Brothers From The West

BROTHERS FROM THE WEST
SOLIDARITY IN THE NETHERLANDS WITH MOZAMBIQUE 1962 - 2005
Mozambique is one of the African nations that made Moambique uma das naes africanas que fez
BROTHERS FROM THE WEST / IRMOS DO OCIDENTE

great sacrifices to liberate itself from foreign, colonial grandes sacrifcios para se libertar da dominao
domination. In this struggle not only Portugal was colonial estrangeira. Nessa luta, no s Portugal
involved as the colonial power but also many other estava envolvido como uma potncia colonial, mas
countries of the so-called free world, because the tambm muitos outros pases do chamado mundo
governments of these countries supported the livre, pois os governos desses pases apoiavam a
Portuguese oppression. Amongst the population of opresso portuguesa. De entre a sua populao,
these countries resistance against these policies arose. criou-se uma resistncia contra tais polticas.
The aim of this publication on the contribution of The O objectivo desta publicao sobre a contribuio da
Netherlands to a free and independent Mozambique is Holanda para um Moambique livre e independente
to lay down these efforts for the future. All the people de registar tais esforos para o futuro. As vrias
who were actively involved in support of the liberation pessoas que estiveram activamente envolvidos no
struggle or who went to Mozambique after apoio luta de libertao ou que foram para
independence to help reconstruct the country should Moambique aps a sua independncia para ajudar
not be forgotten. na reconstruo do pas, no devem ser esquecidas.
U N I V E R S I DA D E E D UA R D O M O N D L A N E
A R Q U I VO H I S T R I C O M O A M B I Q U E
IRMOS DO OCIDENTE
SOLIDARIEDADE NA HOLANDA COM MOAMBIQUE 1962 - 2005
ARQUIVO HISTRICO MOAMBIQUE

BROTHERS FROM THE WEST
SOLIDARITY IN THE NETHERLANDS WITH MOZAMBIQUE 1962 - 2005
IRMOS DO OCIDENTE
SOLIDARIEDADE NA HOLANDA COM MOAMBIQUE 1962 - 2005
Arquivo Histrico Moambique

U N I V E R S I DA D E E D UA R D O M O N D L A N E
A R Q U I VO H I S T R I C O M O A M B I Q U E
Netherlands Institute for Southern Africa (NiZA) Arquivo Histrico de Moambique

P.O. Box 10707 Universidade Eduardo Mondlane
1001 ES Amsterdam Avenida Filipe Samuel Magaia no. 715, R/C
Netherlands C.P. 2033
tel. +31-20-520 6210 Maputo
fax +31-20-520 6249 Moambique
e-mail: niza@niza.nl tel: (258-1) 431 296 / 421 177/8
www.niza.nl fax: (258-1) 423 428
e-mail: jneves@zebra.uem.mz
www.ahm.uem.mz
Amsterdam, June 2005 Amsterdo, Junho de 2005
Brothers from the West is a publication of the Historical Archive of Irmos do Ocidente uma publicao do Arquivo Histrico de Moambique,
Mozambique, produced by the Netherlands institute for Southern produzida pelo Instituto holands para frica Austral (NiZA) e financiada
Africa (NiZA) and financed by Hivos. pelo Hivos.
Most of the text was written by Sietse Bosgra; Carla Schuddenboom O texto foi escrito por Sietse Bosgra, algumas entrevistas foram feitas por
contributed a number of interviews. Carla Schuddenboom.
Translations: Teresa Barros, Elma Doeleman, Koos Meyers, Eurico Tradues: Teresa Barros, Elma Doeleman, Koos Meyers, Eurico Romo e
Romo and Ernst Schade Ernst Schade
Advice: Trineke Weijdema Conselhos: Trineke Weijdema
Photos/illustrations: NiZA-BIDOC (unless otherwise indicated) Fotografias/Ilustraes: NiZA-BIDOC (seno indicado diferentemente)
Production: Kier Schuringa Produo: Kier Schuringa
Design/layout: Maud Kortbeek Desenho/layout: Maud Kortbeek
Printing: Drukkerij Raddraaier Impresso: Drukkerij Raddraaier
The cover photo shows Dutch cooperantes at the May Day parade in A fotografia da capa mostra cooperantes holandeses na parada do 1 de Maio
Maputo, 1983. Photographer: Anders Nilsson/AIM. de 1983 em Maputo. Fotografia: AIM, Anders Nilsson.
We have tried to identify all photographers of the pictures included in Tentamos identificar o mais possivel os autores das fotografias, mas no
this publication, but that proved to be impossible for some of the conseguimos encontrar todos.
photographs, for which we extend our apologies.
Contents Contedo
Preface | Prefcio 5
Brother from the West | Irmo do Ocidente 6
Introduction | Introduo 7
The founding of the Angola Comit | A fundao do Angola Comit 10
The large influence of FRELIMO | A grande influncia da FRELIMO 14
The Tete family, the first Dutch Mozambicans | A famlia Tete, os primeiros moambicanos na Holanda 17
Dutch government policy | A poltica do governo holands 20
Portuguese conscientious objectors and deserters | Opositores e desertores portugueses escrupulosos 24
The Mondlane Foundation and Dutch government support | A Fundao Eduardo Mondlane e
o apoio do governo holands 28
Jan and Frouke Draisma | Jan e Frouke Draisma 32
Paul Staal, the roving ambassador | Paul Staal, o embaixador itinerante 34
Perintrep: Periodic Intelligence Reports | Perintrep: relatrios peridicos da inteligncia 37
International solidarity | A solidariedade internacional 40
The Den Uyl administration (1973-77) | A administrao de Den Uyl (1973-77) 42
The role of the Dutch Catholic Missionaries | Os missionrios catlicos holandeses 47
The solidarity movement after independence | O movimento de solidariedade aps a independncia 52
Corrie Roeper, a cooperante | Corrie Roeper, a cooperante 55
Lucia (Loes) van den Bergh | Lcia (Loes) van den Bergh 58
Dutch development cooperation with Mozambique (1975-2004) | Cooperao holandesa para o
desenvolvimento com Moambique (1975-2004) 60
The Eduardo Mondlane University | A Universidade Eduardo Mondlane 65
Support from Dutch NGOs | Apoio das ONGs holandesas 67
Twin Cities: Amsterdam and Beira | Cidades geminadas: Amsterdo e Beira 69
Still a lot to do | Ainda h muito para fazer 71
This house on one of the oldest canals in the centre of Amsterdam
for many years held the offices of the two main Dutch solidarity
groups with Mozambique: the Angola Comit and the Eduardo
Mondlane Foundation.
Esta casa localizada num dos canais mais antigos no centro de
Amsterdam albergou durante muitos anos os escritrios dos dois
grupos mais importantes de solidariedade com Moambique: o
Angola Comit e a Fundao Eduardo Mondlane.
Preface Prefcio
This book has the merit of presenting, for the first time, Este livro tem o mrito de apresentar, em primeira mo, o
the development of relationships between Mozambique desenvolvimento das relaes entre Moambique e a Holanda,
and the Netherlands, from a long way that led the a partir do percurso que conduziu a Frente de Libertao de
Mozambique Liberation Front to the independence of Moambique at independncia do pas, em 1975.
the country in 1975. Na verdade, so ainda muito pouco conhecidos alguns dos
As a matter of fact, very few aspects of the liberation aspectos da luta libertadora, em proveito de outros, que visam
struggle are known so far, to the benefit of others who realar o esforo dos moambicanos neste combate
want to stress the efforts of the Mozambicans in this emancipador. No entanto, durante este perodo, foi
emancipation struggle. However, tremendous effort was desenvolvido um tremendo esforo para conquistar amigos e
developed during this period to conquer friends and aliados para a causa moambicana, no s visando obter
allies for the Mozambican cause, not only to obtain any apoios de qualquer espcie, mas para que a luta dos
sort of support but also to give the struggle of the moambicanos pudesse ter uma ressonncia maior, neste caso,
Mozambicans a wider scope, particularly at the level of ao nvel do mundo ocidental e das instituies internacionais.
the western world and international institutions. O Angola Comit, fundado em 1961, teve um papel pioneiro
The Angola Comit, founded in 1961, played a neste esforo, ampliando a crtica contra o colonialismo
pioneer role in this effort, widening the critique against portugus em frica, atravs dum diversificado conjunto de
Portuguese colonialism in Africa through a diversified aces, mas serviu igualmente para a divulgao, tanto na
set of actions. It also helped disseminating, both in the Holanda como noutros pases, da luta desenvolvida pelos
Netherlands and in other countries, the struggle carried movimentos nacionalistas de Moambique, Angola e Guin-
out by nationalist movements from Mozambique, Bissau.
Angola, and Guin-Bissau. Este conhecimento, bastante profundo, da realidade do
This in-depth knowledge of the reality of our country nosso pas, permitiu que o apoio solidrio da Holanda se
allowed the solidarity support from the Netherlands to mantivesse mesmo aps a Independncia moambicana. A
last and to be maintained even during the period that Fundao Eduardo Mondlane enviou depois para o nosso pas,
followed the Mozambican independence. The Eduardo at dcada de 80, centenas de tcnicos, comprometidos e
Mondlane Foundation later on sent hundreds of techni- solidrios com a nossa opo de desenvolvimento.
cians to our country up to 1980s, all of them very much este percurso que agora vamos conhecer, numa altura em
committed and solidary with our development option. que Moambique comemora agora o 30 aniversrio da sua
This is the path we are about to know, at a time when libertao. uma histria deliberadamente comprometida,
Mozambique celebrates its 30th anniversary of liberation. escrita com o entusiasmo de quem viveu e participou nos dias
This is a story that is deliberately committed, written do sonho e da esperana. Documentos da poca e entrevistas
with the enthusiasm of those who lived and participated com protagonistas ainda vivos do a esta publicao um
in the days of dreams and hopes. Documents dating to interesse ainda maior.
this period and interviews with still living leading este relato que o Arquivo Histrico de Moambique tem o
figures provide greater interest to this publication. prazer de apresentar ao pblico, na perspectiva que ele ajude a
The Mozambique Historical Archive has the pleasure iluminar melhor alguns aspectos da realidade moambicana
to present this account to the public, hoping that it will recente, na perspectiva que ele seja mais um elo a ligar os
help shedding more light on some aspects of the recent nossos dois pases, servindo para reforar esta amizade que
Mozambican reality, towards a further link between our vem dos dias difceis da luta.
two countries, and serving to strengthen the friendship
that comes all the way back from the difficult days of the Dr. Joel das Neves Tembe, director
liberation struggle. Arquivo Histrico de Moambique
Dr. Joel das Neves Tembe, director

Arquivo Histrico de Moambique
5
Brother from the West
Brother from the West

(how to explain that you are our brother?)
The world does not end at your doorstep
nor at the river which borders your country
nor in the sea,
in whose vastness you sometimes think
you have discovered
the meaning of the infinite.
Irmo do Ocidente
Beyond your doorstep, beyond the sea
the great struggle continues.
Men with warm eyes
Irmo do Ocidente
and hands as hard as the earth
(como explicar-te que s nosso irmo?)
embrace their children at night
o mundo no acaba porta da tua casa
and depart before dawn.
nem no rio que limita o teu pas
Many will not return. It does not matter
nem no mar
we are men tired of shackles
em cuja vastido s vezes pensas
for us
teres descoberto
freedom is worth more than life.
o sentido do infinito.
To you, brother, we offer
Para alm da tua porta, para alm do mar
and from you we expect
o grande combate continua.
not the hand of charity
Homens de olhar quente
which mystifies and humiliates,
e mos duras como a terra
but the hand of solidarity
noite abraam os seus filhos
committed, conscious.
e partem antes do nascer do sol.
Muitos no voltaremos. Que importa ?
How can you refuse, brother from the West?
Somos homens cansados das algemas.
Para ns
a liberdade vale mais que a vida.
Jorge Rebelo
New Year message of FRELIMO, 1972
De ti, irmo, ns esperamos,
a ti ns oferecemos,
no a mo caridosa
que humilha e mistifica,
mas a mo solidria
cometida, consciente.
Como podes recusar, irmo do Ocidente ?
Jorge Rebelo
Mensagem do Ano Novo da FRELIMO, 1972
Introduction Introduo
The Netherlands *) and Mozambique, two countries Holanda e Moambique, dois pases separados pelo mar, como
separated by the sea, as says the FRELIMO poem diz o poema da FRELIMO Irmo do Ocidente. A Holanda,
Brother from the West. The Netherlands, a small coun- um pas pequeno, com 16 milhes de habitantes, parte do
try with 16 million inhabitants, part of the rich western mundo rico e at muito recentemente um poder colonial que
world, and until the recent past a colonial power ruling governava 90 milhes de indonsios. Moambique, um pas
90 million Indonesians. Mozambique, a poor country in em frica, pobre, com 18 milhes de habitantes, mas 22 vezes
Africa, with 18 million inhabitants but 22 times the size do tamanho da Holanda, colonizado e explorado durante
of The Netherlands, for centuries colonized and exploited. sculos, at sua libertao do poder portugus em 1975.
Until its liberation from Portuguese rule in 1975. Os contactos entre os dois pases datam de mais de 300
Contacts between the two countries stretch back to anos atrs. Na altura, os portugueses tinham pequenos
400 years ago. At that time the Portuguese had a few acampamentos na costa de Moambique. Tal como os
small settlements on the Mozambique coast. Like the marinheiros portugueses, os barcos holandeses passaram pela
Portuguese, the Dutch ships sailed past Mozambique costa moambicana a caminho da ndia e Indonsia.
on their way to India and Indonesia. They also needed Necessitaram tambm de um lugar em Moambique, a meio
a place halfway their voyage to take on supplies, repair da sua viagem, onde pudessem abastecer-se, reparar os seus
their ships and have the sick cared for. So they barcos e cuidar dos doentes. Assim, decidiram expulsar os
decided to oust the Portuguese from their main portugueses da sua principal fortaleza e fazer de Moambique
stronghold in Mozambique and make it into o pivot do novo imprio holands.
the pivot of the new Dutch empire. Em 1607, trs barcos de guerra holandeses atacaram a
In 1607 three Dutch warships attacked maior fortaleza portuguesa, a Ilha de Moambique. A
the strongest Portuguese fortress, Ilha de fortaleza e a cidade foram cercadas e bombardeadas
Moambique (Mozambique Island). The durante meses, mas no final o ataque fracassou. Os
fortress and the city were besieged and holandeses tentaram, por duas vezes mais
bombarded for months, but in the end the desalojar os portugueses, mas em vo.
attack failed. Twice again Dutch warships tried to Decidiram ento montar um ponto de
dislodge the Portuguese, but again without success. abastecimento na Cidade do Cabo, de onde os
After that they decided to build a supply station at colonialistas holandeses (os Boers) se
Cape Town, from where the Dutch colonialists apoderaram da frica do Sul. Alm disso, os
(the Boers) took possession of South Africa. holandeses conseguiram expulsar os
Moreover, the Dutch did succeed in throwing portugueses da Indonsia e colonizar o pas.
the Portuguese out of Indonesia and making Os historiadores sugerem que o sucesso da
it into a Dutch colony. defesa da Ilha de Moambique pelos portugue-
Historians suggest that the successful Portu- ses constitui um dos acontecimentos militares
guese defence of Mozambique Island was one mais decisivos da histria da frica Austral.
of the most decisive military events in Southern Se os holandeses se tivessem apoderado da
African history. Had the Dutch taken it the Ilha, os portugueses nunca mais consegui-
Portuguese would never have been able to recapture riam reconquist-la e teriam que eventual-
it and would eventually have had to abandon their mente abandonar os seus outros pequenos
other smaller settlements. Not only would acampamentos. Moambique no s se
Mozambique have developed within the Dutch, as desenvolveria pelos holandeses, contrariamente
opposed to the Portuguese, imperial system, but also ao sistema imperial portugus, mas tambm o
the Dutch settlement in South Africa might never povoamento holands na frica do Sul nunca
have been made, with incalculable consequences for teria acontecido, com consequncias incalcu-
the history of Southern Africa. **) lveis para a histria da frica Austral. *)
Eduardo Mondlane
7
BROTHERS FROM THE WEST/IRMOS DO OCIDENTE MOZAMBIQUE - THE NETHERLANDS/MOAMBIQUE - HOLANDA 1962 - 2005
More than a century later the Dutch returned once Mais de um sculo depois, os holandeses regressaram, mais
more to Mozambique. In 1721 they built a fortress on uma vez, a Moambique. Em 1721 construiram uma fortaleza,
the site of the present city of Maputo, called no local onde hoje se situa a cidade de Maputo, chamada
Lydsaamheijd. The aim was to establish contacts with Lydsaamheijd. Tinham como objectivo estabelecer contactos
the empire of Monomotapa, where gold could be found com o imprio de Monomotapa, onde o ouro era abundante. O
in abundance. The legendary empire was not found, and lendrio imprio no foi encontrado e, em 1730, a fortaleza foi
in 1730 the fortress was abandoned. This meant the end abandonada. Isso significou o fim do interesse holands sobre
of Dutch interest in Mozambique. Moambique, pelo menos por mais de dois sculos.
In 1962, however, it was revived. With a very different Em 1962, contudo, inicia-se de novo o envolvimento holands
aim this time: not to subject and exploit the em Moambique. Desta vez o objectivo era muito diferente:
Mozambicans, but rather to help them free themselves no para oprimir e explorar os moambicanos, mas para
from the Portuguese yoke. The new relations were ajud-los a libertarem-se do jugo portugus. O novo
clinched in 1964, during a first visit to The Netherlands relacionamento consolidou-se em 1964, com a primeira visita
by Eduardo Mondlane, president of the Mozambique de Eduardo Mondlane, Presidente da Frente de Libertao de
Liberation Front FRELIMO and his wife Janet. Moambique FRELIMO e sua esposa Janet, Holanda.
Mondlane had warm contacts among the Dutch Mondlane estabeleceu firmes contactos com a populao
population, with the solidarity movement, the churches, holandesa, com o movimento de solidariedade, as igrejas e
and the trade unions. But it was characteristic that the sindicatos. Era provavelmente bvio que o governo holands se
Dutch government refused to receive him. They recusasse a receb-lo. Eles reconheciam apenas o governo
recognized only the Portuguese colonial government. colonial portugus. Tal como Portugal, o governo holands
Like Portugal, the Dutch government had in 1945 ops-se firmemente independncia da sua colnia, neste
forcefully opposed the independence of its own colony. caso as ndias Orientais holandesas, em 1949. Na verdade, foi
In fact, it was not until the year before Mondlanes visit apenas no ano anterior visita de Mondlane Holanda que o
to The Netherlands that the last part of Indonesian ultimo territrio foi, de forma relutante, cedido Indonsia.
territory was reluctantly ceded. Aps a sua visita Holanda, Mondlane escreveu ao Angola
After his visit to The Netherlands, Eduardo Comit: Para mim, a minha primeira visita Holanda foi
Mondlane wrote to the Angola Comit: For me my duplamente surpreendente. Primeiro, porque nunca pensei que
first visit to The Netherlands was a double surprise. First houvessem tantas pessoas positivamente interessadas na
in that I never thought that there were so many people libertao do nosso pas. Segundo, fiquei impressionado com o
positively interested in the liberation of our country. progresso econmico alcanado pela Holanda desde a Segunda
Secondly, I was impressed by the economic progress Guerra Mundial. Por causa dos Boers da frica do Sul, com os
The Netherlands has made since the Second World War. quais vocs mantm estreito relacionamento, tambm devido
Because the Boers of South Africa with whom you have m reputao que parecem ter na Indonsia, acabei, de
some kinship and the bad record you seem to have in algum modo, por criar uma atitude negativa em relao aos
Indonesia, I had somehow developed a negative attitude holandeses, de tal modo que a minha visita ao vosso pas
towards the Dutch, so that my visit to your country was serviu, de certo modo, para abrir os olhos, pelo que estou muito
an eye-opener in a way, for which I am very happy. satisfeito.
Two weeks after Mondlanes visit to The Netherlands, Duas semanas aps a visita de Mondlane Holanda, a
FRELIMO started its liberation war in Mozambique, FRELIMO iniciou a sua guerra de libertao em Moambique,
which was to result in that countrys independence, a qual culminaria onze anos mais tarde, com a independncia
eleven years later. do pas.
* The Netherlands is often indicated by the name Holland. In this * Os Pases Baixos so muitas vezes referidos pelo nome Holanda. Nesta
publication the first, official name will be used publicao, ser usado este nome mais popular.
** Quotation from A History of Mozambique by Malyn Newitt, page 171 ** Citao de A History of Mozambique por Malyn Newitt, pgina 171
8
To honour the leaders of the liberation
struggle in Mozambique, Dutch cities like
Amsterdam, Gouda, Leiden and Utrecht,
named streets after Eduardo Mondlane
and Samora Machel.
Photographs by Henk de Graaf a.o.
Em honra dos lderes da luta de libertao
em Moambique, cidades holandesas como
Amsterdam, Gouda, Leiden e Utrecht
batizaram algumas ruas com os nomes de
Eduardo Mondlane e Samora Machel.
Fotografias: Henk de Graaf e.o.
The founding of the Angola A fundao do Angola

