumumba’s forces inward the eastern part of the quondam Belgian Congo.

Neto’s asking to Che for half-dozen Cuban instructors to develop together with create out with the MPLA guerrilla forces on the Cabinda Front was met inward May, when Captain Rafael Moracén together with 5 other compañeros traveled from Havana together with joined the Angolan combatants.

Six Cuban instructors

I arrived inward Brazzaville together with straightaway went to reckon him at the MPLA headquarters. I was no longer talking equally an organizer of festivals together with international congresses, but equally main of Cuba’s internationalist mission, the Patricio Lumumba Battalion, Che’s Second Front inward the Congo Basin, together with it was with an illustrious interlocutor, the president of the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola.

The main dot on my agenda was Cabinda, where the half-dozen Cuban instructors were carrying out their work. We exchanged opinions on the subject, but I presently realized that his key concern was non focused on Cabinda.

“Nambuangongo,” he said, pausing together with then, to a greater extent than forcefully, repeated the word, which has the sonority of an African drum. On a large map of Republic of Angola roofing i foursquare meter of the wall, he showed me the Dembos mount range. Nambuangongo, relatively closed to Luanda. He was deeply distressed over the fate of combatants inward that maiden off political/military region, who were facing many thousands of colonial soldiers.

Portugal’s occupation of defoliant

Portugal had bombarded the expanse with defoliant, the same chemic the yankis subsequently used inward Vietnam.

Neto was obsessed with sending reinforcements to the First Front. Later, he talked to me nearly the possibility of opening a Third Front inward eastern Angola, for which collaboration was beingness negotiated with newly-independent Zambia. I understood his strategic idea, together with that the Cabinda Front was principally a polygon with a existent enemy for grooming cadres via the guerrilla life together with small-scale combat.

The thought of grooming together with sending columns to the First Region became stronger after Operation Macaco inward Cabinda, implemented inward belatedly Dec yesteryear articulation Angolan/Cuban forces that did non hit their specific goal of attacking a Portuguese garrison, but which turned out to live a grand rehearsal yesteryear a unit of measurement of to a greater extent than than 100 men operating equally such.

Fidel together with Neto

The conversation inward Havana betwixt Fidel together with Neto, accompanied yesteryear Hoyi Ya Henda, during the Tricontinental Conference inward Jan 1966 revolved exactly or so our collaboration inward these strategic ideas.

In mid-July, a column of 100 combatants was cook to reinforce the First Region. It was Neto ‘s conclusion that that elite unit, called upon to execute such a hard mission, should carry the call of our hero Camilo Cienfuegos.

The column honored his glorious name. It secretly entered Congo Leopoldville. It formed equally an armed column on that country’s border with Angola, together with after a 35-day march, evading the enemy, reached the First Region. It was the maiden off fourth dimension I recollect seeing Neto laugh. His smile, with his large teeth, lit upward his human face months subsequently when he received the word of the Cienfuegos team together with its successful march.

Two novel columns, the Kamy together with the Ferraz Bomboko, took off for the same destination, the interior of Angola, although with unlike fates. We are non going to tell the whole story, but both contributed to taking forrad the struggle inward Angola’s interior, inward the due north together with inward the east. Two together with a one-half years after our maiden off coming together inward Brazzaville, Neo’s strategic ideas were becoming a reality.

Neto’s victorious smile

For years, I preserved the retentiveness of seeing Neto with that victorious smile. We would come across i time again inward Luanda, nine years later, inward early on Dec of 1975.

I had the privilege of collaborating closely inward Republic of Angola with President Neto for 3 together with a one-half years. The to a greater extent than I dealt with him, the to a greater extent than I admired his spot of principles, his revolutionary ideas, together with his unshakeable identification with the cause of justice, liberty together with socialism. On May 1, 1979, I returned from my long residence inward Republic of Angola equally representative of the leadership of our Party together with main of our civilian mission.

Four together with a one-half months later, nosotros suffered his loss.

Neto, an extraordinary human …Fidel 

His verse speaks of the demand to battle, to dream, to create out for independence, together with the demand to create out for a novel Angola, to re-conquer the Angolan identity despite the presence of the colonizers.

Allow me to offering this vivid biographical portrait of Agostinho Neto, inward remarks made inward his presence yesteryear Fidel, during the 26th of July rally of 1976 inward the metropolis of Pinar del Río:

“And nosotros have got hither a human who also devoted his whole life to the elbow grease of liberating his homeland, who was forced to human face upward enormous difficulties. In monastic enjoin to brand the ii situations to a greater extent than similar, Neto is also a human of extraordinary culture, of great intellectual capacity together with an extraordinary poet, who devoted his life together with his pen to his people, to his brothers together with sisters, discriminated against together with enslaved, to forging the political consciousness of the Angolans.

“And similar Martí, he wrote many of his best works together with his best poems inward the suffering of imprisonment, of exile together with of the enslavement of his brothers together with sisters. Martí together with Neto have got been forgers of the homeland.

“Not only did he forge a consciousness, he also forged, similar Martí, the musical instrument of the struggle together with charted a line, a route — the only route inward Angola, similar yesterday inward Republic of Cuba — for achieving independence, which was the heroic struggle of the people, the armed struggle of the people. And for many years, he has led that struggle. Neto is also i of the most modest, noble together with honest men I have got ever known.”

I would similar to destination my evocation of the honey figure of Agostinho Neto yesteryear reaffirming what General of the Army Raúl Castro stated inward Luanda, inward Feb of this year, at the start of official talks with President José Eduardo dos Santos of the Republic of Angola:

“The historic fraternity betwixt Republic of Cuba together with Republic of Angola is indestructible. It was forged inward our mutual struggle against colonialism together with apartheid, nether the guidance of ii exceptional men: Agostinho Neto together with Fidel Castro.”

25 September 2009

source:http://youthandeldersja.wordpress.com/2013/09/17/agostinho-neto-forged-not-only-a-consciousness-but-the-instrument-of-the-struggle-fidel/

Translated yesteryear Granma International

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