Yearbook 2008
Mozambique. Like many poor developing countries,
Mozambique was severely affected by sharply increased world
market prices for food and fuel. In February, price
increases led to, among other things, diesel for extensive
protests. At least four people were killed and about a
hundred were seriously injured in clashes between protesters
and police. According to
Countryaah reports, the protests forced the government to withdraw
most price increases, which in some cases had reached 50
percent.
Liberation Fight
Towards the end of the 1950s, the demand for independence
in Mozambique grew as in the other colonial areas, and more
exile movements were formed in neighboring countries. The
process was made more difficult by the fact that Portugal
deliberately worked on playing the different tribes against
each other. In 1960, a spontaneous and peaceful
demonstration of independence in Mueda was attacked by the
military and 500 killed. The following year, Eduardo
Mondlane visited his homeland. He was employed by the UN at
that time. He convinced the various independence groups of
the need to join together. It happened with the formation of
FRELIMO on July 25, 1963 in Tanzania. It had activists and
member organizations from all regions and ethnic groups in
the country.
At the same time, however, it became clear that Portugal
itself was too weak to choose a form of «neo-colonialist
decolonization» - such as the France or England. FRELIMO
therefore began to prepare for armed struggle, and after 2
years of secret organizational and political preparation, it
began on December 25, 64. Towards the end of 65, there were
regions in Mozambique where FRELIMO was the sole authority.
Throughout the remainder of the 1960s, large areas in the
north were liberated, and emphasis was placed on building an
alternative society where local government, better health
and schooling, agricultural production for self-sufficiency
etc. were the focal points. Political mobilization and
material progress in the liberated areas were inextricably
linked to the armed struggle for liberation.
In 69, the movement controlled one-fifth of the country.
In February of that year, however, Mondlane was assassinated
by agents in the colonial service. It triggered a power
struggle in the movement, on the one hand, those who simply
regarded independence as a matter of "Africanizing" foreign
domination, and on the other, those advocating the building
of a new popular and democratic society. The power struggle
was decided when FRELIMO held its 2nd congress. It took
place in the liberated zones and elected Samora Moisés
Machel as the new chairman of the movement.
In the early 1970s, FRELIMO halted a Portuguese military
offensive - Operation "The Gordian Knot" - and then opened
new fronts and liberated areas in the central parts of the
country. Despite increased NATO support, the Portuguese
military force was increasingly challenged. It turned out
that the attempts to imprison 1 million Africans in
"sheltered villages" according to North American pattern
from Vietnam merely strengthened the dissatisfaction in the
country.
|