Comit Comit
Around 1960 the Portuguese were still convinced that Por volta de 1960, os portugueses estavam ainda convencidos
their colonial rule in Africa would continue for que o seu poder colonial em frica iria durar sculos. Nessa
centuries. But most countries in Africa had become altura, a maior parte dos pases africanos acabavam de se
independent. The British, French and Belgian govern- tornar independentes. Os governos britnico, francs e belga
ments had reluctantly handed over power to the original tiveram que entregar o poder, com relutncia, aos habitantes
inhabitants of their colonies. Even Algeria became originais das suas colnias. At mesmo a Algria tornou-se
independent in 1962, after a ten-year war against the independente em 1962, aps dez anos de guerra contra os
French occupiers. Only in the Southern part of the ocupantes franceses. Os colonos brancos reinavam apenas na
continent the white rulers held out. But there, too, the parte austral de frica. Mas, mesmo a, as populaes
African population wanted independence; there, too, africanas queriam independncia; a tambm se fundaram
organizations were founded to dislodge white rule, if organizaes para desalojar os colonos brancos, se necessrio
necessary with the use of force. pelo uso da fora.
It was February 1961. In the world press the first brief Era o ms de Fevereiro de 1961. Na imprensa mundial
reports appeared: in Angola a rebellion had started apareciam as primeiras manchetes noticiosas: em Angola,
against Portuguese rule. After neighbouring (Belgian) havia-se iniciado uma rebelio contra o poder portugus.
Congo had obtained its independence in 1960, the Depois de o vizinho Congo (Belga) se ter tornado
Angolans demanded the same right. Portugal sent independente em 1960, os angolanos exigiam os mesmos
military reinforcements to its colony to suppress the direitos. Portugal enviou reforos militares para a sua colnia,
revolt. Tens of thousands of Angolans were cruelly para reprimir a revolta. Dezenas de milhares de angolanos
killed. But soon silence descended on Angola, resistance foram cruelmente mortos. Mas, logo, o silncio descaiu sobre
appeared to have been suppressed. Angola, a resistncia parecia suprimida.
In The Netherlands, these newspaper reports on Angola A cobertura jornalstica sobre Angola na Holanda levou, em
led, in April 1961, to the founding of the Angola Abril de 1961, fundao do Angola Comit, para apoiar a
Comit. Its objective was to support the Angolan luta de libertao nesse pas. Um argumento importante para
struggle for liberation. An important argument for the esta iniciativa foi que, como membro da NATO *) a Holanda
initiative was that The Netherlands was in effect a era, de facto, um aliado militar do opressor, Portugal.
military ally of the oppressor, the two countries being No passado, existiram na Holanda algumas actividades de
both members of NATO *). In the past there had been pequena escala em apoio ao movimento de resistncia na
small-scale activities in The Netherlands to support the Algria e a indignao relativamente guerra americana no
resistance movement in Algeria, and indignation about Vietname estava a crescer. Para alguns, ainda estava tambm
the American war in Vietnam was growing. For some, bem patente o sentimento de horror e arrependimento em
the horror and repentance caused by the Dutch colonial relao guerra colonial holandesa contra a Indonsia. Foi
war against Indonesia was still very much alive. It was destes crculos que saram os fundadores do Angola Comit.
from these circles that the founders of the Angola Quando em 1962 se fundou o movimento de libertao de
Comit came. Moambique FRELIMO , o Angola Comit tornou-se a
When in the following year the liberation movement organizao de solidariedade para com os movimentos de
of Mozambique, FRELIMO, was founded, the Angola libertao nos trs territrios portugueses em frica: o MPLA
Comit became the solidarity organization for the em Angola, a FRELIMO em Moambique e o PAIGC na Guin-
liberation movements in all three Portuguese territories Bissau/Cabo Verde. Contudo, no se alterou a designao
in Africa: MPLA in Angola, FRELIMO in Mozambique Angola Comit.
and PAIGC in Guinea-Bissau/ Cape Verde. However, the Era o incio de uma luta laboriosa contra os muitos
name Angola Comit remained unchanged. holandeses que no rejeitavam o colonialismo, contra as
10
Left: The first large demonstration in The Netherlands
against Portuguese colonialism during the NATO Tattoo
in July 1963 ended in brutal police violence.
Above: VITORIA OU MORTE: Cover of the first record
with Mozambican liberation songs and resistance
poetry from the Portuguese colonies published in The
Netherlands by the Angola Comit and the
Eduardo Mondlane Foundation in 1970.
Esquerda: A primeira grande demonstrao na Holanda
contra o colonialismo portugus durante a Tattoo da
OTAN em Julho de 1963, acabou com violncia brutal da
polcia. Fotgrafo desconhecido.
Em cima: VITORIA OU MORTE: A capa do primeiro disco
com canes moambicanas de libertao e poesia de
resistncia das colnias portugueses, publicado na
Holanda pelo Angola Comit e a Fundao Eduardo
Mondlane em 1970.
Protest against Dutch

Minister Luns of Foreign
Affairs because of his
support to the colonial wars
ANP/SPAARNESTAD FOTOARCHIEF
of Portugal at Schiphol
airport, 17 June 1971.
Protestos contra o Ministro
dos Negcios Estrangeiros
holands por causa do
apoio dele s guerras
coloniais do Portugal, no
aroporto de Schiphol,
17 de Junho de 1971.
Poster of the support campaign for the Mozambique Institute of FRELIMO in Dar-es-Salaam in 1969,
organised by the Eduardo Mondlane Foundation in Amsterdam and supported by various Dutch
political youth organisations a.o.
Cartaz da campanha de apoio ao Instituto Moambique da FRELIMO em Dar-es-Salaam em 1969,
organizada pela Fundao Eduardo Mondlane em Amsterdam com apoio de vrias organizaes
polticas de juventude e outras no pas.
This was the start of a long, laborious struggle against pessoas que subordinaram tudo luta contra o comunismo e
the many Dutch who did not reject colonialism, against para quem a NATO (incluindo os EUA e Portugal) eram
those who made everything subordinate to the struggle sagrados. Para eles, os membros do Angola Comit eram
against communism and to whom NATO was sacred. To agitadores que aspiravam destruio do mundo ocidental. O
them the members of the Angola Comit were agitators, que ajudou o comit na altura, foi o facto de que na Holanda
aspiring to undermine the western world. What helped e no mundo ocidental, em geral estava a ocorrer uma espcie
the committee at the time was that in The Netherlands de revoluo cultural entre os jovens, o que resultou num clima
and in the western world in general a kind of cultural social mais progressista e num maior interesse pelos pases em
revolution was taking place among young people, desenvolvimento.
resulting in a more progressive social climate and a Finalmente, o Angola Comit conseguiu persuadir uma
greater interest in the developing countries. grande parte do pblico e do parlamento a apoiarem a sua
In the end, the Angola Comit succeeded in causa. Contudo, isso no foi extensivo ao governo holands
persuading a large part of the public and of parliament que, sob presso dos EUA e dos seus outros aliados, continuou
to support its cause. Not so the Dutch government, a opor-se aos objectivos do Comit.
however, which under pressure of the USA and its other
allies continued to oppose the committees aims. Em 1963, dois anos aps a sua fundao, o Comit achou que
tinha apoiantes suficientes para uma primeira confrontao.
In 1963, two years after its founding, the committee felt Foi decidido de dilacerar a chamada NATO Tattoo (Festa
that it could count on enough support for a first Militar) no Estdio Olmpico de Amsterdo, onde uma banda
confrontation. It was decided to disrupt the so-called militar portuguesa iria participar. Quando centenas de
NATO Tattoo in the Amsterdam Olympic stadium, manifestantes se fizeram ao campo entrada da banda
where a Portuguese military band would be one of the portuguesa, foram selvaticamente espancados pela polcia
participants. When hundreds of demonstrators stormed montada em cavalos e motorizadas, muitas vezes com ces. As
the field on the entry of the Portuguese band, police on direces das escolas, notando o resultado dos maus tratos nos
horseback and motorbikes, often with dogs, ruthlessly seus alunos, assim como todo o clero, protestaram contra isso.
beat them up. Schools that witnessed the maltreatment Uma investigao instigada pelo Conselho Executivo sobre
of their pupils protested, and so did the joint clergy. An estes e outros incidentes culminou, eventualmente, na
investigation instigated by the city council into this and demisso do presidente da Cmara Municipal e do chefe da
other incidents eventually led to the dismissal of the polcia. Pela primeira vez, a resistncia contra o colonialismo
mayor and of the police commissioner. For the first time portugus mereceu grande ateno na imprensa holandesa. Na
resistance against Portuguese colonialism received wide actividade seguinte, a ocupao do consulado portugus em
attention in the Dutch press. At the next activity, the Amsterdo, para comemorar 40 anos de ditadura de Salazar
occupation of the Portuguese consulate in Amsterdam em Portugal, a brutalidade da polcia foi consideravelmente
to commemorate 40 years of Salazar dictatorship in inferior.
Portugal, police brutality was considerably less.
Todas as campanhas do Angola Comit eram feitas em
Every political campaign of the Angola Comit was paralelo com a angariao de fundos para os movimentos de
combined with fundraising for the liberation libertao. Uma grande campanha para boicotar o caf de
movements. A large campaign to boycott coffee from Angola, por exemplo, decorreu em paralelo com a Campanha
Angola, for instance, was combined with the Angola do Livro Angolano (Angola Book Campaign ABC), com vista
Book Campaign (ABC) to print 30,000 books for MPLA impresso de 30.000 livros para as escolas do MPLA.
schools.
* The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was founded in * A Organizao do Tratado do Atlntico Norte (NATO) foi fundada em 1949
1949 as a military organization to confront the Soviet Union. como uma organizao militar para fazer frente Unio Sovitica. Eram
Members were the USA and most West European countries, membros os EUA e a maior parte dos pases da Europa Ocidental, incluindo
including The Netherlands and the dictatorship in Portugal. a Holanda e a ditadura de Portugal.
13
The large influence of A grande influncia da

FRELIMO FRELIMO
The Angola Comit maintained contacts with all three O Angola Comit manteve contactos muito ntimos com os trs
liberation movements: MPLA (Angola), FRELIMO movimentos de libertao: MPLA (Angola), FRELIMO
(Mozambique) and PAIGC (Guinea-Bissau). Although a (Moambique) e PAIGC (Guin-Bissau). Embora houvesse
lot of energy was put into campaigns for Angola, it was muito empenho nas campanhas por Angola, levou dez anos
only after ten years that an MPLA leader, Lcio Lara, antes que um lder do MPLA, Lcio Lara, visitou a Holanda. O
visited The Netherlands. President Agostinho Neto did Presidente Agostinho Neto s pode faz-lo em 1975, por ocasio
not come until 1975, on the occasion of a large support de uma grande campanha de apoio ao MPLA.
campaign for MPLA. As relaes entre o Comit e a FRELIMO tornaram-se mais
The Comits ties with FRELIMO leaders were much estreitas, de tal modo que vieram a ter uma grande influncia
closer, to the extent that they were to have a lasting no trabalho de solidariedade na Holanda. Os representantes da
influence on the solidarity work in The Netherlands. FRELIMO, como Marcelino dos Santos, Oscar Monteiro, Eduardo
FRELIMO representatives like Marcelino dos Santos, e Janet Mondlane, estavam muito confiantes. Tinham uma
Oscar Monteiro, Eduardo and Janet Mondlane had viso profunda da luta de libertao e do papel que o
pronounced views on the liberation struggle and on the movimento de solidariedade poderia ter. Juntaram-se ao Angola
role that the solidarity movement should play. They came Comit com orientaes precisas. A nossa luta no s em
to the Angola Comit with clear directions. Our struggle frica, mas tambm nos pases ocidentais. Portugal, pobre e
is not only fought in Africa, but also in the western subdesenvolvido, consegue oprimir-nos simplesmente porque
countries. Poor and underdeveloped Portugal can only tem o apoio dos seus aliados da NATO. por essa razo que a
oppress us because of the support of its NATO allies. For Europa constitui uma frente importante na nossa luta. A luta
that reason Europe is an important front in our struggle. de libertao em frica um problema nosso. Vocs no tm
The liberation struggle in Africa is a matter for us. There uma tarefa l. A vossa misso na Holanda, na Europa. Tm
you have no task. Your assignment is in The Netherlands, que conseguir o apoio da opinio pblica, estabelecer bons
in Europe. You must get the support of public opinion, contactos com os grandes partidos polticos e fazer presso sobre
build up good contacts with the large political parties and os polticos para isolarem Portugal. E necessitamos de apoio
exert pressure on the politicians to isolate Portugal. And financeiro e material da Holanda.
we need financial and material support from The A princpio, porm, a questo do estabelecimento de boas
Netherlands. relaes com os grandes partidos polticos era vista com relutncia
At first, establishing good relations with the large por parte dos activistas. No tinha o Partido Trabalhista Holands
political parties met with reluctance on the part of the apoiado a guerra colonial contra a Indonsia? No tinha o partido
activists. Had the Dutch Labour Party not supported the recusado expressar-se contra a opresso francesa na Algria? No
colonial war against Indonesia, had the party not refused era o partido um servil seguidor dos EUA e da NATO? E os demais
to speak out against French oppression in Algeria, was the partidos da direita eram ainda piores. Mas a FRELIMO era tenaz.
party not a servile follower of the USA and NATO? And Quando o movimento de solidariedade alem se recusou a seguir a
the more right-wing parties were still worse. But linha da FRELIMO, todos os contactos com eles foram cortados.
FRELIMO was unyielding: when the German solidarity
movement refused to follow the FRELIMO line, all Em resultado da influncia da FRELIMO, o Angola Comit
contacts were severed. entrou numa nova fase. A sua profunda condenao da poltica
As a result of FRELIMOs influence, the Angola Comit holandesa continuou, mas ao mesmo tempo houve uma
moved to a new phase. Their condemnation of Dutch penetrao mais eficaz dos grandes partidos polticos, os quais
politics continued, but at the same time contacts were repetidamente criavam moes no parlamento para corrigir as
developed with the large political parties, which polticas do governo que foram adoptadas por uma grande
repeatedly led to motions in parliament to correct maioria. A relao com o Partido Trabalhista tornou-se to
government policy being adopted with a large majority. estreita que, anos mais tarde, o mesmo pediu regularmente
14
BENDERT DIJKSTRA
Miguel Murupa, representative of FRELIMO's foreign affairs department, discusses with Dutch activists in Amsterdam, April 1969. Later
that year Murupa defected from FRELIMO.
Miguel Murupa, representante do Departamento de Negcios Estrangeiros da FRELIMO, discutando com activistas holandeses em
Amsterdam, Abril de 1969. Mais tarde no mesmo ano ele defectou da FRELIMO.
The liberation struggle in Africa is a matter for us.

There you have no task. Your assignment is in
The Netherlands, in Europe. (FRELIMO)
A luta de libertao em frica um problema

nosso. Vocs no tm uma tarefa l. A vossa
misso na Holanda, na Europa. (FRELIMO)
The ties with the Labour Party became so close that in donativos aos seus membros para o Fundo de Libertao
later years the party regularly approached its members criado pelo Comit, assim como o fizeram a maior parte dos
by mailings to ask donations for the committees partidos da esquerda. Isso ajudou a aumentar
Liberation Fund, as did the more left-wing parties. This consideravelmente o nmero de membros.
helped to increase membership considerably. Mais do que qualquer outro movimento de libertao
More than any other liberation movement in those naquela altura, a FRELIMO parecia ter a capacidade de
years, FRELIMO was able to foster enthusiasm and suscitar entusiasmo e solidariedade entre a populao
solidarity among the Dutch population. The views of holandesa. Por volta de 1970, a viso da FRELIMO sobre a
FRELIMO about building a new society in the libertao da mulher, a construo de uma sociedade
liberated areas, the liberation of women, a clear nova nas zonas libertadas e a definio clara do
definition of the enemy, were in keeping with inimigo, combinavam com o clima poltico dos
the changing political climate in the western pases ocidentais. Esta viso constituiu
countries. These views were a source of in- uma inspirao para muitos jovens que
spiration to many young people hoping for ansiavam por um mundo melhor, mais
a better, fairer world. Local support groups justo. Existiam grupos de apoio local em
were founded all over the country, and the todo o pas e o nmero de assinantes para as
number of subscribers to the publication of suas publicaes aumentou para 12.000.
the Angola Comit went up to 12,000. The O congresso anual de dois dias B(l)acking
annual two-day congress B(l)acking Southern Southern Africa congregou cerca de 800
Africa would draw some 800 delegates and other delegados e outras pessoas interessadas e
interested people from all over the country. provenientes de todas as partes do pas.
In the sixties The Netherlands was still largely a white mens country. Mr. Tete (centre) from Mozambique
between his colleagues at the Amsterdam Hilton hotel.
Nos anos sessenta a Holanda ainda era principalmente uma terra dos brancos. Sr. Tete (centro) de Moambique
entre os seus colegas no Hotel Amsterdam Hilton.
16
The Tete family, the first A famlia Tete, os primeiros
Dutch Mozambicans moambicanos na Holanda
Mr. Tete is sitting in front of the window of his O Sr. Tete est sentado defronte janela da sua casa em
Amsterdam home, his grey head inclined to the winter Amsterdo, a cabea cinzenta reclinada perante a claridade do
daylight. He has trouble getting up as his knees are worn inverno. Tem dificuldades em levantar-se, pois os joelhos dele
out, he says. He is glad to tell about his life in The esto gastos, como ele prprio diz. Est contente por poder
Netherlands. contar a sua vida na Holanda.
When the British consul in Mozambique was Quando o cnsul britnico em Moambique foi transferido
transferred to Amsterdam he decided to take two cheap para Amsterdo, decidiu levar consigo dois rapazes negros,
black boys with him. Young Tete, who at the time was baratos. O jovem Tete, que na altura estava com problemas e
in trouble and without a job saw it as a way out. He was sem emprego, achou esta oportunidade uma sada. Ele partiu
taken on together with another Mozambican boy. com um outro rapaz moambicano. O Sr. Tete chegou
Mr. Tete arrived in The Netherlands in September 1962 Holanda em Setembro de 1962, para trabalhar como cozinheiro
to work as a cook for the family of the consul. da famlia do cnsul. Tete e o seu amigo eram os nicos
Tete and his friend were the only Mozambicans in moambicanos em Amsterdo e s falavam portugus. Os
Amsterdam and they only spoke Portuguese. Their sole poucos contactos que tinham era com um grupo de
contacts were a group of Portuguese working for KLM portugueses que trabalhavam para a KLM (companhia area
(Dutch national airline company) on a contract basis. nacional da Holanda) sob contrato. Na penso onde viviam,
In their boarding house they soon learnt that in The depressa se aperceberam que na Holanda podiam ganhar
Netherlands they could earn much more than the muito mais que os mseros 150 florins mensais que o Cnsul
meagre 150 guilders a month that the consul paid them. lhes pagava). A caminho da casa do cnsul, Tete viu um
On his way to the consuls house Tete saw a big hotel grande hotel chamado Hilton. Decidiu tentar a sorte
with the name Hilton. He decided to try his luck and escrevendo uma curta carta no seu melhor ingls. S vou aos
wrote a short letter in his best English. Just going to the correios enviar uma carta minha mulher, dissera ele
post office for a letter to my wife, he told the consuls mulher do cnsul e levou a carta ao hotel Hilton. A resposta
wife and took the letter to the Hilton hotel. The answer em breve chegou: havia bastante trabalho e ele poderia
came by return: there was enough work and he could comear imediatamente. Tete no queria deixar para trs o seu
start immediately. Tete did not want to leave his friend amigo, por isso decidiram fugir juntos.
behind, so together they decided to run away. No hotel Hilton o trabalho deles era lavar pratos. Tete
At the Hilton they had to wash dishes. Tete stayed trabalhou no hotel durante muitos anos, onde, aps um
with the hotel for years, where, after a training period he perodo de formao, tornou-se cozinheiro do pessoal do hotel.
became the cook for the staff. One day his new boss told Um dia, o seu novo patro disse-lhe: Amanh ests de folga.
him: tomorrow you have a day off. Tete was frightened Tete ficou terrivelmente assustado. O que quer dizer isso,
to death. What does that mean. Free? Do I get no folga? No vou receber dinheiro?. Durante quatro meses de
money? During his four months with the consul trabalho para o cnsul ningum havia falado de dia de folga.
nobody had mentioned a day off . He was the more Ficou ainda mais assustado porque tinha fugido da casa do
frightened because he had run away from the consul. At cnsul. No escritrio do hotel explicaram-lhe os seus direitos,
the office they explained his rights to him, but Tete did mas Tete no confiava nesses dias de folga.
not trust these free days. Quando Tete decidiu ficar na Holanda, o passo seguinte foi
When Tete had decided to stay in The Netherlands, trazer a mulher e os seus cinco filhos para junto dele. No
the next step was to get his wife and five children to join tinha casa, nem documentos, mas o Angola Comit ajudou-o,
him. He had no home and no papers, but the Angola escrevendo cartas endereadas ao Ministrio dos Negcios
Comit helped him by writing letters to the ministry of Estrangeiros e s autoridades holandesas. Finalmente, em
foreign affairs and the Amsterdam authorities. Finally, in 1969, o municpio de Amsterdo ofereceu-lhe um lugar para
1969, the Amsterdam municipality offered him a place viver no distrito urbano de Spaarndam. Depois teve trs anos
17
to live in the citys Spaarndam district. He then had de dias de folga no gozados no gosto de frias e meteu-
three years of days off saved up I dont like holidays se num barco para trazer a famlia.
and got on a boat to collect his family. Os portugueses no permitiram que a sua famlia sasse de
The Portuguese did not give the family permission to Moambique, sendo uma das razes que o seu filho mais
leave Mozambique, one reason being that the eldest son velho, de 16 anos, estava prestes a cumprir o servio militar.
of 16 was shortly up for his military service. Moreover, Alm disso, o Sr. Tete no conseguiu trocar os seus travellers
Mr. Tete could not cash his travellers cheques: blacks cheques: os negros no podiam ter tanto dinheiro, portanto
should not have so much money; only whites could use apenas os brancos poderiam us-los. Chorando de fria, disse
them. Crying with fury he told the airline company: Are companhia area: Ainda h lugar? Quero partir hoje mesmo
there any seats left? I want to leave today, and you may e podem ficar com os cheques. Viajaram no dia seguinte. A
keep the cheques. The next day they were in the air. casa, as galinhas, o co, porcos, tudo ficou para trs, para os
Their house, the chickens, their dog and pigs, everything outros aldees.
was left behind for the other villagers. Sem dinheiro e sem agasalhos, chegaram a Amsterdo num
Penniless and without coats they arrived in dia frio e a uma casa quase vazia. A Sr. Tete, oriunda das
Amsterdam to a cold and nearly empty house. Mrs.Tete, matas de Xai-Xai, ficou assustada com o pas frio e sem cor que
who came from the bush of Xai-Xai was frightened by tinha diante de si, com as rvores despidas e que lhe pareciam
this cold and colourless country with its bare trees that mortas. Tinha medo do gs e de todos aqueles brancos nas ruas.
looked dead to her eyes. She was afraid of the gas and of No posso viver neste pas, pensou desesperadamente. Agora
all those whites in the street. I cant live in this country recorda-se desses dias com uma certa tristeza.
she thought desperately. Now she remembers those days Foi apenas em 1988 que os Tetes regressaram de frias a
a little sadly. Moambique. J haviam cria do razes na Holanda. A casa
It was not until 1988 that did the Tetes returned to deles est repleta de silenciosas recordaes de frica, mas
Mozambique on a holiday. They have grown roots in existe tambm um enorme quadro na parede com fotografias
The Netherlands. Their home is filled with silent dos seus oito filhos, dezanove netos e alguns bisnetos, de
memories of Africa, but there is also a large board on vrios tons de pele.
the wall with the pictures of their eight children, the Em 1969, em que escola poderia estudar um rapaz negro de
nineteen grandchildren and several great-grandchildren, 16 anos que s falava portugus? Contudo, os filhos dos Tete
in many shades of skin colour. saram-se bem. O filho mais velho frequentou a Escola Tcnica
What school could there be found in 1969 for a black Bsica, depois trabalhou numa fbrica de gs e, de vez em
boy of 16 who only spoke Portuguese? Yet the Tete quando, para a IBM, onde produzia 1500 componentes de
children have turned out all right. Their eldest son went mquina de escrever por dia. Uma delas est no chaveiro do
to the Lower Technical School, then worked for the gas pai Tete. Um dos seus filhos, que ainda trabalha para a IBM,
factory and eventually for IBM, where he produced 1500 conseguiu, na altura, que a sua empresa doasse um carro de
typewriter heads a day. One of those is on father Tetes bombeiros usado cidade da Beira, em Moambique. Os
bunch of keys. This son, who still works at IBM, at the outros filhos conseguiram trabalho num banco, no Servio
time arranged for his firm to donate a used fire engine Municipal de Sade e nas Finanas. Um deles casou-se com
to the city of Beira in Mozambique. Other children uma norueguesa e vive em Angola, enquanto outros dois
found a job with a bank, the Municipal Health Service, criaram a sua prpria empresa de segurana.
and the customs. One married a Norwegian and now Agora h muitos moambicanos a viver na Holanda,
lives in Angola, two others started their own security muitas vezes como parceiros de antigos trabalhadores do
firm. desenvolvimento holandeses em Moambique. Poucas vezes se
These days there are more Mozambicans living in The encontram, mas pelo menos uma vez por ano a comunidade
Netherlands, often as partners of former Dutch develop- moambicana se junta numa grande festa para celebrar o 25
ment workers in Mozambique. They have few contacts, de Junho, Dia da Independncia.
but the Mozambican community still gets together every
year to celebrate 25 June, Independence Day.
18
Two posters of the Angola
Comit (1970/71):
Portugal kills with NATO-
weapons in Africa , resp.
designed by famous Dutch
writer and visual artist
Jan Wolkers (left) and
painter Arie Kater (right).
Dois cartazes do Angola
Comit (1970/71): Portugal
mata com armas da OTAN
em frica, desenhados
respeitivamente pelo autor
e artista plastico famoso,
Jan Wolkers, (esquerdo) e
a pintora Arie Kater
(direito).
Dutch version of an international poster (1971) against the building of the Cabora Bassa Dam in Mozambique by the Portuguese colonial govern-
ment as part of their plan to accomodate a million Portuguese settlers in the area as a white buffer against the African liberation struggle.
A verso holandesa dum cartaz internacional (1971) contra a construo da barragem de Cahora Bassa em Moambique pelo governo colonial
portugus como parte do plano de acomodar um milho de colonos portugueses na rea como defesa contra a luta de libertao africana.
Dutch government A poltica do governo

policy holands
NATO arms As armas da NATO
Summer 1969. Two members of the Angola Comit have Era o vero de 1969. Dois membros do Angola Comit
been trekking for weeks in an old car along the capitals deambulam h semanas num carro velho pelas capitais da
of Western Europe. Having little money, they sleep in Europa Ocidental. noite, dormem no carro, tm pouco
the car at night. During the day they have their noses in dinheiro. Durante o dia, agarram-se aos livros e revistas em
books and periodicals in military libraries. It seems bibliotecas militares. Parece tudo muito inocente: a entrada -
innocent enough: admission is gained with a forged lhes garantida por meio de uma falsa carta de uma das
letter from one of the Dutch universities stating that the universidades holandesas, declarando que os dois esto a
two are making a comparative study of military realizar um estudo comparativo das revistas militares nos
periodicals in the NATO countries. However, the articles pases da NATO. Contudo, todos os artigos que copiam tm a
they copy all deal with the military cooperationof NATO ver com a cooperao militar entre os pases da NATO e
countries with Portugal. It is only in the library of the Portugal. S na biblioteca do Ministrio da Defesa holands
Dutch ministry of defence that they are recognized. A que so reconhecidos. Colocam um recruta a segui-los e a
conscript is placed behind them to keep an eye on them. vigi-los. A concluso das suas investigaes clara: para a
The conclusion of their investigation is clear: For its war guerra de opresso nas colnias, Portugal depende totalmente
of oppression in the colonies Portugal is completely do fornecimento de armas pelos pases da NATO.
dependent on arms deliveries by its NATO allies. Depois de alguns meses, conclui-se a publicao Portugal
After several months the publication Portugal and e a NATO. Ela contm informaes gerais sobre o
NATO is finished. It contains a comprehensive overview equipamento militar de Portugal, com todos os pases que
of Portugals military equipment, complete with the fornecem tal equipamento, os termos de fornecimento (apenas
countries that had supplied it, the terms of delivery (for para uso da NATO), nmero de registos, etc. A publicao est
NATO use only), registration numbers, etc. The traduzida em ingls, francs e portugus. Amlcar Cabral
publication is translated into English, French and levanta a questo nas Naes Unidas em nome dos trs
Portuguese. Amilcar Cabral raises the matter in the movimentos de libertao. Ele apela para uma superviso
United Nations on behalf of the three liberation efectiva do embargo de armas contra Portugal, imposto pelo
movements. He pleads for effective supervision of the Conselho de Segurana em 1963.
arms embargo against Portugal, which was imposed by Nessa altura, o Angola Comit j vinha fazendo
the Security Council in 1963. campanhas h vrios anos contra a colaborao da NATO com
At the time the Angola Comit had been campaigning Portugal. O primeiro alvo foi o Partido Trabalhista holands,
for years against NATO collaboration with Portugal. The onde a questo era insistentemente debatida desde 1963 no
first target was the Dutch Labour Party. In 1965, 500 congresso. Em 1965, 500 jovens socialistas exigiram que o
young socialists demanded that the congress undertake congresso se comprometesse a opor-se contra qualquer
to oppose any alliance between The Netherlands and aliana entre a Holanda e Portugal. A liderana do partido
Portugal. The leadership of the party rejected the rejeitou a proposta, a aliana da NATO ainda era sagrada para
proposal, the NATO alliance was still sacred to the party. o partido. Porm, em 1967, a exigncia de que Portugal deveria
Yet in 1967 the demand that Portugal should leave abandonar a NATO tornou-se parte do programa eleitoral do
NATO became part of the partys election platform. partido.
With the aid of the facts from Portugal and NATO, Com a ajuda dos factos na publicao Portugal e a
the other Dutch political parties were also put under NATO, tambm os outros partidos holandeses foram
pressure. In 1969 parliament adopted a motion con- pressionados. Em 1969, o parlamento adoptou uma moo que
demning the use of NATO arms in Portugals colonial condenava o uso das armas da NATO nas guerras coloniais de
wars. And in 1970, with a large majority, parliament Portugal. Em 1970, o parlamento aceitou, por uma grande
adopted a Labour Party resolution requesting the maioria, uma resoluo do Partido Trabalhista solicitando ao
20
ANEFO/SPAARNESTAD FOTOARCHIEF
A furious Dutch Minister Luns of Foreign Affairs rejects a pamphlet handed to him by an Angola Comit activist during his press
conference at Schiphol airport on 17 June 1971.
Um furioso ministro Luns dos Negcios Estrangeiros rejeitando um panfleto entregado por um activista do Angola Comit durante a
conferncia de imprensa no aroporto de Schiphol no dia 17 de Junho de 1971.
Two cartoons made for the Angola Comit by famous Dutch political cartoonist Opland (1971/72), reading: With Portugal and
NATO for a white Africa (left) and Portugal sheds its blood for our freedom Luns becomes NATO secretary-general in June
1971 (right).
Dois cartoons feitos para o Comit Angola pelo famoso desenhador holands Opland (1971/72), dizendo: Com Portugal e a
OTAN para uma frica branca (esquerdo) e Portugal derrama o seu sangue para a nossa libertao o Luns torna-se
secretrio-geral da OTAN em Junho de 1971 (direito).
government to raise the matter of NATO support to the governo que levantasse a questo do apoio da NATO a
colonial wars of Portugal at NATO meetings. Portugal nas reunies da NATO.
The Roman Catholic minister of foreign affairs O ministro catlico dos negcios estrangeiros, Joseph Luns,
Joseph Luns was strongly against such a policy. He was estava firmemente contra tal poltica. Ele era um velho amigo
an old friend of Portuguese dictatorship and had been da ditadura portuguesa, a qual o havia condecorado com a
awarded the Portuguese Order of Christ. It does not Ordem de Cristo portuguesa. No se abandona um parceiro
do to let a NATO partner down like that, he stated in da NATO de qualquer modo, afirmara ele no parlamento, e
parliament and moreover it cannot be denied that over alm disso no se pode negar que, durante sculos, Portugal
the centuries Portugal has done much to bring contribuiu muito para levar a civilizao para frica. Ele
civilization to Africa. He praised dictator Salazar as the elogiou o ditador Salazar como o homem que governou este
man who has ruled this country for 40 years with such pas durante 40 anos com tamanha sabedoria. E tentar
wisdom. And trying to expel Portugal from NATO was expulsar Portugal da NATO no fazia sentido. Portugal joga
pointless: Portugal has strong papers: NATO needs um papel importante. A NATO necessita de Portugal mais do
Portugal more than Portugal does NATO. que Portugal necessita da NATO.
These statements by Luns time and again raised Estas afirmaes de Luns levantaram, vezes sem conta,
commotion in the Dutch press. His extreme views agitao na imprensa holandesa. Tais extremas afirmaes
increased the interest in the aims of the Angola Comit. aumentaram o interesse nos objectivos do Angola Comit. E
And, vice versa, the committee contributed by showing vice-versa, o Comit contribuiu mostrando ao pblico
the Dutch public the true nature of the man: a rightwing holands a verdadeira natureza do homem: um extremista da
extremist. In 1971, in Lisbon, he was rewarded for his direita. Em 1971, ele foi recompensado pelos seus esforos e
efforts and became the new secretary-general of NATO. nomeado novo secretrio geral da NATO, em Lisboa.
Fokker Fokker
A close reading of the Portuguese press and military Uma leitura mais profunda da imprensa portuguesa e das
periodicals revealed that The Netherlands contributed to revistas militares revelou que a Holanda contribuiu para a
Portugals policy of oppression by selling them Fokker poltica de supresso de Portugal, vendendo-lhes avios civis
civil aircraft. As a result of the UN arms embargo, Fokker. Em consequncia do embargo de armas do tipo NU9,
Portugal had difficulties buying airplanes for military Portugal tinha dificuldades em comprar avies para o
transports. The Portuguese newspaper Dirio de transporte militar. O Dirio de Notcias de 13-4-70, revelou
Notcias of 13-4-70 revealed that the military authorities que as autoridades militares em Moambique haviam
in Mozambique signed a contract in April 1970 turning assinado, em Abril de 1970, um contrato de transferncia do
over its troop transports to DETA, a company flying transporte das suas tropas para a DETA. Esta companhia
Dutch-built Fokker F-27 Friendships. Under pressure of area voava com um Fokker holands F-27 Friendship. Em
parliament the Dutch government in 1971 promised an 1971, sob presso do parlamento, o governo holands prometeu
investigation. But the following year another two Fokker investigar. Mas, no ano seguinte, dois avies Fokker voavam
planes were secretly flown to the Portuguese colonies. As mais uma vez, secretamente, para as colnias portuguesas.
Portuguese aircraft were not allowed to overfly African Dado que os avies portugueses no estavam autorizados a
independent states, they used temporary Dutch voar sobre os estados africanos independentes, eles
registrations (PH-FME and PH-FMF). On arrival these adquiriram, temporariamente, matrculas holandesas (PH-
were changed to CR-LMU and CR-LMV. FME e PH-FMF). chegada, estas eram trocadas por outras
(CR-LMU e CR-LMV).
The Dutch vote in the United Nations
The United Nations formed an important battlefront in O voto holands nas Naes Unidas
the international struggle against Portuguese colonialism As Naes Unidas constituram uma frente de batalha muito
and especially against NATO arms deliveries to Portugal. importante na luta contra o colonialismo portugus e
But from the first UN-resolution condemning Portugals principalmente contra o fornecimento das armas da NATO a
colonial rule (in 1962), The Netherlands had never Portugal. Mas, desde a primeira resoluo, em 1962, os
22
supported such a resolution. In 1969 parliament severely holandeses nunca apoiaram qualquer resoluo. Em 1969, o
criticized this behaviour, but in the autumn minister parlamento criticou severamente tal comportamento, mas no
Luns again ordered the Dutch UN-delegation to abstain. Outono, Luns ordenou, mais uma vez, delegao holandesa
The following year the Angola Comit launched a nas Naes Unidas que se abstivesse. No ano seguinte, o
publicity campaign to bring about a frank Angola Comit lanou uma campanha de publicidade para
condemnation of that policy in parliament. 742 clergy que esta poltica fosse abertamente contestada no parlamento.
and a large number of youth organizations sent letters to 742 clrigos e um elevado nmero de organizaes juvenis
their MPs. On the day the vote was taken, telegrams enderearam cartas aos seus MPs. No dia da votao, as
were sent by student organizations, secondary schools organizaes de estudantes, escolas secundrias e o snodo da
and by the synod of the largest Protestant church in The maior igreja protestante da Holanda enviaram telegramas. O
Netherlands. The Dutch parliament now nearly parlamento holands adoptou quase unanimemente uma
unanimously adopted a motion in which the voting of moo, na qual se lamentava a votao da delegao
the Dutch delegation was condemned. holandesa.
But this motion, too, was pushed aside. In 1970, Porm, tambm a moo foi posta de lado. Em 1970, sob
under pressure of its western allies, the government saw presso dos seus aliados do ocidente, o governo holands
fit to stand by Portugal again. The Dutch representative achou adequado ficar, mais uma vez, do lado de Portugal. O
in the UN, Mr. Schuurman, admitted on Dutch radio: representante holands nas Naes Unidas, o Sr. Schuurman,
We have never gone so far as to vote against Portugal afirmou na rdio: Nunca chegmos ao extremo de votar
because we are a member of NATO, and it is customary contra Portugal porque estamos na NATO e tem sido hbito
that when voting in the UN, NATO countries and que, ao votar nas ONU, os pases da NATO e particularmente
especially those of the European Economic Community os da Comunidade Econmica Europeia, expressem uma certa
show a certain uniformity and common point-of-view. uniformidade e pontos de vista comuns.
Press statement by the Angola Comit, Declarao de imprensa pelo Angola Comit,
Amsterdam, July 13, 1971 Amsterdo, 13 de Julho de 1971
For the first time a Portuguese newspaper has Pela primeira vez, um jornal portugus admitiu que
admitted that the Portuguese army in the north of o exrcito portugus no norte de Moambique tem
Mozambique is using the jet fighter plane Fiat G-91 usado um avio de guerra Fiat G-91 NATO tipo R-4.
NATO type R-4. This news was published in the Dirio Esta notcia foi publicada no Dirio de Notcias de 29-
de Notcias of 29-6-71. In 1966 forty planes of the type 6-71. Quarenta avies do tipo Fiat G-91 foram vendi-
Fiat G-91 were sold by West Germany to Portugal for dos a Portugal em 1966 pela Alemanha Ocidental
defence purposes in the framework of NATO. The para efeitos de defesa, no mbito da NATO. Os portu-
Portuguese now openly admit that they are using this gueses agora admitem abertamente que esto a fazer
plane, which was especially designed for NATO use, in uso do avio, que foi especialmente concebido para
their colonial wars. The planes were built in German uso da NATO, nas suas guerras coloniais. Os avies
factories under Italian licence. The airframe was built in foram construdos em fbricas alems sob licena
Italy, the engine in Great Britain, the undercarriage in italiana. A estrutura foi construda na Itlia, o motor
France and the electronic equipment in The na Gr-Bretanha, o trem de aterragem em Frana e o
Netherlands. Although all these NATO countries share equipamento electrnico na Holanda. Embora todos
in the responsibility, the main burden lies on the estes pases da NATO partilhem da mesma responsa-
German government, as they sold the planes to bilidade, esta torna-se maior para o governo alemo,
Portugal. pois eles venderam os avies a Portugal.
23
Portuguese conscientious Opositores e desertores

objectors and deserters portugueses escrupulosos
The Netherlands became a place of refuge for young A Holanda tornou-se um lugar de refgio para os jovens
Portuguese who refused to fight in the colonial wars in portugueses que se recusavam a lutar em frica. Em 1966, a
Africa. In 1966 the Dutch press for the first time imprensa holandesa deu a conhecer, pela primeira vez, um
reported about a Portuguese deserter asking political desertor portugus que havia pedido asilo poltico Numa
asylum at a police station in The Netherlands. The esquadra policial na Holanda. O governo holands enviou-o de
Dutch government sent him back to Portugal, where he volta a Portugal, onde desapareceu na cadeia militar da base
disappeared into the military jail at the Ota air base. area da Ota.
In 1968 the first Portuguese deserter contacted the Em 1968, o primeiro desertor portugus contactou o Angola
Angola Comit. His subsequent visit to the police was Comit. A sua subsequente visita polcia estava
well prepared. First the press and television were given devidamente preparada. Primeiro, a imprensa e a TV tiveram
the opportunity to interview him, then he went to a a oportunidade de o entrevistar, depois foi para uma esquadra
police station, accompanied by the media. Jos Antnio da polcia, acompanhado pelos media. A Jos Antnio
Rodrigues Monteiro was given a temporary residence Rodrigues Monteiro foi dada uma autorizao de estadia
permit. When the first sheep had thus leapt over the temporria. Depois dele, seguiram-se muitos outros jovens
ditch, more young Portuguese followed. The first years portugueses. Nos primeiros anos eram todos enviados para a
they were all sent to the police in the presence of a polcia, acompanhados pela imprensa e um advogado. O chefe
lawyer and the press. The head of the ministry of justice do Ministrio da Justia apelidou as actividades do Angola
called the activities of the Angola Comit villainy, but Comit de vilania, mas em Dezembro de 1969 o governo
in December 1969 the government ordered the police ordenou polcia que aceitasse portugueses no caso de
to accept Portuguese in cases of intervention by the interveno do Angola Comit ou de membros do
Angola Comit or by parliamentarians. parlamento.
Helping the Portuguese to settle was an enormous No foi fcil para o Comit ajudar os portugueses a
task for the committee. They were first placed with estabelecerem-se. Foram primeiro viver com famlias amigas
friendly families for some weeks to find out if they were por algumas semanas para ver se eram srios. Aps a visita
serious. After the visit to the police a job and polcia, tinha que se arranjar trabalho e alojamento. As
accommodation had to be found. The Dutch organizaes holandesas vocacionadas para ajudar refugiados
organizations whose task it was to help refugees, refused recusaram qualquer tipo de cooperao. Tal como o governo,
any cooperation. Just like the government they received elas recebiam pessoas dos pases comunistas de braos
people from communist countries with open arms, but abertos, mas recusavam-se a ajudar refugiados de um pas da
declined to help refugees from a NATO country. They NATO. Eles so atrados para a Holanda. H algo de suspeito
are being lured to The Netherlands. Theres something no Angola Comit. Condenamos as suas actividades porque
fishy about the Angola Comit. We condemn their so dirigidas contra o governo portugus, afirmou o chefe da
activities, because they are directed against the organizao dos refugiados, Sr. Patijn, um proeminente
Portuguese government, said the head of the refugee membro do Partido Trabalhista.
organization Mr. Patijn, a prominent member of the Em 1969 havia, em mdia por semana, dois novos
Labour Party. portugueses que contactavam o Angola Comit. A situao
In 1969 there were on average two new Portuguese estava a tornar-se incontrolvel. A 1 de Maio de 1970, em
deserters a week reporting to the Angola Comit. The Amsterdo, foi aberto uma delegao para os portugueses com
situation was becoming untenable. On 1 May 1970 an o apoio de igrejas e das organizaes de refugiados. Aps 18
Amsterdam office for the Portuguese was opened with meses, a delegao tinha prestado assistncia a mais de 500
the support of the churches and refugee organizations. pessoas. Obviamente, a situao tornou-se tambm aqui
After 18 months the office had given assistance to over insuportvel. Encontrar trabalho e famlias com vontade de
500 newcomers. Understandably, for the office, too, the oferecer hospitalidade tornara-se um grande problema. Um
24
ANEFO/SPAARNESTAD FOTOARCHIEF
Above: Demonstration at the
Portuguese embassy in The Hague by
Amnesty International against the
25.000 political prisoners in Portugal
and the Portuguese colonies, October
1972.
Right: Portuguese war resisters (and
their partners) meeting in Amsterdam
to discuss their problems with
the Angola Comit, the University
Asylum Fund and representatives of
the liberation movements,
January 1970.
Em cima: Demonstrao da Amnestia
Internacional na Embaixada
Portuguesa na Haia contra a deteno
de 25.000 prisioneiros polticos em
Portugal e nas clnias, Outubro de
1972.
Direita: Opositores portugueses da
guerra (e suas parceiras) num
encontro em Amsterdam para discutir
os seus problemas com o Angola
Comit, o Fundo de Aslico da
Universidade e representantes dos
movimentos de libertao, Janeiro de
1970.
J. MUD
situation was becoming too much. Finding jobs and dia, desesperado, o coordenador telefonou s organizaes de
families willing to offer hospitality remained an refugiados. Segurando o telefone para fora da janela, ele fez
enormous problem. One day the coordinator phoned com que todos ouvissem cerca de 60 portugueses gritando
the refugee organizations in despair. Holding the phone comida! comida! em frente ao seu escritrio.
outside the window, he let everybody hear some 60 Depois de 1970, os portugueses j podiam ser reconhecidos
Portuguese shouting food! food! in front of his office. como refugiados polticos na Holanda aps comparecerem
After 1970 the Portuguese could be recognized as perante um comit oficial. Se os aceitassem como tal, eles
political refugees after appearing before an official teriam direito segurana social e bolsas de estudo. Porm, s
commission. If accepted as such, they were entitled to em Fevereiro de 1974, dois meses antes do golpe poltico em
social security and scholarships. But it was not until Portugal, que conseguiram reconhecimento total com
February 1974, two months before the political change passaportes holandeses.
in Portugal, that they got full recognition with Dutch A Holanda foi provavelmente o nico pas da NATO onde
passports. os desertores portugueses foram aceites. A alternativa era a
The Netherlands was probably the only NATO Sucia neutra. Outros opositores viviam ilegalmente em
country where Portuguese deserters were admitted. The Frana, com todos os riscos que isso envolvia. Em Abril de
alternative was neutral Sweden. Other objectors stayed 1971, Portugal e Frana assinaram um tratado que limitava a
illegally in France, with all the dangers involved. In April emigrao ilegal.
1971, Portugal and France signed a treaty to limit illegal Ao todo, entre 1.000 e 2.000 portugueses entraram na
emigration. Holanda desta forma. Cerca de 80% abandonaram Portugal
In all, between 1,000 and 2,000 Portuguese entered antes de serem chamados para a tropa, 15% eram desertores do
The Netherlands in this way. About 80% had left exrcito e 5% eram refugiados polticos. Muitos deles regressa-
Portugal before they were conscripted into the army, ram mais tarde a Portugal, mas um nmero considervel
15% were deserters and 5% were political refugees. permaneceu na Holanda e adquiriram a cidadania holandesa.
Many of them later returned to Portugal, but a Estes jovens portugueses contriburam para a libertao das
considerable number stayed and became Dutch citizens. colnias portuguesas, visto que a sua desero debilitou a moral
These young Portuguese contributed to the liberation do exrcito e do regime portugus. Tiveram tambm um papel
of the colonies because their desertions undermined the importante na Holanda, pois a imensa publicidade sobre as
morale of the Portuguese army and regime. They also suas visitas s esquadras da polcia ajudaram a mobilizar a
played an important role in The Netherlands. The wide opinio pblica holandesa contra o apoio s guerras coloniais de
publicity around their visits to police stations helped to Portugal.
mobilize public opinion against supporting Portugals
colonial wars. Antnio
Embora quase todos os opositores fossem provenientes de
Antnio Portugal, o semanrio catlico holands Bazuin entrevistou
Nearly all objectors came from Portugal, but the Roman um jovem desertor moambicano branco.
Catholic weekly Bazuin interviewed a young white Antnio cresceu num bairro pobre de Moambique. Como
deserter who came from Mozambique. criana branca, frequentou uma escola missionria com outras
Antnio grew up in Mozambique in a poor neigh- crianas negras. Na altura, o av havia partido de Portugal
bourhood. As a white child he visited a mission school para refugiar-se em Moambique como republicano e
together with black children. Like his grandfather, his socialista. Tal como o pai, era muito crtico da forma como os
father was very critical of the way the Portuguese treated portugueses tratavam a populao negra de Moambique.
the black population of Mozambique. Antnio was Antnio foi incorporado no exrcito portugus.
conscripted into the Portuguese army. Os soldados tinham medo da guerra, mas eram
The ordinary soldiers were afraid of the war. But influenciados pela mquina propagandista do regime. Era
they were influenced by the propaganda machine of the impossvel falar com eles sobre poltica. Eu disse-lhes que no
regime. It was impossible to talk with them about deviam estar acima do povo. Por fim mandaram-me para a
politics. I told them that they should not be above the priso militar. No me atrevia a desertar para a FRELIMO,
26
people. I ended up in the military prison. I did not dare embora no fosse portugus. Mas servi o exrcito portugus e
desert to FRELIMO, although I was no Portuguese. But I era branco. Mais tarde soube que eu poderia ter-me juntado
served in the Portuguese army and I was white. Later I FRELIMO. Alguns portugueses fizeram isso e foram bem
learned that I could have gone to FRELIMO. Quite a few tratados.
Portuguese did that and they were well treated. Quando sa da priso fui para a capital de Moambique.
On my discharge from prison I went to the capital of Tinham-me dito que podia viajar para Portugal sem passa-
Mozambique. Friends had told me that I could travel to porte. Disseram-me tambm que de Portugal podia-se escapar
Portugal without a passport. From Portugal you can facilmente, pois milhares de portugueses j o tinham feito.
easily escape, they said, because thousands of Portuguese Assim, escapei para a Frana, ilegalmente, e da para a
have done that. So I escaped to France, illegally, and Holanda.
from there to The Netherlands. Gosto daqui, embora tivesse outras expectativas. Mas o
I do like it here, although I had other expectations. governo holands deveria ser mais benevolente para com os
But the Dutch government should show more refugiados polticos e julg-los individualmente. Deveriam ser
understanding for the reasons why we come here. We mais compreensivos em relao s razes que levam os
have left because we refuse to participate in the war. portugueses a virem para aqui. Ns fugimos porque nos
Antnio lived with a Dutch family. He was a student recusamos a participar na guerra.
and he told the journalist he wanted to return to a Antnio vivia com uma famlia holandesa. Era estudante e
liberated Mozambique. Amnesty International and a disse que queria voltar a um Moambique livre. A Amnistia
number of students supported him financially, but he Internacional e alguns estudantes apoiaram-no financeira-
had difficulties making ends meet. Still, when at his mente, mas teve dificuldades em sobreviver financeiramente.
departure the journalist offered Antnio some money, Mesmo assim, quando o jornalista lhe ofereceu algum dinheiro
he refused: If there is any money it should go to the sua partida, Antnio recusou. Se h dinheiro, que seja para
Mozambican liberation movement. o movimento de libertao de Moambique.
Standing on Portuguese
army tanks, Bishop Trindade
blesses the troops departing
for the colonial wars. This
picture was distributed on
postcards, leaflets and
posters in order to mobilize
Dutch catholics against
Portugals colonial wars
(1969/1970).
O Bispo Trindade em cima
de tanques de guerra
portugueses, abenoando
as tropas partindo para as
guerras coloniais. A
fotografia foi distribuida
atraves de postais,
panfletos e cartazes para
mobilizar os catlicos
holandeses contra as
guerras coloniais de
Portugal (1969/1970).
27
The Mondlane Foundation A Fundao Eduardo

and Dutch government Mondlane e o apoio do
support governo holands
In 1968, on behalf of FRELIMO, Janet Mondlane Em 1968, em nome da FRELIMO, Janet Mondlane contactou o
approached the Angola Comit with a far-reaching Angola Comit com uma solicitao abrangente. O governo
request. The Swedish government gave financial support sueco apoiava financeiramente as actividades educacionais da
to the educational activities of FRELIMO in Tanzania, FRELIMO na Tanzania, o Instituto de Moambique. Agora
the Mozambique Institute. Now the other Scandinavian os outros pases escandinavos e a Holanda deveriam fazer o
countries and The Netherlands should cross the bridge. mesmo. Os membros do Angola Comit no ficaram muito
The people of the Angola Comit were not enthusiastic, entusiasmados. Estavam envolvidos num intenso conflito com
however. They were involved in an intense conflict with o governo holands sobre o apoio dos pases da NATO
the Dutch government over the support of NATO opresso portuguesa. As mudanas bem sucedidas eram
countries to Portuguese oppression. The chance of avaliadas como sendo limitadas, pois aos olhos do governo, o
success was thought to be Comit constitua apenas um
small; to the government punhado de agitadores
the committee was just a esquerdistas. Era necessrio
bunch of left-wing agir com artimanha.
agitators. A trick was Uma nova organizao
needed. apresentou-se ao governo
A new organization holands: o Grupo de Trabalho
presented itself to the para Apoio do Governo ao
Dutch government: the Instituto Moambicano. O
Work Group Government grupo no era constitudo por
Support Mozambique activistas de esquerdo, mas
Institute. This group did por respeitveis cidados.
not consist of left-wing Quando o lder da FRELIMO,
activists but of respectable Eduardo Mondlane, faleceu em
citizens. When FRELIMO Fevereiro de 1969, o nome do
leader Eduardo Mondlane grupo foi alterado para
The first chairman of the Eduardo Mondlane Foundation,
was killed in February Mr. Elias Voet and his wife Pie. Fundao Dr. Eduardo
1969, the name was O primeiro presidente da Fundao Eduardo Mondlane, Mondlane, com o
Sr. Elias Voet, e a sua esposa Pie.
changed with the consent consentimento de Janet
of Janet Mondlane into the Mondlane.
Dr. Eduardo Mondlane Foundation. Desde o incio, o Angola Comit sempre considerou a
Ever since its formation, the Angola Comit had angariao humanitria de fundos como um pilar importante
regarded humanitarian fundraising as an important na sua estratgia. Desta forma, poder-se-ia atrair novos
pillar of its strategy. In this way new supporters could be apoiantes tambm para as actividades polticas. Havia a
attracted, also for the political activities. Now a division necessidade de uma diviso de tarefas entre o Angola Comit e
of tasks between the Angola Comit and the Mondlane a Fundao Eduardo Mondlane. No futuro, o Angola Comit
Foundation had to be made. In future the Angola seria responsvel pela informao ao pblico e presso
Comit would be responsible for information to the poltica, e a Fundao Mondlane pelo apoio material MPLA,
Dutch public and for exerting political pressure, the FRELIMO e PAIGC. Ambas as organizaes trabalhariam em
Mondlane Foundation for material aid to MPLA, estreita colaborao.
FRELIMO and PAIGC. The two organizations were to O Sr. Elias Voet tornou-se a figura central na Fundao
work closely together. Mondlane. Ele tinha trabalhado na Zmbia e depois fora
28
Mr. Elias Voet became the central figure in the convidado pela SOH (Fundao Ecumnica de Apoio s Igrejas
Mondlane Foundation. He had worked in Zambia, and e Refugiados) para ser o seu director. Voet respondeu
was invited by the SOH (Ecumenical Foundation for positivamente ao pedido do Angola Comit para dedicar uma
Support of Churches and Refugees) to become its edio inteira da revista da SOH luta de libertao nas
director. Voet reacted positively to a request by the colnias portuguesas. Com consequncias fatais, as
Angola Comit to devote a whole issue of the SOH autoridades da igreja decidiram demiti-lo imediatamente.
periodical to the liberation struggle in the Portuguese Nos finais de 1968, Voet aceitou um convite para liderar a
colonies. With fatal consequences: the church authorities equipa de trabalho, mais tarde designada Fundao
decided to fire him on the spot. By the end of 1968 Voet Mondlane. Ele percebeu que um pedido do Angola Comit ao
accepted an invitation to lead the Working group, later governo holands para apoiar o Instituto de Moambique no
the Mondlane Foundation. He understood that a request teria o mnimo de chance, em consequncia da sua amarga
by the Angola Comit to the Dutch government to luta com o ministro dos negcios estrangeiros, Joseph Luns.
support the Mozambique Institute would not have a Um pouco antes, um outro conflito sensacional havia
ghost of a chance because of its bitter struggle with the ocorrido entre o Comit e o ministro. Este ltimo estava para
minister of foreign affairs, Joseph Luns. efectuar uma visita oficial Tanzania para melhorar as
Shortly before, another conflict had taken place relaes com aquele pas. Mas antes da sua chegada, o Comit
between the committee and the minister. The latter was informou ao presidente Nyerere e a imprensa tanzaniana sobre
to make an official visit to Tanzania in order to improve o seu elogio a Salazar e ao colonialismo portugus. Ao chegar
relations with that country. But before he arrived, the ao aeroporto, o ministro foi confrontado pelos jornalistas,
committee had informed president Nyerere and the fazendo perguntas embaraosas. E o encontro com Nyerere
Tanzanian press about his praise of Salazar and tambm no foi muito cordial. Sob tais circunstncias, Luns
Portuguese colonialism. Arriving at the airport, Luns viu-se obrigado a criticar publicamente Portugal e a falar bem
was confronted by journalists asking awkward questions. dos movimentos de libertao. Seguiu-se ento a vez da
And the meeting with president Nyerere, too, was less imprensa portuguesa e do governo reagirem furiosamente. No
than cordial. Under the circumstances Luns was forced seu regresso ao Aeroporto de Amsterdo, o ministro foi
to publicly make some critical remarks about Portugal recebido na sala de imprensa por manifestantes exibindo
and rather more friendly ones about the liberation move- dsticos e panfletos, o que o deixou muito zangado. Sem meias
ments. Now it was the turn of the Portuguese press and medidas, tirou agressivamente um dos panfletos e lanou-o
government to react furiously. When, on his return to contra os jornalistas. No dia seguinte, a imagem apareceu em
Amsterdam Airport, the minister was welcomed in the todas as primeiras pginas dos jornais.
pressroom by demonstrators with banners and leaflets,
he became very angry and, mouthing abuse, crumpled Na preparao da solicitao ao governo para apoiar o
up one of the leaflets and threw it at the journalists. The Instituto de Moambique, procurou-se o apoio popular.
next day the picture was on all the front pages. Duzentos pessoas proeminentes assinaram a petio, para
alm de mensagens de aprovao por parte do snodo da maior
For the application to the government to give aid to the igreja protestante no pas e de um grande nmero de
Mozambique Institute, popular support was sought. organizaes de estudantes e juvenis, incluindo a de todos os
Two hundred prominent persons signed a petition, in partidos da coligao.. O Sr. Voet e Janet Mondlane tiveram
addition to messages of approval from the synod of the encontros com o Cardeal Alfrink, vrios parlamentares e o
largest Protestant church in the country and a large ministro para o apoio ao desenvolvimento. O parlamento
number of student and youth organizations, including apoiou quase por unanimidade o pedido de assistncia. Em
those of all the government parties. Mr. Voet and Janet Dezembro de 1970, assinou-se o contrato entre o governo e a
Mondlane met with cardinal Alfrink, a large number of Fundao Mondlane, como representante do Instituto de
parliamentarians and the minister of development aid. Moambique, que dizia respeito a uma contribuio do
Then parliament nearly unanimously backed the governo no valor de Fl. 250.000 *). Entretanto, outras
application for support. In December 1970 the contract organizaes tambm contriburam, como por exemplo a
was signed between the government and the Mondlane NOVIB **), com Fl. 130.000.
29
Foundation as proxy for the Mozambique Institute for a Para alm do apoio ao Instituto de Moambique, solicitou-
government contribution of DG 250,000 *). Other se ao governo uma doao de 20.000 mantas para as zonas
organizations contributed as well, for instance NOVIB **) libertadas em Moambique. E quando o governo anunciou a
with DG 130,000. sua inteno de fazer uma doao em leite em p para os
In addition to the contribution for the Mozambique pases em desenvolvimento, a Fundao Mondlane tambm
Institute in Tanzania, the government was asked to submeteu o seu pedido. Foram doadas 60 toneladas de leite
donate 20,000 blankets for the liberated areas in para a FRELIMO e para o PAIGC, mas sob a expressa condio
Mozambique. And when the government announced its de que o leite s seria consumido fora das fronteiras da
intention to give a large surplus of milk powder to colnias portuguesas. Dado que o dinheiro era para as zonas
developing countries, the Mondlane Foundation put in libertadas de Moambique, este pedido foi rejeitado.
an application, too. The milk powder came: 60 tons for Aps esta rejeio, a Fundao Mondlane e o Angola
FRELIMO and PAIGC, but on the express condition that Comit decidiram optar por pedir mantas e contribuies
the milk was to be drunk only outside the borders of the directamente ao pblico holands. Os sindicatos, alguns
Portuguese colony. And as the blankets were meant for partidos polticos e igrejas apoiaram a campanha. Em
the liberated areas of Mozambique, that request was Amsterdo, mais de 1.000 voluntrios recolheram 20.000
turned down. mantas. No total, 70.000 mantas foram enviadas para frica,
After this refusal the Mondlane Foundation and the tendo tambm sido recolhido um valor monetrio total de Fl.
Angola Comit decided to approach the Dutch public 170.000, tendo-se comprado camies para o transporte das
directly for blankets and contributions. The trade mantas. Quando houve necessidade de mais dinheiro, foram
unions, several political parties and churches supported recolhidos em 1973 mais 80.000 mantas e Fl. 200.000.
the campaign. In Amsterdam more than 1,000 A ltima campanha pela FRELIMO teve incio em 25 de
volunteers collected 20,000 blankets. In all 70,000 Setembro de 1974, exactamente dez anos depois do incio da
blankets were sent to Africa, and with the collected luta armada. Durante um ano inteiro, a Fundao Mondlane e
money totalling DG 170,000, lorries were bought to o Angola Comit, em colaborao com a NOVIB, efectuaram
transport them. When the need for blankets continued, campanhas de apoio incondicional FRELIMO. Aps esta
another 80,000 blankets and DG 200,000 were collected campanha, todas as atenes viraram-se para Angola, pois o
in 1973. exrcito sulafricano havia invadido o pas para expulsar o
The last campaign for FRELIMO started on 25 Sep- governo do MPLA.
tember 1974, exactly ten years after the start of the
armed struggle. For a full year, the Mondlane Foundation
and the Angola Comit, in cooperationwith NOVIB,
campaigned for unconditional support for FRELIMO.
After this campaign all attention went to Angola, as in
1975 the South African army had invaded that country
to expel the MPLA government.
* In this publication financial amounts are given in Dutch Guilders, * Nesta publicao, os valores financeiros sero expressos em moeda
indicated by the letters DG. The value of the guilder expressed in holandesa (Florins holandeses), indicada pelas letras Fl.. O valor do florim
US dollars varied through the years, but one guilder roughly equals expresso em dlares americanos variou com o decorrer dos anos, mas um
half a dollar. florim quase equivalente a meio dlar.
** NOVIB, then the largest Dutch development organization, now a ** NOVIB, na altura a maior organizao holandesa para o desenvolvimento,
member of Oxfam International. faz agora parte da cooperao Oxfam International.
30
Mrs Liesbeth Den Uyl, wife of the
Dutch Prime Minister (centre) and
writer Jan Wolkers (left) at the launch
of the second national blanket
campaign for Mozambique in Utrecht,
11 October 1973.
Liesbeth den Uyl, esposa do primeiro-
ministro holands (centro) e o escritor
Jan Wolkers (esquerdo) no lanamento
da segunda campanha nacional para
obtenco de mantas para Moambique,
Utrecht, 11 de Outubro 1973.
At the request of Janet Mondlane, the

Eduardo Mondlane Foundation
organised a second blanket collection
in October 1973. For this campaign
600.000 door-to-door leaflets were
distributed, 10.000 window posters and
70.000 brochures. Most of the collected
blankets were sent to FRELIMO; others
went to PAIGC and MPLA.

Ao pedido da Janet Mondlane, a
Fundao Eduardo Mondlane organizou
uma segunda colecta de mantas em
Outubro de 1973. Foram distribuidos
600.000 panfletos de porta em porta,
houve 10.000 cartazes de janela e
70.000 brochuras. A maior parte das
mantas foi enviado para Frelimo; outras
foram para a PAIGC e o MPLA.
HANS VAN DEN BOGAARD
The collected blankets were

pressed into bales at the
Salvation Army, Emmaus and
Caritas.
As mantas foram enfardadas nos
armazens do Exrcito de
Salvao, da Fundao Emmaus
e da Caritas.
Jan and Frouke Draisma Jan e Frouke Draisma
For me it is very stimulating that our Mozambican Para mim, muito estimulante saber que os nossos amigos
friends are so sure of their victory. I myself have doubts moambicanos esto to certos da sua vitria. Eu prprio
sometimes when you see from how many sides Portugal tenho s vezes dvidas, quando vemos que Portugal recebe
gets support for its colonial wars. From all the NATO apoio para as suas guerras coloniais de todos os pases da
countries., wrote Jan Draisma. After many active years NATO, escreveu Jan Draisma. Aps vrios anos de actividade
on the Angola Comit and the Mondlane Foundation, no Angola Comit e na Fundao Mondlane, Jan e a sua
Jan and his wife Frouke had told FRELIMO in 1969 that esposa, Frouke, informaram FRELIMO que queriam
they were willing to work as teachers at the school of the trabalhar como professores na escola do Instituto de Moam-
Mozambique Institute in Tanzania. After months of bique na Tanzania. Depois de meses de espera, um telegrama
waiting a telegram arrived with only two words: chegou, contendo apenas duas palavras: Draismas aceites.
Draismas accepted. At Dar-es-Salaam airport Joaquim No aeroporto de Dar-es-Salaam, Joaquim Chissano, que mais
Chissano, who later became president of Mozambique tarde ficaria Presidente de Moambique (1986 2005),
from 1986 till February 2005, was waiting for them. esperava por eles.
The school had about 300 pupils, who were taught A escola tinha cerca de 300 alunos, que eram ensinados
for 9 months a year. Jan: After those 9 months the durante 9 meses por ano. Jan: Depois desses 9 meses, os
pupils lived in the liberated areas inside Mozambique alunos passavam o resto do ano nas zonas libertadas dentro de
for the rest of the year. The idea was that the pupils Moambique. A ideia era que os alunos no deviam ficar
must not become isolated from Mozambican society. At isolados da sociedade moambicana. Ao mesmo tempo, eles
the same time they should pass on as much as possible deviam passar o mximo possvel do que aprenderam para as
of what they had learnt to the people, for instance in outras pessoas, por exemplo, a ler e a escrever, assim como a
reading and writing, and also in health education. They educao sanitria. Eles levavam consigo livrinhos que ns
take booklets with them which we write ourselves. prprios escrevemos.
For the Dutch teachers it was a new experience to Para os professores holandeses, era uma nova experincia o
find that, apart from practical subjects, there was also facto de que, para alm das disciplinas prticas, a educao
political education on the curriculum. Frouke: They poltica constava tambm no currculo. Frouke: Eles
learn first of all that the war is not against whites or the aprendem, antes de mais, que a guerra no contra os brancos
Portuguese but against the economic system. The second ou portugueses, mas contra o sistema econmico. O segundo
essential point is the emphasis on the unity of the ponto essencial o nfase sobre a importncia da unidade do
Mozambican people. povo moambicano.
We had lots of ideological discussions with the Tivemos vrias discusses ideolgicas com outras pessoas
other FRELIMO people. In that sense the years in the da FRELIMO. Nesse aspecto, os anos nos campos foram muito
camps were good ones: gradually we were fully accepted bons: gradualmente fomos completamente aceites na FRELIMO
in FRELIMO and became one with the Mozambicans. e ficmos muito unidos aos moambicanos. Comamos da
We ate from the same pot, we slept in the same huts. mesma panela, dormamos nas mesmas palhotas.
Jan and Frouke were financially supported by the Jan e Frouke eram financeiramente apoiados pela Igreja
Evangelical Lutheran Church in The Netherlands. A little Evanglica Luterana na Holanda. Algum tempo mais tarde,
later a third Dutchman from Tanzania joined them: um terceiro holands, Louis Pouw, vindo da Tanzania, juntou-
Louis Pouw. His work at the Mozambique Institute was se a eles. O seu trabalho no Instituto de Moambique era
financed by Caritas, a Roman Catholic organization. financiado pela Caritas, uma organizao catlica romana.
I asked for their support to get the Catholic part of Pedi o apoio deles para levarem os catlicos holandeses a
The Netherlands to back FRELIMO, said Pouw. apoiarem a FRELIMO, disse Pouw.
Early 1975, after independence, Jan was suddenly sent No incio de 1975 Jan foi, de repente, enviado para Maputo
to Maputo to help the transitional government set up a para ajudar o governo de transio a estabelecer um novo
new educational system. Just as suddenly FRELIMO sistema de educao. De um momento para o outro, a
32
decided he was to run a technical school with 3,000 FRELIMO decidiu que ele deveria dirigir uma escola tcnica
pupils. The management and most of the teachers had com 3.000 alunos. A direco e a maior parte dos professores
left for Portugal. Well, you got your orders, and you tinha partido para Portugal. Bem, era um pouco como na
went. It was a bit like the army. tropa: recebem-se as ordens e h que cumpri-las.
In 1977 the Draismas got Mozambican citizenship. Em 1977, os Draismas adquiriram a cidadania moambi-
As Mozambicans we could be actively involved in cana. Como moambicanos, podamos estar activamente
FRELIMO meetings and we could vote. They had to envolvidos nas reunies da FRELIMO e podamos votar. Eles
give up their Dutch nationality because Mozambique prescindiram da nacionalidade holandesa, pois Moambique
does not accept double nationality. It also meant low no permite a dupla nacionalidade. Isso tambm significava
salaries, no insurance and a very low pension. salrios baixos, nenhum seguro e uma magra penso.
After years of working in educational planning and Aps anos de trabalho na planificao do ensino e
curriculum development for mathematics, the couple desenvolvimento curricular para matemtica, em 1990 o casal
went to the Universidade Pedaggica in Beira in 1990 to foi para a Universidade Pedaggica da Beira, para formar
train maths teachers. Since 2001 they have been working professores de matemtica. Trabalham desde 2001 na
at the Universidade Cat- Universidade Catlica de
lica de Moambique on the Moambique, na introduo
introduction of Problem da Aprendizagem Baseada em
Based Learning. They got Problemas. Beneficiam do
support from NUFFIC and apoio da NUFFIC e da
Maastricht University in Universidade de Maastricht
The Netherlands. na Holanda.
Both Draismas remain Ambos os Draismas
faithful to their old princi- permanecem fiis aos seus
ples, but they have become velhos princpios, mas ficaram
disappointed in FRELIMO. desapontados com a FRELIMO.
All the old ideals have dis- Todos os antigos ideais
appeared, such as building desapareceram, tais como a
a new society, standing up construo de uma sociedade
for the disadvantaged and nova, a defesa dos desfavore-
for the emancipation of cidos e a emancipao da
Jan and Frouke Draisma at the Mozambique Institute in
women. Because of the Bagamoyo, Tanzania (1970s). mulher. Por causa da
disastrous economic situa- Jan e Frouke Draisma no Instituto Moambique em Bagamoyo, desastrosa situao econ-
tion, solidarity and com- Tanznia (1970). mica, a solidariedade e o bem
mon humanity have nearly comum quase desapareceram
disappeared in Mozambique. Survival and self-interest em Moambique. A sobrevivncia e o individualismo o que
are what motivates people. We often say you can tell the motiva as pessoas. Sempre dissemos que se pode avaliar o
level of an officials corruptness by the size of his belly. nvel de corrupo de um oficial pelo tamanho da sua barriga.
Meanwhile the former Dutch are now approaching Entretanto, os primeiros holandeses esto a chegar idade
pensionable age. Frouke: At the time it did not mean da reforma. Frouke: Na altura no significava muito para
very much to me, being Dutch or Mozambican. Now I mim, ser holandesa ou moambicana. Agora apercebo-me que
find that certain aspects of Mozambican culture do not certos aspectos da cultura moambicana no combinam
agree with me. For instance the women doing all the comigo. Por exemplo, as mulheres a fazerem todo o trabalho,
work, both at home and outside. And now that Im tanto em casa, como fora. E agora que estou a envelhecer,
getting older Im beginning to miss my family. With our comeo a sentir saudades da minha famlia. Com a nossa
meagre pension we will have no money for good health magra penso no teremos dinheiro para a sade ou para
care or for the phone. pagar o telefone.
The Draismas will return to The Netherlands in 2005. Em 2005, os Draismas retornaram para Holanda.
33
Paul Staal, the roving Paul Staal, o embaixador

ambassador itinerante
My first experience with the Angola Comit was not A minha primeira experincia com o Angola Comit no foi
entirely positive. In 1970 I worked at the International totalmente positiva. Em 1970, trabalhei no Gabinete
Office of Utrecht University, planning a trip to Tanzania. Internacional da Universidade de Utrecht, planeando uma
At the university there was an interest in supporting the viagem para a Tanzania. Na Universidade havia um certo
medical service of FRELIMO. I decided to contact the interesse em apoiar os servios mdicos da FRELIMO. Decidi
Angola Comit for information. There I was grilled as to contactar o Angola Comit para obter informaes. Fizeram-
my motives, which I thought a bit odd, but in the end I me muitas perguntas sobre os motivos que l me levavam, o
got a letter of introduction. que achei um pouco estranho, mas depois acabmos por nos
Paul Staal, now sporting a small grey beard, was then entender.
28 and just in his first job. He gets into his stride: I had Paul Staal, agora com uma curta barba acinzentada, tinha,
never been to Africa and suddenly there I was, in Dar- na altura, 28 anos de idade e era o seu primeiro emprego. Ele
es-Salaam. Janet Mondlane was at the airport. We talked conta: Nunca tinha estado em frica antes e, de repente, l
for many evenings, I still have the tapes. My interest in estava eu em Dar-es-Salaam. Janet Mondlane estava no
the issue was aroused. A year later, in 1971, I was sold on aeroporto. Conversmos durante dias, ainda tenho as cassetes.
FRELIMO and joined the Angola Comit, for 500 Fiquei deveras interessado no assunto. Um ano depois, em
guilders a month, which was the allowance everyone got. 1971, trabalhei para a FRELIMO e para o Angola Comit, por
While I had received quite a good salary before. Until 500 florins mensais, que era o que todos ganhavam. Antes
1980 I worked full-time and it wasnt until 1996 that tinha recebido muito mais como salrio. Trabalhei a tempo
there came an end to my activities for Mozambique. inteiro at 1980 e s em 1996 que terminaram as minhas
Paul Staal became the Comits roving ambassador. actividades em Moambique.
Most of the year he spent in Africa or Portugal, Paul Staal tornou-se o embaixador itinerante do Comit.
travelling under another name and with different Passava a maior parte do ano em frica ou em Portugal,
passports. In the company of journalists or TV teams he viajando sob outro nome e com diferentes passaportes. Na
travelled through the liberated areas in the Portuguese companhia de jornalistas e equipas de televiso, viajava pelas
colonies, organized discussions with the underground in zonas libertadas das colnias portuguesas, organizava debates
Portugal, and maintained relations with the liberation com os movimentos secretos em Portugal e mantinha
movements of Angola, Mozambique en Guinea-Bissau. contactos com os movimentos de libertao em Angola,
One of the first tasks for me was to buy them detailed Moambique e Guin-Bissau.
survey maps. In a war this is of great importance, and I Uma das minhas primeiras tarefas era a de lhes comprar
discovered they had no maps to the scales of 1:20,000 or mapas de pesquisa detalhados. Na guerra, isso muito
1:15,000. importante e descobri que eles no tinham mapas nas escalas
Paul Staal was important to the committee also de 1:20.000 ou 1:15.000.
because he was well connected in the Roman Catholic Paul Staal era importante para o Comit tambm por
world in The Netherlands. I had good contacts with causa das suas boas relaes no mundo catlico na Holanda.
Justitia et Pax and with the relief organization Tinha bons contactos com Justia e Paz e com a organizao
Vastenactie, I also did various kinds of work for them. humanitria Vastenactie, tambm fiz alguns trabalhos para
I made several trips to the Portuguese occupied part of eles. Fiz vrias viagens para as partes de Moambique
Mozambique and got to know the bishop of Nampula, ocupadas pelo Portugal e conheci o bispo de Nampula, que
who was also in Justitia et Pax. When in later years he tambm estava na Justia e Paz. Quando anos depois ele fugiu
had fled from Mozambique and Portugal we de Moambique e Portugal, arranjamos alojamento para ele
accommodated him in The Netherlands. na Holanda.
In consultation with FRELIMO I collected Em consulta com a FRELIMO, colhi informaes nessas
information on these trips about Portuguese atrocities viagens sobre as atrocidades dos portugueses em
34
in Mozambique, the fathers had that information. And I Moambique; os padres tinham essa informao. E eu
would try to find out how much support FRELIMO had procurava perceber os niveis da aderncia FRELIMO nas
in the different villages. I remember a convent, upstairs diferentes aldeias. Lembro-me de um convento, numa sala
in a small room, where the sisters sewed big pockets to pequena da parte de cima, onde as irms cozeram bolsos
the inner side of my trouser-legs to hide the pictures and enormes na parte interior das pernas das minhas calas para
the documents. But they never found anything, I was esconder as fotografias e os documentos. E nunca descobriram
always low profile. On return we hardly discussed my nada. Nunca dei nas vistas. De regresso, raramente falvamos
trips, not in the Comit either. sobre as minhas viagens, nem no Comit.
The priests took me from one mission post to the Os padres levavam-me de uma misso para a outra.
next. Often these were priests with progressive ideas, but Geralmente, eram padres com ideias progressistas, mas outros
others were afraid and wanted to get rid of me as soon tinham receio e queriam desenvencilhar-se de mim o mais
as possible. Often the journey was made in a column rpido possvel. As viagens eram muitas vezes feitas numa
protected by the Portuguese army. FRELIMO knew of coluna protegida pelo exrcito portugus. A FRELIMO sabia da
my trip, but of course that did not exclude an attack. minha viagem, mas, obviamente, isso no exclua um ataque.
The priests were Dutch, sometimes Spanish, few were Os padres eram holandeses, por vezes espanhis, poucos eram
Portuguese. We later brought those people to The portugueses. Mais tarde, trouxemos essa gente para a
Netherlands and other European countries, where they Holanda, onde participaram na guerra de propaganda.
participated in the propaganda war. Pouco depois tambm fui para Portugal. At a Revoluo
Fairly soon I also went to Portugal. Until the dos Cravos em 1974 passei mais tempo em Portugal do que na
Carnations Revolution in 1974 I spent more time in frica. Atravs de Angolanos e Moambicanos em Portugal
Portugal than in Africa. Through Angolans and entrei em contacto com pessoas da resistncia, catlicos
Mozambicans in Portugal I came into contact with progressistas como Luis Moita e Nuno Teotnio Perreira.
To celebrate the twentieth anniversary of the

Angola Comit/Holland Committee on Southern
Africa the Royal Tropical Institute in Amsterdam
organised an exhibition of national and
international posters on the liberation struggles
and of art from Mozambique relating to
colonialism and the struggle for independence.
At the opening of the exhibition on 11 April
1981 the Mozambican representative Augusto
Macamo presented a Maconde sculpture to Paul
Staal to express the gratitude of the
Mozambican government.
Para celebrar o vingsimo aniversrio do Angola
Comit / Comit para frica Austral, o Instituto
Trpico Real em Amsterdam organizou uma
exposio de cartazes nacionais e internacionais
e de arte moambicana sobre a luta de
libertao e o colonialismo. Na inaugurao no
dia 11 de Abril de 1981 o representante
moambicano, Augusto Macamo, entregou uma
esttua Moconde ao Paul Staal, num gesto de
gratido do governo moambicano.
JOS MELO
35
people in the resistance, progressive Roman Catholics Assim movimentei-me duma rede para a outra. Tinha muitos
like Lus Moita and Nuno Teotnio Perreira. That way I contactos com os oficiais que depois comearam o golpe. Desse
moved from one network to the next. I had a lot of grupo recebemos todos os documentos segredos sobre a guerra
contacts with the officers who later started the coup. em Moambique e depois tambm sobre Angola, como os
From that group we got all the secret documents about Perintreps. Esses homens arriscaram a priso. No fim
the war in Mozambique and later also on Angola, like ficamos mais atrevidos, mesmo durante o check-in no
the Perintreps. Those men risked prison. In the end we aeroporto de Lisboa, as pessoas me entregaram montes de
became more daring, even during check-in at Lisbon documentos, que meti dentro da mala. J estava claro que o
airport people came up to me with piles of documents, fim estava perto. Mas eu fique deitado na minha cama a
which I squeezed into my suitcase. It was clear then that transpirar enquanto a polcia segreda estava a vasculhar o
the end was near. But I have been lying perspiring on my hotel. Todos os documentos foram entregues FRELIMO, mas
mattress with the documents under it while the secret s vezes tive dvidas se foram sempre bem usados.
police were searching the hotel. All the documents were Um pouco depois da Revoluo dos Cravos em 1974,
given to FRELIMO but I sometimes doubt if they were quando estava em Portugal, passei alguns momentos de
always well used. ansiedade. Eu estava sentado
Shortly after the In 1970 a Dutch television crew of Kenmerk, consisting of Rob num carro, apanhado pela
Carnations Revolution in de Vries, Wim Louwrier and Henk Venema, visited FRELIMOs polcia, e a multido tentava
liberated areas in northern Mozambique. For the first time
1974 there were still these areas featured on Dutch television. virar o carro. Eu no fao
anxious moments. I was Em 1970 uma equipe do programa Kenmerk da televiso parte deles, sou prisioneiro,
holandesa, consistindo de Rob de Vries, Wim Louwrier e Henk
sitting in a car, picked up Venema, visitou as zonas libertadas da Frelimo no norte de
gritava eu. Mas o homem na
by the police, and the moambique. Foi a primeira vez que estas zonas foram frente do carro apontou-me
mostradas na televiso holandesa.
crowd were trying to uma pistola. Passei dois dias
overturn the police car. na priso, entre ratos. Lus
Im not one of them, Im a Moita, que no dia anterior se
prisoner, I shouted. But the tinha tornado Subsecretrio
man in the front of the car do Estado, tirou-me de l.
pointed his pistol at me. I Mais tarde, fundmos o
was in prison for two days, CIDAC (o ento Centro de
among the rats. Lus Moita, Informao e Documentao
who the day before had Anti-Colonial) com estas
become undersecretary of pessoas, para informar aos
state, got me out. Later on portugueses sobre a luta de
we founded CIDAC with libertao nas colnias. Acho
these people, the Anti- que conseguimos angariar um
Colonial Information and milho de florins na Holanda
Documentation Centre para preparar os portugueses
(later on: Centro de para a descolonizao.
Informao e Documen-
tao Amlcar Cabral), to
inform the Portuguese
about the liberation
struggle in the colonies.
I believe we collected a
million guilders in The
Netherlands to make the
Portuguese ready for
decolonisation.
36
Perintrep: Periodic Perintrep: relatrios
Intelligence Reports peridicos da inteligncia
During the seventies the Angola Comit was able to Durante os anos setenta, o Angola Comit conseguiu fornecer
provide FRELIMO regularly with the official weekly regularmente FRELIMO relatrios oficiais, semanais, do
reports of the Portuguese army in Mozambique. High exrcito portugus em Moambique. Estes documentos eram
officers of the army in Lisbon, who were opposed to the enviados para Amsterdo por altos oficiais do exrcito em
colonial wars, sent these reports to Amsterdam. The Lisboa que se opunham s guerras coloniais. Cpias dos
copies of the reports were numbered, so they probably relatrios estavam enumerados, pelo DUS que deveriam ter
had a very limited circulation. They were stamped secret uma circulao muito limitada. Ostentavam o carimbo
and in addition it was stated that the army commanders secreto, contendo instrues para os comandantes do
should destroy them within 72 hours after reception. exrcito os destrurem dentro de 72 horas aps a sua recepo.
The reports detail the number of fights and incidents Os relatrios continham informaes detalhadas sobre as
occurring in the past weeks. For instance, in the 16 lutas travadas e os incidentes ocorridos na semana anterior.
weeks from 26 June until 25 October 1972 there had Por exemplo, nas 16 semanas que vo de 26 de Junho a 25 de
been 1027 FRELIMO attacks, which means 64 actions a Outubro de 1972, ocorreram 1027 ataques da FRELIMO, o que
week. Military transports, airplanes and trains were significa 64 aces por semana. Atacaram transportes, avies
attacked, bridges blown up, military camps and e comboios militares, explodiram pontes e dispararam sobre
aldeamentos fired on. According to the reports campos militares ou aldeamentos. De acordo com os relatrios,
FRELIMO lost 240 dead, 67 wounded and 136 soldiers a FRELIMO teve 240 mortos, 67 feridos e 136 soldados foram
were taken prisoner. The Portuguese army suffered 72 aprisionados. O exrcito portugus teve 72 mortos, 526 feridos
dead, 526 wounded and 17 soldiers missing. e 17 soldados desaparecidos.
In this period 8,209 mines were detected, of which No total, foram detectadas 8.209 minas, das quais 4.957
4,957 were de-activated. The Portuguese army was foram desactivadas. O exrcito portugus receava
especially afraid of the new (Russian) 122 mm rockets particularmente os novos raquetes russos de 122 mm usados
used by FRELIMO, which were so successful in the pela FRELIMO, os quais foram muito eficazes na guerra do
Vietnam War. Vietname.
There was still fighting going on in the northernmost A luta ainda continuava nas zonas mais a norte do pas,
areas of Mozambique near the Tanzanian border, where perto da fronteira da Tanznia, onde se havia iniciado a
the war had started in 1964. But of the 1027 incidents guerra, em 1964. Mas dos 1027 incidentes, mais de metade
more than half were in Tete province, in the centre of aconteceram na provncia de Tete, no centro do pas. Foram
the long country. There were also reports about fighting tambm reportados tiroteios mais para o sul, nas zonas
more to the south, in the mountainous area near the montanhosas, perto da fronteira com a Rodsia, actualmente
border with Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe.
The reports say that FRELIMO had set up its Os relatrios informavam que a FRELIMO tinha
administration in the liberated areas and opened estabelecido o seu quartel nas zonas libertadas e criado
hundreds of schools, clinics and a trading system with centenas de escolas, clnicas e um sistema comercial com as
peoples shops (lojas do povo). The local people bring lojas do povo. As populaes entregam o peixe nas cantinas e,
fish to the peoples shops and in exchange receive cloth em troca, recebem panos e outros artigos. Os elementos da
and other articles. Members of the population, who carry populao que transportam produtos agrcolas transitam
agricultural products to the shops in our territory pelas cantinas no nosso territrio e seguem depois para a
transport them to Tanzania, accompanied by FRELIMO Tanznia, onde os entregam, mas acompanhados do pessoal
personnel. The reports mention huge columns consisting da FRELIMO. Os relatrios fazem referncia a enormes
of an estimated 1,200 persons, walking over hundreds of colunas de cerca de 1.200 pessoas, percorrendo centenas de
kilometres. quilmetros a p.
37
Perintrep also gives information about the Psychological Action
(APSIC) of the Portuguese army. The aim of APSIC is to structure
in detail the propaganda that must be developed to gain the
support of the population and fight subversion.
Perintrep no s fornece informao sobre a luta armada, mas
tambm sobre a Aco Psicolgica (APSIC) do exrcito portugus.
O objectivo da APSIC era estruturar, em detalhe, a propaganda a
processar, com vista conquista da adeso das populaes e o
combate subverso.
The reports also give detailed intelligence on the Os relatrios davam tambm informaes detalhadas sobre
attitude towards the liberation struggle of the different a atitude das populaes locais sob o controle dos portugueses
local populations under Portuguese control and about em relao luta de libertao e sobre a confiana dos chefes
the reliability of village heads and other local chiefs. This das aldeias e de outros chefes locais. escusado dizer que estas
information will have been of great value to FRELIMO. informaes eram de grande valor para a FRELIMO.
The reports speak of intense psychological action Os relatrios falam de uma intensa aco psicolgica
aimed at the population with the aim to get everybodys sobre as populaes, com a finalidade de obter a participao
active participation in the subversive actions, including activa de todas as populaes na subverso, inclusive a
the Europeans. We must stress the increasing numbers populao europeia. de salientar o nmero cada vez maior
of listeners to the FRELIMO broadcasting programmes de radio-ouvintes dos programas radiofnicos da FRELIMO,
transmitted from Tanzania and the interest in these of emitidos da Tanznia e o interesse pelos mesmos da parte da
the population in the Inhambane district. populao do distrito de Inhambane.
It is shown that the Portuguese have a well-developed Os relatrios demonstram que os portugueses tinham um
espionage apparatus in the neighbouring independent aparato de espionagem muito sofisticado nos estados
states. For each shipment of goods for FRELIMO independentes vizinhos. Por cada carregamento de
arriving at the ports or airports of Tanzania details are mercadorias para a FRELIMO que chegasse atravs do portos
given as to where the goods originate and what they ou aeroportos da Tanznia, eram fornecidos pormenores sobre
contain. For instance: A convoy of 123 lorries departing a origem da mercadoria e o que ela continha. Por exemplo, um
from Dar-es-Salaam, destined for FRELIMO activities in combio de 123 viaturas transitou de Dar-es-Salaam, das
Tete province, partly for MPLA. Moreover, the quais parte so destinadas a actividades da FRELIMO em
Portuguese appear to have detailed information on Tete, e parte ao MPLA. Alm disso, os portugueses pareciam
foreign delegations, television crews, and journalists ter informaes detalhadas sobre os visitantes estrangeiros.
arriving to visit the liberated areas of Mozambique. delegaes, equipas de televiso e jornalistas que vinham para
Also, we verify an increase of enemy activity in the visitar as zonas libertadas de Moambique. No campo
international theatre, corresponding with an increased internacional verificmos, tambm, um aumento de
support for its cause as a consequence of their intensive actividade inimiga na arena internacional, o que corresponde
propaganda. a um maior apoio causa, em consequncia da sua intensa
propaganda.
39
International solidarity A solidariedade internacional
Easter meetings Reunies da Pscoa

In the early seventies FRELIMOs Brothers from the No incio dos anos setenta, os Irmos do Ocidente da
West had founded solidarity movements supporting FRELIMO em muitos outros pases ocidentais haviam
MPLA, FRELIMO and PAIGC in many other western fundado movimentos de solidariedade similares, de apoio ao
countries. Gradually mutual contacts and cooperation MPLA, FRELIMO e PAIGC. Gradualmente, os contactos
grew among them. mtuos e a cooperao aumentaram.
At Easter 1971 the Angola Comit invited some ten Durante Psqua de 1971, o Angola Comit convidou outras
other West European organizations for a three-day dez outras organizaes da Europa Ocidental para uma
meeting in The Netherlands. MPLA, FRELIMO and reunio de trs dias na Holanda. O MPLA, a FRELIMO e o
PAIGC were also represented. The aim of the meeting PAIGC tambm estavam representados. O objectivo do
was not only to exchange information, to discuss failures encontro no era apenas a troca de informao, discutir os
and successes and to make plans for improving fracassos e sucessos e fazer planos para melhorar a cooperao,
cooperation, but also to make it easier for the liberation mas tambm tornar mais fcil para os movimentos de
movements to keep in touch with the many solidarity libertao a manuteno do contacto com todas as diferentes
organizations. These Easter meetings became an annual organizaes. Estas reunies da Pscoa tornaram-se uma
tradition, hosted by a different country each year, until tradio anual, ocorrendo num pas diferente em cada ano, at
the end of Portuguese colonialism in 1975. o fim do colonialismo portugus, em 1975.
Facts & Reports Facts & Reports

With the intention to internationalise the campaign, Para internacionalizar a campanha, o Angola Comit criou
the Angola Comit in 1970 started a newspaper cutting um servio de recorte de jornais em ingls, em 1970, atravs de
service in English, called Facts & Reports. The committee uma publicao chamada Facts & Reports. O Angola Comit
had always spent much energy on keeping abreast of the sempre fez esforo para se manter actualizado em relao
international press, by subscriptions and regular visits to imprensa internacional, por meio de assinaturas e visitas
the libraries. In those days very few articles on the subject regulares s bibliotecas e a um semanrio amigo, para l
appeared in the international press. The committee recolher jornais e revistas j lidos.
started to send photocopies of the articles to the Nessa altura, apareciam poucos artigos sobre o assunto na
liberation movements, which because of their location imprensa internacional. Os artigos de interesse eram foto-
were often in an isolated position. But soon requests for copiados e enviados aos movimentos de libertao, os quais,
copies also came from the foreign representatives of the muitas vezes devido sua localizao, se encontravam numa
movements and from other solidarity organizations. situao de isolamento. Mas em breve chegavam tambm
With financial support of the Program to Combat pedidos de cpias por parte dos representantes estrangeiros
Racism of the World Council of Churches it was decided dos movimentos e de outras organizaes de solidariedade.
to make the newspaper articles accessible to a wider Com o apoio financeiro do Programa de Combate ao Racismo
audience in a periodically do Conselho Mundial das Igrejas, decidiu-se ento imprimir e
printed publication. Thus on tornar os artigos de jornal acessveis numa publicao
14 November 1970 the first peridica. assim que, a 14 de Novembro
issue of Facts & Reports was de 1970, o primeiro
published, which was to be nmero de Facts &
continued every two weeks Reports foi publicado,
for 25 years. tendo continuado com
In 1972 the Danish edies bissemanais
government contributed durante 25 anos.
25,000 Danish Kroner for Em 1972, o governo
Poster of the second blanket
collection campaign for Angola,
Mozambique and Guinea-Bissau
organised by the Eduardo
Mondlane Foundation in
October 1973.
Cartaz da segunda colecta de
mantas para Angola,
Moambique e Guin-Bissau
organizada pela Fundao
Eduardo Mondlane en Outubro
de 1973.
Facts & Reports. The Dutch government protested in vain dinamarqus contribuiu com 25.000 coroas dinamarquesas
to the Danes through diplomatic channels. The Danish para o Facts & Reports. O governo holands protestou contra
government was reminded of the controversial os dinamarqueses por meio de canais diplomticos. A oferta
discussion involving the Dutch government and the foi considerada como interferncia nos assuntos internos da
Angola Comit. The gift was regarded as interfering in Holanda. Recordou-se ao governo dinamarqus a controversa
the internal matters of The Netherlands. discusso envolvendo o governo holands e o Angola Comit.
Through the years the circle of readers was extended Com o decorrer dos anos o crculo de leitores estendeu-se aos
to ministries of foreign affairs, embassies, UN missions ministerios de negcios estrangeiros, embaixadas, misses das
and young people from Southern Africa who were on ONU e jovens da frica Austral a seguir um curso de formao
training courses or studying in Cuba and Eastern ou a estudar em Cuba e na Europa Oriental. A circulao
Europe. Circulation rose to 1,000 copies. Dutch churches aumentou para 1.000 cpias. As assinaturas dos movimentos
and other friendly organizations paid for the de libertao eram pagas pelas igrejas holandesas e outras
subscriptions of the liberation movements. organizaes amigas.
The publication of Facts & Reports was a very labour- A publicao do Facts & Reports foi um projecto de
intensive project, involving many volunteers. Non-English trabalho muito intensivo, envolvendo muitos voluntrios. Em
articles were translated, and every year an index of all the breve, pessoas de outros pases estavam disponiveis para lhes
articles appeared. Soon people in other countries were mandar quinzenalmente recortes de jornais. Os artigos que no
found willing to send their cuttings every fortnight. estivessem em ingls eram traduzidos e todos os anos se
After the liberation of the Portuguese colonies in publicava um ndice de todos os artigos. Aps a libertao das
1975, Facts & Reports focused on the whole of Southern colnias portuguesas, em 1975, o Facts & Reports concentrou-
Africa. Until 1995, when the liberation of Southern se sobre toda a frica Austral at 1995, altura em que se
Africa was achieved. alcanou a libertao da frica Austral.
41
The Den Uyl administration A administrao de Den Uyl

(1973-77) (1973-77)
The Dutch government under prime minister Den Uyl O governo holands sob a liderana do primeiro-ministro Den
(1973-77) is generally considered to have been the most Uyl (1973-77) geralmente considerado como tendo sido o
progressive since the Second World War. At last a serious mais progressista desde a Segunda Guerra Mundial.
effort was made to give humanitarian aid to the Finalmente, um grande esforo foi feito para prestar ajuda
liberation movements in the Portuguese colonies, at last humanitria aos movimentos de libertao nas colnias
an acceptable arrangement for the Portuguese deserters portuguesas, e acabou por se conseguir uma situao aceitvel
was brought about. The effect of the new Dutch policy para os portugueses desertores. Contudo, o impacto da nova
was limited, however: within a year the dictatorship in poltica holandesa foi limitado: num nico ano foi derrubada
Portugal was overthrown and two years later the a ditadura em Portugal e dois anos mais tarde as colnias
Portuguese colonies were liberated. portuguesas foram libertadas.
Development aid Ajuda ao desenvolvimento

The new minister of development aid, Mr. Jan Pronk, O novo ministro da ajuda ao desenvolvimento, Jan Pronk,
represented the young, progressive wing of the Dutch representava a ala jovem e progressista do Partido Trabalhista
Labour Party. From now on Dutch development money holands. No futuro, o dinheiro holands para o
would also go to North Vietnam and Cuba, two desenvolvimento iria para o Vietname do Norte e Cuba, dois
countries boycotted by the NATO countries because they pases boicotados pelo mundo ocidental por serem
were communist. And while Dutch government aid to comunistas. E enquanto a ajuda do governo holands para os
the liberation movements until then had been limited to movimentos de libertao era, at ento, limitada a algumas
a few hundred thousand guilders a year, Pronk put no centenas de milhares de florins por ano, Pronk colocou no
less than DG 12,5 million on the 1974 budget. Moreover, menos que Fl. 12.5 milhes no oramento de 1974. Alm disso,
the aid was now explicitly also meant for the liberated a assistncia agora era explicitamente tambm para as
areas, whereas former governments had only given prprias zonas libertadas, enquanto os anteriores governos
money for projects in neighbouring countries. By apenas davam dinheiro para projectos em pases vizinhos.
means of this aid the government wants to express the Atravs desta ajuda, o governo quer expressar a solidariedade
solidarity of The Netherlands with the peoples in Africa da Holanda para com os povos em frica que lutam pela sua
fighting for their freedom, Pronk wrote to the Angola liberdade, escreveu Pronk para o Angola Comit. Contudo, o
Comit. Support in the form of military equipment apoio em termos de equipamento militar permaneceu
remained excluded, however. excludo.
The government bureaucracy handled the support to O apoio FRELIMO para o ano de 1974 foi gerido pela
FRELIMO for the year 1974. FRELIMO asked for trucks burocracia do governo. A FRELIMO tinha solicitado camies e
and medicine, but the officials decided that trucks was medicamentos, mas os oficiais acharam que camies no seria
not possible since they might be used for military possvel, pois s serviriam para transporte militar. Quando a
transports. When FRELIMO had signed a peace treaty FRELIMO assinou o tratado de paz com Portugal, o problema
with Portugal that problem was solved and trucks were foi resolvido e os camies foram autorizados. O Ministrio
allowed. The ministry offered ten Dutch-made DAF ofereceu dez camies holandeses da marca DAF, os quais a
trucks, which FRELIMO declined to accept because the FRELIMO recusou porque a marca no era conhecida nesta
make was unknown in this part of Africa and spare parts parte de frica e no haviam peas sobressalentes para tais
were not available. Finally Mercedes Benz was decided carros. Em vez disso, pediram camies Mercedes-Benz ou
on, but the wheeling and dealing had by then taken so Scania. Finalmente decidiu-se pelos Mercedes-Benz, mas o
much time (meanwhile, it was 1975) that FRELIMO processo de aquisio levou tanto tempo (estava-se em 1975)
decided to ask for the full amount to be spent on que a FRELIMO decidiu pedir a quantia total para aplic-la na
medicine. compra de medicamentos.
42
Poster by the Angola Comit on the
NATO-conference in Copenhagen,
June 1973, calling on the Dutch
government to break its silence
within NATO about Portugals
colonial wars.
Cartaz do Angola Comit sobre a
conferncia da OTAN em
Copenhagen, Junho 1973, invocando
o governo holands de quebrar o
silncio dentro da OTAN sobre as
guerras coloniais de Portugal.
Minister Pronk of Development

Cooperation meets Marcelino dos
Santos, vice-president of the
provisional government of
Mozambique, upon his arrival at
Schiphol airport to meet the Dutch
government on 29 April 1975.
O Ministro Pronk da Cooperao
Internacional recebe o Marcelino
dos Santos, vice-presidente do
governo de transio de
Moambique, na sua chegada no
aroporto de Schiphol para um
encontro com o governo
holandsno dia 29 de Abril de 1975.
In the 1975 budget contributions to the liberation No oramento para 1975, as contribuies para os
movements rose to DG 20 million, now including movimentos de libertao aumentaram para Fl. 20 milhes,
SWAPO of Namibia and ZAPU and ZANU in incluindo a SWAPO da Nambia e a ZANU, no Zimbabwe. O
Zimbabwe. The South African ANC was included ANC da frica do Sul foi includo entre os recipientes do apoio
among the recipients of the 1976 support. To avoid de 1976. Para evitar a burocracia do governo, a pedido dos
government bureaucracy all the liberation movements movimentos de libertao, o dinheiro foi entregue ao Komitee
asked that the money was given to the Angola Comit, Zuidelijk Afrika KZA (o antigo Angola Comit). O KZA
from then on called the Komitee Zuidelijk Afrika apoiava os movimentos incondicionalmente e conseguia
(Holland Committee on Southern Africa). The enviar sem demora a mercadoria solicitada ou contribuies
committee supported the movements unconditionally em dinheiro. O equipamento de comunicao, equipamento de
and was able to send the requested goods or cash vigilncia nocturna, camies, etc. para os exrcitos de
contributions without delay. Communications libertao, eram financiados pelo dinheiro dado pelo pblico.
equipment for the liberation armies of Southern Africa, No final do ano, as contas para a ajuda humanitria de maior
lorries, night watch equipment, etc. was financed with vulto eram calculadas com o governo.
money donated by the public. At the end of the year the
bills for the more humanitarian goods were settled with Negcios Estrangeiros
the government. No Conselho de Ministros, o posto de Ministro dos Negcios
Estrangeiros estava nas mos de Max van der Stoel. Para alm
Foreign affairs de Pronk, ele era o membro tpico do Partido Trabalhista da
In the Cabinet the post of minister of foreign affairs was velha guarda: intensamente anticomunista e um defensor da
in the hands of Mr. Max Van der Stoel. Other than NATO. Ele afirmava que o direito autodeterminao das
Pronk, he was a typical Labour Party man of the old colnias portuguesas seria crucial para a poltica do novo
guard, fiercely anti-communist and an advocate of governo e que o embargo s armas seria estritamente
NATO. He stated that the arms embargo against observado. Mas, ao mesmo tempo, continuava a fornecer
Portugal would be strictly observed. But at the same avies Fokker para transporte militar em Angola e
time he permitted the delivery of more Fokker aircraft Moambique.
for military transports in Angola and Mozambique. Embora a posio oficial do Partido Socialista era contra o
In spite of the official Labour Party position against apoio da OTAN para a guerra colonial de Portugal, na
NATO support to Portugals colonial war, at the NATO conferncia da OTAN em Junho 1973 o ministro Van der Stoel
meeting of June 1973 Van der Stoel kept silent on the guardou silncio sobre o assunto. O parlamento solicitou ao
issue. Parliament asked the government in a motion to governo, atravs de uma moo, que reconhecesse o governo do
recognize the PAIGC government of Guinea-Bissau, but PAIGC da GuinBissau, mas Van der Stoel recusou. E
Van der Stoel refused. And while minister Pronk enquanto o Ministro Pronk apoiava o MPLA com dinheiro do
supported MPLA with government money and accepted estado e aceitava algum do Angola Comit como seu
someone from the Angola Comit as his unofficial representante no oficial em Luanda, Van der Stoel recusava-
representative in Luanda, Van der Stoel refused to se a reconhecer o novo governo do MPLA em Angola.
recognize the new MPLA government of Angola. Aquando da transferncia do poder para a FRELIMO, por
When Portugal had transferred power to FRELIMO, Portugal, o governo moambicano foi imediatamente
the Mozambican government was recognized without reconhecido pelos pases ocidentais. A FRELIMO anunciara
any delay by the western countries. But FRELIMO que s os pases da Europa ocidental que apoiaram a luta de
announced that only those countries that had supported libertao seriam bem-vindos a participar nas festividades da
the liberation struggle would be welcome to attend the independncia: os pases escandinavos e a Holanda. Alm
independence festivities: the Scandinavian countries and disso, solicitou-se a presena de uma delegao a nvel
The Netherlands. Besides, the wish was expressed for a ministerial. A Sucia e a Noruega enviaram ministros, Van der
representation at the ministerial level. Sweden and Stoel achou que um subsecretrio seria suficiente.**) Assim,
Norway sent ministers, but Van der Stoel considered an foi enviado o Sr. Brinkhorst, com membros do Angola Comit e
undersecretary enough. *) So Mr. Brinkhorst went, with da Fundao Mondlane. No seu discurso de independncia
44
members of the Angola Comit and the Mondlane nao moambicana, o Presidente Samora Machel afirmou:
Foundation. In his independence address to the Consideramos importante desenvolver as nossas relaes com
Mozambican nation president Machel stated: We os pases escandinavos, a Finlndia e a Holanda, que foram
consider it important to develop our relations with the capazes de entender a justeza da causa anticolonial.
Scandinavian countries, Finland and The Netherlands, Moambique solicitou ao governo holands que acreditasse
which were able to understand the justness of the anti- um embaixador permanente em Maputo, mas Van der Stoel
colonial cause. decidiu limitar a representao holandesa a um charg
Mozambique invited the Dutch government to daffaires temporrio, que veio inicialmente atravs da
accredit a permanent ambassador in Maputo, but Van embaixada de Lusaka e, mais tarde, de Harare. Foi s em 1989
der Stoel decided to limit Dutch representation to a que a representao diplomtica holandesa se transformou
temporary charg daffaires. It was not until 1989 that numa embaixada independente. Um ltimo exemplo da
the representation was upgraded to an embassy. A last influncia negativa de Van der Stoel que ele impediu que
example of Van der Stoels negative influence is his Pronk inclusse Moambique, numa situao de pas
preventing minister Pronk from adding desperately poor extremamente pobre, na longa lista j existente de pases de
Mozambique to the already fairly long list of concentrao, como recipientes da assistncia holandesa para
concentration countries as recipients of Dutch o desenvolvimento.
development aid. Porque era a atitude de Van der Stoel to negativa? Num
Why was Van der Stoels attitude so negative? In a estudo intitulado A Holanda e Moambique 1973-77 so
study The Netherlands and Mozambique 1973-77 *), mencionadas algumas possibilidades: *)
several possible motives are mentioned: - A FRELIMO seguia uma poltica marxista-leninista e
- FRELIMO followed a marxist-leninist policy and aceitava o apoio da Unio Sovitica. O Ministrio dos
accepted support from the Soviet Union. The Dutch Negcios Estrangeiros holands afirmara, em Maro de
ministry of foreign affairs stated as late as March 1975: 1975: O objectivo da Holanda na frica Austral o de
The target of The Netherlands in Southern Africa is impedir o avano da Unio Sovitica.
to block the advance of the Soviet Union. - A FRELIMO tinha assumido o poder sem eleies e Van der
- FRELIMO had come into power without elections Stoel conclua que havia tendncias antidemocrticas no
and Van der Stoel concluded that there were anti- seio da FRELIMO.
democratic tendencies within FRELIMO. - O governo moambicano exercia uma firme poltica anti-
- The Mozambican government practised a fierce anti- apartheid e relaes estreitas entre a Holanda e
apartheid policy, and close relations of The Moambique poderiam ser prejudiciais aos interesses
Netherlands with Mozambique might harm Dutch econmicos dos holandeses na frica do Sul;
economic interests in South Africa. - Moambique era um pas pobre e, portanto, de pouco
- Mozambique was a very poor country and thus interesse para a Holanda, em termos econmicos e polticos.
economically and politically speaking of little interest
to The Netherlands. Apesar da atitude negativa do seu colega dos Negcios
Estrangeiros, o Ministro da Cooperao Internacional, Pronk,
In spite of the negative attitude of his foreign-affairs conseguiu manter intactas as excelentes relaes com
colleague, the minister of development aid, Pronk, Moambique, comeando por uma primeira doao de Fl. 25
managed to keep the excellent relations with Mozam- milhes para o governo de transio.
bique intact, starting with a first donation of DG 25
million for the transitional government.
* Nederland en Mozambique, de relatie tussen Nederland en FRELIMO * Nederland en Mozambique, de relatie tussen Nederland en FRELIMO,
by Robbie Canninga and Johan van Hartskamp, based on research por Robbie Canninga e Johan van Hartskamp, baseado na pesquisa nos
in the archives of the Dutch ministry of foreign affairs. arquivos do ministrio holands de negcios estrangeiros.
45
Pamphlets distributed by the Portuguese
colonial army in Mozambique as part of
its psychological war efforts.
The upper pamphlet warns the local
population in the area of the Tete
province in which the Cabora Bassa Dam
was being constructed, not to cross the
Zambezi river and not to have any
relations with the bandits. The
pamphlet below holds similar warnings
to the Maconde people in the north of
Mozambique.
Panfletos distribuidos pelo exrcito
portugus em Moambique como parte
dos seus esforos de guerra psicolgicos.
The role of the Dutch Os missionrios catlicos
Catholic Missionaries holandeses
Father Sjef (Jos in Mozambique) Martens arrived in Em 1956, os missionrios holandeses da Ordem do Sagrado
Mozambique in 1962 to join the Dutch missionaries of Corao (Picpus) iniciaram o seu trabalho missionrio no
the Sacred Hearts (Picpus fathers) in the Inhaminga Distrito de Inhaminga, em Moambique. O Padre Sjef (Jos,
district. He became their regional prior. em Moambique) Martens, que foi o seu prior regional, chegou
When I arrived in Mozambique, the question of em 1962:
colonialism was not so urgent. You were hardly aware of Naquela altura, a questo do colonialismo no era to
the situation you would find yourself in. You were also urgente. Quase no nos apercebamos da situao em que
very badly prepared for Africa, I had only taken a estvamos. Alm disso, vnhamos mal preparados para frica,
general course on theology and philosophy. The eu s tinha feito um curso geral de teologia e filosofia. Os
problems in Mozambique were identical, but not so problemas em Moambique eram idnticos, mas no to
clearly visible to everybody. visveis para todos.
When I had worked longer in Mozambique, I was Quanto mais tempo trabalhava em Moambique, mais me
being more and more confronted with the oppression of confrontava com a opresso da populao africana. ramos for-
the African population. You were forced to make a ados a escolher. Deveria comportar-me como um padre e pregar
choice. Should I behave like a s pessoas? Ou deveria deixar a
priest and speak to the people Father Sjef Martens in Mozambique. pregao e ir at s suas palhotas
from a pulpit? Or should I O padre Sjef Martins em Moambique. para escutar, antes de falar? Os
leave the pulpit and go to clrigos superiores portugueses,
their huts and listen before em particular, achavam que a
speaking? Especially the nica misso da igreja era de
higher Portuguese clerics evangelizar. Como clrigo, no
thought that the only task of nos devamos envolver na
the church was to preach the poltica. E por poltica
gospel. As a cleric you should queriam referir-se resistncia
not be involved in politics. contra a humilhao e maus
And by politics they meant tratos sofridos pelos africanos.
resistance against the O meu conflito pessoal sobre
humiliations and ill-treatment como comportar-me como padre
that the Africans suffered. levou-me gradualmente a uma
My personal conflict about atitude consciente. Em certa
how to behave as a priest ocasio pediram-nos para fazer
gradually led to a conscious propaganda nos aldeamentos.
position. At a certain moment Estes eram campos de
we were asked to make propa- concentrao para onde os
ganda for the aldeamentos. portugueses mandavam a
These were the concentration populao negra, numa tentativa
camps into which Portugal de isolar a FRELIMO. Sempre nos
moved the black population recusmos a cooperar. Nutramos
in an effort to isolate uma grande simpatia para com
FRELIMO. We always refused os africanos de Moambique.
to cooperate. We felt a kinship Sempre que nos era possvel,
with the African people of tentvamos acabar com o
Mozambique. In every tratamento desumano das
47
possible way we tried to end the inhuman treatment of pessoas. Contudo, a igreja catlica romana e as autoridades
the people. However, the Roman Catholic church and portuguesas continuavam a ignorar os nossos esforos.
the Portuguese authorities kept ignoring our efforts. Em 1969, a guerra alastrou para a zona dos missionrios de
In 1969 the war spread to the area of the Inhaminga Inhaminga. Em 1971, os padres brancos deixaram Moambique
missionaries. In 1971 the White Fathers left em protesto contra os massacres de Wiriyamu. Rogier van Ros-
Mozambique as a protest against the massacres in sum, uma autoridade em trabalho missionrio, escreveu o se-
Wiriyamu. Rogier van Rossum, a Dutch authority on guinte num relatrio sobre a misso do Sagrado Corao
missionary work, writes in a report on the Sacred Hearts (Picpus):
(Picpus) missions in Mozambique: Os padres Picpus holandeses, porm, decidiram ficar.
The Dutch Picpus fathers decided to stay, however. Mesmo assim, a forma mais tradicional de missionar chegara
But the more traditional way of mission work came to ao fim. A sua ateno era agora dirigida consciencializao,
an end. Their attention was now directed towards the formao da liderana africana e protesto contra as injustias.
shaping of conscience, the training of African leadership Existia uma solidariedade admirvel para com a populao
and protests against injustice. There was an admirable africana e uma identificao com as suas aspiraes. Isso
solidarity with the African population and an levou a uma maior desconfiana em relao nossa misso
identification with their aspirations. This led to an por parte dos portugueses locais. Em 1973, os nossos
increased distrust of our mission on the part of the local missionrios foram proibidos de visitar as capelas da misso,
Portuguese. In 1973 our missionaries were forbidden to estiveram sob priso domiciliria em Inhaminga. Qualquer
visit the outposts of the mission; they got house arrest in africano que tentasse contact-los era tido como suspeito.
Inhaminga. Any African trying to contact them became Para os missionrios, era-lhes difcil aceitar que nada
a suspect. poderiam fazer contra a opresso dos negros. Da sua clausura
For the missionaries it was difficult to accept that podiam ouvir os gritos dos prisioneiros torturados numa
they could do nothing against the oppression of the esquadra da polcia a menos de 200 metros rua abaixo. Eles
blacks. From their confinement they could hear the cries viam e ouviam camies repletos de africanos a serem levados
of the tortured prisoners from the police post less than para o mato e voltando vazios, o que significava que se havia
200 metres down the road. They saw and heard lorries cometido um massacre. Foi por isso que, em 1974, decidiram
full of Africans being driven to the jungle and returning partir e fazer ouvir as suas vozes fora de Moambique. Em
empty, which meant that a massacre had been nome da populao negra, que no podia faz-lo.
committed. This is why in 1974 they decided to leave
and raise their voice outside Mozambique. In the name Amigos do Povo de Moambique
of the black population, who were unable to do so. Durante a sua estada na Holanda em 1974, Sjef Martens e os
seus colegas foram confrontados com informaes sobre uma
Amigos do Povo de Moambique situao de emergncia nas provncias de Manica e Sofala.
During their stay in The Netherlands in 1974 Sjef Quando a FRELIMO chegou a esta zona no vero de 1973, os
Martens and his colleagues were confronted with portugueses deportaram a populao local para os
information on an emergency situation in the provinces aldeamentos. As casas e machambas foram destrudas e o
of Manica e Sofala. When FRELIMO entered this area in gado morto. O exrcito portugus dava-lhes uma rao
the summer of 1973, the Portuguese deported the local miservel, que de repente terminou quando o exrcito partiu,
population to aldeamentos. Their homes and fields em Abril de 1974. Um quarto de milho de pessoas vivia
were destroyed, the cattle slaughtered. The Portuguese agora em grande misria.
army gave them a scanty ration, but this suddenly ended No Provnciado dos Picpus holandeses, em Bavel, foram
when the army left after April 1974. A quarter of a elaborados planos para uma operao de salvamento. Em
million people now lived in great distress. cooperao com o Angola Comit e a Fundao Mondlane,
At the Dutch Picpus Provincialate in Bavel plans were formou-se Os Amigos do Povo de Moambique. O nico
made to mount a rescue operation. In cooperation with bispo portugus em Moambique, Monsenhor Pinto, crtico da
the Angola Comit and the Mondlane Foundation the opresso colonial e expulso de Moambique em Abril de 1974,
Friends of the People of Mozambique was formed. chegou a Bavel para se juntar campanha. O mesmo fez o
48
Drawing by well-known Dutch cartoonist Peter van Straaten, especially made for the Angola Comits annual calender for 1974.
Cartoon do famoso desenhador holands, Peter van Straaten, feito para o calendrio anual do Angola Comit para 1974.
The only Portuguese bishop in Mozambique critical of Vice-Bispo Geral da Diocese da Beira, Monsenhor Duarte de
colonial oppression and expelled from Mozambique in Almeida, que fora expulso em 1971. O governo de transio de
April 1974, bishop Pinto, came to Bavel to join the Moambique formou, a partir das igrejas, um grupo de
campaign. So did the vice-general of the Beira diocese, Amigos na Beira, e a FRELIMO deveria comprar comida e
Mgr. Duarte de Almeida, who was expelled in 1971. The distribu-la. A FRELIMO organizou meios de transporte,
transitional government of Mozambique founded an juntamente com a Administrao Portuguesa.
Amigo group in Beira from the churches and De Bavel, Sjef Martens e seus colegas entraram em contacto
FRELIMO to buy and distribute the food. Transport was com organizaes (catlicos, na sua maioria) para solicitar
organized by FRELIMO in cooperation with the apoio financeiro. Chegaram contribuies da Holanda,
Portuguese administration. Alemanha, Blgica, Frana, Gr-Bretanha e Canad. Quando a
From Bavel, Sjef Martens and his colleagues campanha terminou, em Abril de 1975, haviam sido angaria-
contacted (mainly Catholic) organizations for financial dos um total de Fl. 6.000.000, transferidos e contabilizados.
support. Contributions came from The Netherlands,
Germany, Belgium, France, Great Britain and Canada. Regresso a Moambique
When the campaign ended in April 1975, a total amount Quando a situao se estabilizou em Moambique aps a
of DG 6,000,000 had been collected, transferred and libertao, Sjef Martens decidiu regressar sua zona
accounted for. missionria. Ficou imensamente desapontado. Um
moambicano que no tempo colonial havia trabalhado para os
Back to Mozambique portugueses e tornado miservel as suas vidas, era agora o
When the situation in Mozambique had stabilized after chefe da administrao local da FRELIMO. Sjef Martens
the liberation, Sjef Martens decided to return to his deixou Moambique pela segunda vez, indo trabalhar na
missionary area. It became a big disappointment. A Zmbia para os refugiados moambicanos.
Mozambican who in the colonial days had worked for Em 1992 regressou, finalmente e de vez, para o seu querido
the Portuguese and had made their lives a misery, was Moambique, onde iria passar os ltimos anos da sua vida.
now head of the local FRELIMO administration. Sjef Contudo, no passivamente. Fundou a liga da mulher rural,
Dutch missionary Joao van den

Bosch in a village near Inhaminga,
destroyed by the Portuguese
army.
O missionrio holands Joo van
den Bosch numa aldeia perto de
Inhaminga, destruida pelo exrcito
portugus.
Martens left Mozambique for the second time and went Amai a pa Banda. Aps a longa guerra, muitas mulheres na
to Zambia to work there for the Mozambican refugees. Beira ficaram sem os seus maridos e, atravs da sua liga, ele
In 1992 he finally returned to his beloved Mozam- luta contra a sua acentuada pobreza.
bique for good, to spend the last years of his life there.
Not in idleness, though. He founded the league for rural Os missionrios holandeses de Montfort
women, Amai a pa Banda. After the long war many of A partir de 1922, uma outra Ordem missionria, os
the women in the Beira area are left without a husband Monfortinos, tornou-se activa no norte de Moambique, ao
and through his league he fights their desperate poverty. longo da fronteira com a Tanznia. O seu distrito missionrio
inclua a cidade de Mueda onde, em 16 de junho de 1960, um
The Dutch Montfort missionaries grande grupo de moambicanos fez uma manifestao
Since 1922 another Dutch missionary order, the pacfica por melhores salrios no seu trabalho forado de
Montfortians, have been active in the far north of cultivo do algodo. Os portugueses abriram fogo sobre a
Mozambique along the border with Tanzania. Their populao e mataram cerca de 500 pessoas. Este Sharpeville
missionary district included the town of Mueda, where moambicano passou quase despercebido fora do pas, mas
on June 16, 1960 a large group of Mozambicans teve srias repercusses em Moambique. Uma consequncia
demonstrated peacefully for better pay for their forced directa do que aconteceu em Mueda foi que, em 1964, a
labour in the cotton fields. The Portuguese opened fire FRELIMO no tentou, primeiro, negociar com os portugueses,
on the crowd and killed an estimated 500 people. This mas iniciou imediatamente a sua revolta armada.
Mozambican Sharpeville was hardly noticed outside Sete padres montfortinos presenciaram o massacre, mas a
the country, but in Mozambique it had a big impact. A nica coisa que puderam fazer foi prestar assistncia aos
direct consequence of what happened at Mueda was that moambicanos moribundos. Se o mundo tivesse tido
in 1964 FRELIMO did not first try to negotiate with the conhecimento da violncia, isso resultaria, sem dvidas, na
Portuguese, but started their armed revolt right away. primeira condenao sria do colonialismo portugus nas
Seven Monfortian fathers witnessed the Mueda Naes Unidas. Porm, at independncia de Moambique
massacre, but the only thing they could do was 1974, os padres montfortinos encobriram o massacre.
ministrate to the dying Mozambicans. If the outrage had Se tivssemos protestado contra os crimes portugueses,
been known to the world, it would without doubt have teramos sido forados a deixar o pas e isso seria ainda pior
led to the first sharp condemnation of Portuguese para os negros. foi por isso que no pudemos informar o
colonialism, also at the United Nations. But until the mundo sobre o massacre, disse o padre Jan van Haalen em
independence of Mozambique in 1974, for fourteen 1974. Ele destruiu as suas notas sobre as atrocidades, pois a
years, the Montfortian fathers concealed the massacre. informao tornou-se obsoleta e sem interesse.
If we had protested against the Portuguese crimes we Mas mesmo assim, os montfortinos no seguiram as
would have been forced to leave the country, and that outras misses, abandonando Moambique como forma de
would have been even worse for the negroes. This is why protesto. Ns, montfortinos, ficmos. As razes que nos
we could not inform the world about the massacre, levaram a vir para Moambique eram vlidas na altura e
father Jan van Haalen was to say in 1974. He destroyed ainda o so: pregar o Evangelho e ajudar os africanos no seu
his notes about the atrocities, as the information is now desenvolvimento.
obsolete anyway and of no interest.
The Montfortians did not follow the other missions
leaving Mozambique in 1974 as a protest. We
Montfortians stayed. Our motives for going out to
Mozambique were valid then and they still are: to preach
the gospel and help the African in his development.
51
The solidarity movement O movimento de solidarie-

after independence dade aps a independncia
When in 1975 all Portuguese colonies became Quando, em 1975, as colnias portuguesas se tornaram
independent countries, the Angola Comit and the independentes, as tarefas do Angola Comit e da Fundao
Mondlane Foundation had to decide on their future. As Mondlane foram, respectivamente, redistribudas. Dado que a
the Mondlane Foundation had until then focused on Fundao Mondlane se tinha, at ento, dedicado procura de
obtaining material aid for the liberation movements, it apoio material para os movimentos de libertao, era lgico
was logical that they would in future devote their que, no futuro, dedicassem as suas energias a apoiarem a
energies to supporting the reconstruction of Angola, reconstruo de Angola, Moambique, Guin-Bissau e Cabo
Mozambique, Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde. Verde.
The Angola Comit concluded that the threat to O Angola Comit concluiu que Lisboa no mais
Angola and Mozambique no longer came from Lisbon, representava uma ameaa para Angola e Moambique, mas
but from the South, from Pretoria. Therefore it started que esta vinha do sul, de Pretria. Por isso, comeou por
under a new name, Komitee Zuidelijk Afrika, to support adoptar um novo nome, Komitee Zuidelijk Afrika, para apoiar
the struggle for freedom in Zimbabwe, Namibia and a luta de libertao no Zimbabwe, na Nambia e na frica do
South Africa. As in Africa the name Holland Sul. A poltica at ento adoptada, que tinha comeado sob a
Committee was often used, the new English name influncia da FRELIMO, de aproximao aos maiores partidos
became Holland Committee on Southern Africa (KZA). polticos e ao parlamento, continuou.
The policy thus far adopted and originally instigated
under the influence of FRELIMO to lobby the major Cooperantes
political parties and parliament was continued. A pedido do novo governo de Moambique, a Fundao
Mondlane iniciou, em 1975, um programa de recrutamento de
Cooperantes trabalhadores de desenvolvimento. Havia uma necessidade
At the request of the new Mozambican government, the enorme destas pessoas, dado que a maior parte dos
Mondlane Foundation in 1975 started a recruitment profissionais eram portugueses e haviam abandonado o pas.
programme for cooperantes, development workers. They O critrio bsico de seleco no era a capacidade profissional,
were urgently needed because most professionals had mas uma atitude de simpatia para com o novo estado. sua
been Portuguese and had left the country. The primary chegada a Moambique, as novas autoridades decidiam qual o
selection criterion was not professional skills but solida- melhor posto para o cooperante. Todos trabalhavam sob um
rity with FRELIMO and the new state. They all worked contrato com o governo de Moambique e com baixo salrio.
on a Mozambican government contract for a low salary. Durante estes anos, o pessoal da Fundao Mondlane na
Once they arrived in Mozambique the authorities Holanda tornou-se politicamente radical. Uma condio para
decided where the cooperante could be best placed. os cooperantes era que eles deviam ter um grupo base na
During these years the staff of the Mondlane Holanda. Eles tinham que, regularmente, informar o seu grupo
Foundation in The Netherlands radicalised politically. A sobre o desenvolvimento socialista de Moambique. Afinal, a
condition for the cooperantes was that they found a Holanda poderia aprender muito com o modelo de
base group in The Netherlands. They had to inform desenvolvimento marxista-leninista em Moambique. Elias
their group regularly about the socialist development of Voet, que tinha sido a figura central na organizao desde a
Mozambique. After all, The Netherlands could learn sua fundao, afastou-se. A FRELIMO queria mais
much from the marxist-leninist development model in cooperantes, mas quase ningum conseguia passar na
Mozambique. Elias Voet, who had been the central seleco. O painel continuava a insistir nas suas convices
figure in the organization since its founding, left. socialistas. A sua ideia era que, como Fundao Mondlane,
FRELIMO wanted more cooperantes, but hardly tnhamos que, antes de mais, trazer a revoluo para a
anybody managed to get through the selection. The Holanda. Para mim bastava que as pessoas fossem sinceros
selection panel kept going on about their socialist apoiantes da revoluo l. Mesmo a FRELIMO havia dito que
52
Night vigil in front of the South African embassy in The Hague after the killing of Samora Machel in 1986.
Vela nocturna em frente da embaixada de frica do Sul na Haia depois do assassinato de Samora Machel em 1986.
Mozambican president
Samora Machel presents
a red rose from his
garden to Nienke van
Albada, July 1979.
A delegation of Dutch
cooperantes met the
president to express
their solidarity with
Mozambique, then under
attack from Rhodesia.
O Presidente
moambicano Samora
Machel apresenta uma
rosa vermelha do seu
jardim Nienke van
Albada, Julho de 1979.
A delegao de
cooperantes holandeses
encontrou com o
Presidente para mostrar
a sua solidariedade com
Moambique, na altura
sob ataques da Rodsia.
AIM
convictions. Their idea was that as Mondlane Founda- eram perfeitamente capazes de cuidar da sua educao
tion we had to bring the revolution to The Netherlands socialista.
first. For me it was enough if the people were sincere Nos anos oitenta, em consequncia das actividades da
supporters of the revolution there. FRELIMO, too, said RENAMO, a segurana dos cooperantes tornou-se um
that they were perfectly capable of seeing to their problema cada vez maior. Considerando, em parte, estes
socialist education themselves. problemas, a Fundao Mondlane abriu um escritrio em
In the eighties, as a consequence of the RENAMO Maputo, em 1984. Nessa altura havia 60 cooperantes da
activities, the safety of the cooperantes became an Fundao Mondlane no pas.
increasing problem. Partly in view of these problems, the Em 1983, foi assinado um acordo entre a Fundao
Mondlane Foundation opened an office in Maputo in Mondlane e o governo moambicano. partir de ento, o
1984. At that time it had 60 cooperantes in the country. recrutamento seria feito para tarefas claramente definidas. Ao
In 1983 a formal agreement was signed between the mesmo tempo, diminua a confiana da Fundao Mondlane
Mondlane Foundation and the Mozambican government. no modelo socialista moambicano. Um outro facto era a
From now on recruitment would take place for clearly mudana do clima poltico na Holanda. Eventualmente, a
defined duties. At the same time the confidence of the solidariedade incondicional com a FRELIMO e a seleco
Mondlane Foundation in the Mozambican socialist poltica dos cooperantes chegou ao seu termo. No incio da
model diminished. Its unconditional solidarity with dcada de noventa, a Fundao Mondlane j no se
FRELIMO and the political selection of cooperantes was considerava mais uma organizao de solidariedade, mas uma
coming to an end. At the beginning of the nineties the organizao de desenvolvimento. Havia, nessa altura, 20
Mondlane Foundation no longer called itself a solidarity cooperantes em Moambique, todos, excepo de um deles, a
organization but a development organization. There trabalharem na funo pblica. Alm disso, muitos antigos
were then still 20 cooperantes in Mozambique, all but cooperantes tinham-se fixado permanentemente em
one in government service. In addition, many former Moambique.
cooperantes had permanently settled in Mozambique.
Projectos
Projects Para alm do recrutamento de cooperantes, a Fundao
Besides recruiting cooperantes the Mondlane Mondlane organizava material de apoio para Moambique. A
Foundation organized material aid for Mozambique. partir de 1982, a sua actividade passou a centrar-se no apoio
From 1982 the focus was on support for the women of mulher moambicana, inicialmente atravs da organizao de
Mozambique, originally through OMM, the womens mulheres da FRELIMO, a OMM. Havia campanhas de recolha
organization of FRELIMO. There were campaigns to de fios de l para as cooperativas de costura, ou lenis e
collect sewing-cotton for the sewing cooperatives, or roupinhas de beb para as maternidades.
sheets and baby clothes for maternity hospitals. Na dcada de noventa, a Fundao Mondlane envolveu-se
In the nineties the Mondlane Foundation became em projectos ainda maiores. Os milhes necessrios vieram do
involved in larger projects. The millions that were governo holands, da Unio Europeia, ou do PNUD. Por
needed came from the Dutch government, the European exemplo, a Fundao estava envolvida em projectos de gua
Union or the UNDP. For instance, the Foundation was potvel em cinco cidades. Seguindo as orientaes do governo
associated with drinking-water projects in five cities. holands, as actividades viraram-se para a Provncia de
Following the lead of the Dutch government the Nampula: educao, formao dos sindicatos de trabalhadores
activities shifted to the Nampula province: education, e reabilitao do distrito de Muecate. O nmero de
training of trade unions and rehabilitation of the funcionrios em Amsterdo ia gradualmente diminuindo, at
Muecate district. The staff in Amsterdam was cut down que a Fundao Mondlane em 1997 se juntou a outras
more and more until the Mondlane Foundation in 1997 organizaes de solidariedade na frica Austral para formar o
merged with the Holland Committee on Southern Instituto Holands para a frica Austral (Netherlands
Africa (KZA) and the Dutch Anti-Apartheid Movement institute for Southern Africa - NiZA).
to form The Netherlands institute for Southern Africa
(NiZA).
54
Corrie Roeper, a cooperante Corrie Roeper, a cooperante
During our talk Corrie Roeper looks pensively into the Durante a nossa conversa, Corrie Roeper olha pensativamente
distance, as if trying to call up the past. The four years ao longe, como se estivesse a tentar chamar o passado. J se
that she worked in Mozambique as a soil expert are passaram vinte anos depois da sua experincia de quatro anos
already twenty years behind her. When she had finished de trabalho em Moambique como especialista de solos.
her studies at the Agricultural University of Wageningen Quando terminou os estudos na Universidade Agrcola de
she thought she might be of use in Mozambique. Here Wageningen, achou que seria muito til em Moambique.
we had so many discussions about the revolution, but Aqui falava-se muito sobre a revoluo, mas no tnhamos
we had no first-hand experience at all. nenhuma experincia real dela.
I went to Mozambique in 1981 and so I was part of the Fui para Moambique em 1981 e, portanto, fiz parte do
first batch, the people who still experienced the period primeiro lote, daquelas pessoas que ainda viveram o perodo de
of enthusiasm after independence. When I arrived at the entusiasmo ps-independncia. Quando cheguei ao aeroporto
airport of Maputo there was a large banner Welcome to de Maputo, podia ler-se num enorme dstico: Bem-vindo a
Mozambique, liberated territory for humanity. On seeing Moambique, zona libertada da humanidade. Ao ver os rostos
the weathered faces of the Mozambicans I thought: alegres dos moambicanos, pensei para comigo mesma: Pelo
They have at least succeeded in making a revolution. menos foram bem-sucedidos ao fazer a revoluo. Aqui
Here we will write history. I did not understand then escreveremos a Histria. No me tinha apercebido na altura
that the revolution had been organized over their heads. que a revoluo j estava organizada nas suas cabeas.
When I arrived the situation was still reasonably good. Quando cheguei, a situao era razoavelmente boa. Passei
In my village I had a good time. There was still a lot of bons tempos na minha aldeia. Havia ainda muito entusiasmo
enthusiasm among the population and we were very na populao e ns ramos muito chegados a eles.
close with them. We worked together with Mozambicans Trabalhmos juntamente com moambicanos recm-
who had just finished their studies, very intelligent and formados, pessoas muito inteligentes e motivadas. O mesmo
motivated people. The same was the case with the se passava em relao aos portugueses que permaneceram no
Portuguese that had stayed after independence. They all pas aps a independncia. Todos trabalhavam arduamente e
worked very hard and they believed in their work. acreditavam no seu trabalho. Na minha aldeia, muitas
Many women in my village attended evening classes in mulheres frequentavam as aulas do curso nocturno em
Maputo to learn reading and writing, and other courses. Maputo para aprenderem a ler e escrever e tambm outros
It was interesting to see how the women were becoming cursos. Era interessante ver como as mulheres se estavam a
more outspoken and starting to voice criticism. We very tornar mais desinibidas e que sabiam criticar. Ns
much empathized when yet another village was alegravamo-nos muito quando mais uma aldeia era libertada
liberated from RENAMO. da RENAMO.
In my village we trained the farmers and the village Na minha aldeia formmos os camponeses e os chefes das
chiefs in small-scale irrigation, environmental planning aldeias em irrigao de pequena escala, planificao
and the way you could involve the villagers in the work. ambiental e formas de engajar os aldees no trabalho. Quanto
In this we went against the planning from the top, which a isto, ramos contra a planificao a partir do topo, que
wanted to organize the farmers in state companies. We pretendia organizar os camponeses em empresas estatais.
hoped that the small farmers under the FRELIMO Queramos ver os pequenos camponeses sob a orientao da
government would start to earn money. I was so naive as FRELIMO a ganharem dinheiro. Eu era to ingnua que at ia
to go against government policy and told the farmers: contra as polticas do Governo e dizia aos camponeses: O
Cotton growing is bad, you must first produce enough cultivo do algodo mau, vocs devem, antes de mais,
food. produzir comida suficiente.
55
This was the time of the great expectations, as the Era uma altura de grandes expectativas, como se referiu o
writer Paustovskij called the period after the Russian escritor Paustovskij quanto ao perodo aps a revoluo russa.
revolution. However, the expectations were not to be Contudo, as expectativas no eram exequveis, mas ns no
realized, but that we did not know at the time. We sabamos disso na altura. Ansivamos por uma sociedade
expected a more human and just society, and that is mais humana e justa e era isso que apoivamos. Mas a
what we supported. But shortages and hunger escassez e a fome aumentavam. A maior parte da comida era
increased. Much food was rationed, we got 1 kilo of rice racionada, tnhamos direito a um quilo de arroz por ms, um
each month, 1 kilo of maize, half a kilo of sugar, half a quilo de farinha de milho, meio quilo de acar, meio litro de
litre of oil. For products of the state farms you had to leo. Tinha que se estar na bicha para conseguir produtos das
queue up. And there were no bananas. These had to machambas estatais. E no haviam bananas. Elas vinham de
come from the large plantations 100 km north of grandes plantaes a 100 km ao norte de Maputo, mas os
Maputo, but the fixed prices were so low that it was preos fixos eram to baixos que era impossvel pagar pelo
impossible to pay for the transport. I found it difficult to transporte. Custava-me acreditar nos moambicanos que
believe the Mozambicans who said they had more to eat diziam que tinham mais comida no perodo colonial.
under the Portuguese.
Porque que as coisas no aconteceram conforme as
Why was it that things didnt go according to our expectativas? Ao princpio achmos que se tratava de uma
expectations? At first we thought it was the colonial herana colonial, depois foi a guerra contra a RENAMO,
heritage, then it was the war against RENAMO, apoiada pela frica do Sul. Mas agora eu sei que foi a
supported by South Africa. But now I know it was also economia planificada que no estava a funcionar. As pessoas
the planned economy that was not functioning. eram maltratadas, particularmente no norte. Eram foradas a
Especially in the north the people were badly treated. mudarem-se para aldeias comunais e a cultivarem algodo
They were forced to move to communal villages and para exportao. Como perita em solos, eu podia ser muito til
grow cotton for export. As a soil expert I could have l, mas recusei-me. Esperava que fosse uma poltica
been useful there, but I refused. I hoped that this policy temporria e que a FRELIMO reconsideraria.
would only be temporary, and that FRELIMO would
reconsider. Eventualmente, tive que abandonar a minha aldeia porque a
RENAMO estava cada vez mais perto e eu seria um bom alvo
Eventually I had to leave my village because RENAMO para eles. J no podia mais viver l e acompanhar os
were getting close, and I would be a attractive target to camponeses nas suas machambas. Quando finalmente decidi
them. I could not live there any more and accompany deixar Moambique, estava destruda por dentro. Mas olho
the farmers to their fields. para o perodo da minha estadia em Moambique com muita
When I finally decided to leave Mozambique I was satisfao. H pases onde os holandeses se sentem bem e
inwardly torn apart. But I look back on my period in Moambique um deles. Existe algo em comum entre ns,
Mozambique with much pleasure. There are some eles e a sua cultura. Talvez confundimos tudo isso com a nossa
countries where people from The Netherlands feel good, solidariedade e partilha dos mesmos ideais.
and Mozambique is one of them. It clicks between us
and them and their culture. Maybe we have confused
that with our solidarity and sharing the same ideals.
56
BAS BRGGEN
For many years a sewing-machine group in Amsterdam met one evening every week to repare old sewing machines for the liberation
movements in Southern Africa (August 1983).
Durante muitos anos um grupo de pessoas encontrou-se semanalmente em Amsterdam para reparar velhas mquinas de costura para os
movimentos de libertao na frica Austral (Agosto de 1983).
Dutch cooperantes Loes van den Berg and Bert Sonnenschein recording a life performance of Mozambican musicians in Maputo,
February 1990.
Os cooperantes Lucia van den Berg e Bert Sonnenschein gravando um espectculo ao vivo de msicos moambicanos em Maputo,
Fevereiro de 1990.
JOS CABRAL
Lucia (Loes) van den Bergh Lcia (Loes) van den Bergh
After a long stay in Mozambique as a cooperante some Aps uma longa estadia em Moambique como cooperante
years in a ministry, some years as a staff member of the alguns anos num ministrio, outros como funcionria da
Mondlane Foundation Lucia van den Bergh recently Fundao Eduardo Mondlane Lcia van den Bergh regressou
returned from Africa to Amsterdam. Her apartment is recentemente a Amsterdo, vinda da Africa. O seu aparta-
scantily furnished, as if she could be picking up her mento tem pouca moblia, como se ela tivesse que partir a
suitcases again at any moment. She talks about qualquer momento. Fala de Moambique com paixo,
Mozambique with passion, showing that she still feels demonstrando que ainda se sente muito ligada quele pas.
very much involved with that country. A nossa solidariedade com o governo da FRELIMO era
Our solidarity with the FRELIMO government went imensa. Lembro-me que todos os cooperantes holandeses, no
very far. I remember how all the cooperantes from The s os da Fundao Eduardo Mondlane, mas tambm os da
Netherlands, not only those from the Mondlane DOG e do governo holands, publicaram um apelo colectivo
Foundation but also the ones from DOG and the Dutch nos jornais, solicitando ao governo holands que
government, published a common appeal in the providenciasse apoio ao exrcito moambicano na sua guerra
newspapers that the Dutch government should give contra a RENAMO. No podamos permitir que equipamento
support to the Mozambican army in its war against de comunicao da marca Philips, produzido por holandeses,
RENAMO. We could not accept that communications fosse adquirida pela RENAMO, enquanto o exrcito
equipment made by the Dutch firm of Philips went to moambicano carecia de tal equipamento para prever ataques
RENAMO, while the Mozambican army lacked the s aldeias, que resultavam em massacres da comunidade
equipment to predict attacks on villages, with as a result alde. Isso levou a um debate aceso no parlamento.
that the village community was massacred. This led to a Como cooperantes holandeses enviados por vrias
fierce debate in Dutch parliament. organizaes e pelo governo, mantinhamo-nos em contacto
As Dutch cooperantes sent by various organizations atravs dos nossos boletins noticiosos internos. Depois do
and the government, we stayed in contact through our trabalho, encontrvamo-nos em grupos de trabalho ou de
own internal news bulletins. Outside our working hours acordo com as reas relacionadas com o nosso trabalho em
we met in working groups on subjects related to our Moambique. Eu fazia parte do grupo da agricultura e do
work in Mozambique. I was a member of the grupo de informao que enviava as notcias para a Holanda.
agricultural group and of the information group that H que ter em conta que nos anos oitenta todos
sent its information to The Netherlands. trabalhvamos para o governo do pas, o qual traava as suas
You have to understand that in the eighties we still prprias polticas. Isto era muito diferente da situao actual.
worked for the government of the country, which could Hoje em dia os trabalhadores de desenvolvimento constam da
decide its own policy. This is very different from the folha de pagamentos dos seus prprios governos, ou de
present situation. Now development workers are in the organizaes no-governamentais estrangeiras (ONGs), os
pay of their own government or of foreign non-govern- quais tentam implementar as suas prprias polticas. Os
mental organizations (NGOs), which try to implement funcionrios pblicos moambicanos com altas qualificaes
their own policy. Well-trained Mozambican public so comprados pela oferta de salrios elevados por parte de
servants are being bought with high salaries by foreign ONGs estrangeiras. Isso enfraqueceu os servios estatais e o
NGOs. This weakened government services and control. seu controle.
In later years (1993-99) Lucia worked in Maputo for Mais tarde (1993-99), a Lcia trabalhou em Maputo para a
AWEPA, an organization based in The Netherlands. AWEPA, uma organizao sediada na Holanda. Inicialmente,
Originally AWEPA meant Association of West European AWEPA significava Associao dos Parlamentares da Europa
Parliamentarians against Apartheid, more recently Ocidental contra o Apartheid, sendo mais recentemente
European parliamentarians for (Southern) Africa. Parlamentares da Europa Ocidental para frica (Austral).
After the 1992 peace treaty in Mozambique, one of the Aps o acordo de paz em Moambique, em 1992, uma das
tasks of AWEPA was to support the transition process. misses da AWEPA era apoiar o processo de transio.
58
I have great admiration for the behaviour of the Sinto uma grande admirao pelo comportamento dos
Mozambicans in that period. In 1993 some women of moambicanos nesse perodo. Em 1993, algumas mulheres da
FRELIMO and RENAMO together went to certain FRELIMO e da RENAMO foram, juntas, a certas regies
isolated regions of the country to explain the peace isoladas para explicarem populao o processo de paz e a
process and the multi-party democracy to the democracia multipartidria no pas. Foi uma grande luta
inhabitants. It was an enormous struggle to accept the aceitar as consequncias do passado sangrento.
consequences of the bloody past. Aps as eleies, a grande questo era como iria funcionar
After the elections the big question was how the multi- a democracia multipartidria. Para alm da FRELIMO e,
party democracy would function. Besides FRELIMO and depois do acordo de paz, a RENAMO, no havia mais partidos
since the peace agreement RENAMO there were hardly polticos representando a populao. Dos 250 membros do
political parties with a foothold amongst the population. novo parlamento, apenas 30 membros (da FRELIMO) tinham
Of the 250 members of the new parliament only 30 alguma experincia do parlamento anterior. A AWEPA apoiou
(FRELIMO) members had had any experience in the old o processo de democratizao *), organizando a visita do
one. AWEPA supported the democratisation process. *) presidente e de seis membros do parlamento Blgica,
It organized visits of the chairman and six members of Holanda e Portugal. O secretrio do parlamento trabalhou
parliament to Belgium, The Netherlands and Portugal. com os seus colegas holandeses durante trs semanas em
The parliamentary clerk worked three weeks in Maputo Maputo, analisando como adaptar os servios s necessidades
with his Dutch colleagues, analyzing how to adapt the do novo parlamento.
services to the new parliamentarian needs. Aprendemos muito com a experincia dos membros do
We could draw on much experience of members of parlamento de outros pases africanos. Eles analisavam a
parliament from other African countries. They were able situao em Moambique e traduziam as contribuies dos
to analyse the situation in Mozambique and they trans- parlamentares ocidentais em termos africanos.
lated the contributions of western parliamentarians into Uma experincia maravilhosa foi o seminrio de trs dias
African terms. organizado para todos os parlamentares, principalmente o
A most wonderful experience was a three-day seminar jogo de simulao, recorda-se Lcia, com os olhos a brilhar.
for all parliamentarians before the opening of the first Mais tarde vimos que o seminrio teve um impacto muito
session, especially the simulation game, Lucia remembers, positivo no funcionamento do parlamento. O jogo requeria que
and her eyes start to shine. This seminar later on proved se formasse um Parlamento da Fantasia, um pas imaginrio,
to have had a very positive effect on the functioning of tendo os parlamentares sido divididos pelos partidos A, B e C,
parliament. The game was that they formed the parlia- independentemente das suas prprias afiliaes polticas.
ment of Fantasia, an imaginary country, and irrespective Dado o grande nmero de novos parlamentares, muitas vezes
of their own political affiliation the parliamentarians desconheciam a que partido os outros pertenciam. No final do
were divided among parties A, B and C. As there were so jogo ficaram muito admirados.
many new parliamentarians, they often did not know to Obviamente, foi muito til ter formao em processos de
what party the others belonged. At the end of the game tomada de deciso nvel do parlamento, recorda Lcia,
they were often quite astonished. mas, mais importante ainda, foi que se podia agir de forma
Of course it was useful to be trained in parliamentary pacfica com os nossas antigos inimigos para superar as
decision-making procedures, says Lucia retrospectively, diferenas e, em seguida, tomar uma cerveja em conjunto.
but much more important was the experience that you
could work peacefully together with your former
enemies and through proper procedures handle your
differences, and afterwards have a beer together.
* In 2000 another Dutch organization joined AWEPA in supporting * No ano 2000 uma outra organizao, o Instituto Holands para a
the process of democratization in Mozambique, the Netherlands Democracia Multipartidria (IMD) criado por partidos polticos
Institute for Multiparty Democracy (IMD), set up by the Dutch holandeses juntou-se AWEPA em apoio ao processo de
political parties. democratizao em Moambique.
59
Dutch development Cooperao holandesa para

cooperation with o desenvolvimento com
Mozambique (1975-2004) Moambique (1975-2004)
After the liberation of Mozambique The Netherlands Aps a libertao de Moambique, a Holanda tornou-se um
became one of the biggest donors of development aid. dos principais doadores de ajuda para o desenvolvimento. O
The Dutch government affirmed that the support of the governo holands afirmou que o apoio do movimento de
solidarity movement to FRELIMO had laid the solidariedade FRELIMO tinha as suas bases na estreita
foundation for the close relations between the two relao entre os dois pases. A cooperao entre a Holanda e
countries. Cooperation between The Netherlands and Moambique continua ainda hoje.
Mozambique continues until this day (2005).
Em Agosto de 1975, a FRELIMO contactou o Angola Comit,
In August 1975 FRELIMO contacted the Angola Comit na procura de sugestes sobre a futura relao de
for advice about the future development relationship with desenvolvimento com a Holanda. Isso resultou num relatrio
The Netherlands. This resulted in an extensive report by extenso produzido por um grupo ad-hoc de peritos. O novo
an ad-hoc group of experts. The new government of governo de Moambique suspeitava da ajuda ocidental e
Mozambique was suspicious of western aid and feared receava uma situao neocolonial. Procurava apoio
neo-colonial tutelage. It looked mainly for support from principalmente junto dos seus amigos polticos.
its political friends. A Holanda foi um dos pases a quem o novo governo
The Netherlands was one of the countries approached solicitou apoio ao seu processo de desenvolvimento. Porm, as
by the new government for support to its development discusses entre os dois pases provaram ser um assunto
process. But the discussions between the two countries laborioso. O governo holands pretendia um dilogo aceso
proved to be a laborious affair. The Dutch government sobre os investimentos financeiros, tendo elaborado uma
wanted an intense dialogue about the spending of the longa lista de condies, objectivos e prioridades. O governo de
money and produced a long list of conditions, aims and Moambique, que acabava de assumir o poder e tinha mais
priorities. The Mozambican government, which had just com que se ocupar, no ficou de forma alguma satisfeito com
come to power and had more things to worry about, was as questes crticas e com a minuciosidade dos procedimentos
not particularly pleased with the critical questions and the de gastos financeiros.
exacting spending procedures. Durante estes primeiros anos, a ajuda holandesa consistiu
During these first few years Dutch aid mainly consisted no financiamento da importao de bens mais urgentemente
of financing Mozambiques import of urgently needed necessrios em Moambique. Porm, tratava-se de ajuda com
goods. But it was aid with specific conditions: the goods condies especficas: os bens s poderiam ser comprados na
could only be bought in The Netherlands, in Portugal or Holanda, em Portugal ou em Moambique. Assim, as
in Mozambique. Thus imports of cheap medicine from importaes de medicamentos baratos provenientes da Europa
Eastern Europe went by the board. Many projects were oriental foram canceladas. Atrasaram-se muitos projectos e as
delayed and the promised amounts could not be spent. quantias prometidas no podiam ser gastas.
In 1983 The Netherlands switched to balance-of- Em 1983, a Holanda decidiu apoiar a balana de
payments support with a view of maintaining and if pagamentos, com vista a manter e, se possvel, restaurar, a
possible restoring the countrys production capacity. But capacidade produtiva do pas. Contudo, era frequente o caso de
often urgently needed small components could not be no se conseguir comprar alguns pequenos componentes
purchased because the import support was limited to a necessrios com urgncia porque o apoio importao estava
minimum amount of DG 500,000. In the end DG 250 limitado a uma quantia mnima de Fl. 500,000. No geral,
million had been given in support over the first ten years, foram doados Fl. 250 milhes como ajuda nos primeiros dez
half of which as a loan. anos, metade dos quais a ttulo de emprstimo.
In the mid eighties Mozambique got into serious Em meados da dcada de oitenta, Moambique estava mer-
problems. The marxist-leninist development model gulhado em srios problemas. O modelo de desenvolvimento
60
PIETER BOERSMA
The new container-terminal in the Mozambican harbour of Beira, which was reconstructed with Dutch development aid (1996).
O novo terminal de contentores no porto da Beira, que foi rehabilitado com ajuda do governo holands (1996).
Mozambican president Joaquim Alberto Chissano paid a visit to Dutch queen Beatrix and her husband Claus (March 1989).
O Presidente da Repblica, Joaquim Alberto Chissano, visitou a rainha holandesa Beatrice e seu marido o principe Claus (Maro de 1989).
ED OUDENAARDEN/ANP
stagnated, the country suffered from the economic marxista-leninista ficou estagnado, o pas sofria os impactos
world crisis and was disrupted by the war against da crise econmica mundial e o peso da guerra contra a
RENAMO. The support of the Soviet Union ended in RENAMO. O apoio da Unio Sovitica terminara em 1989,
1989, while 40% of all bilateral aid originated from that enquanto que, em 1988, 40% de todo o apoio bilateral provinha
country. Mozambique had to switch to the West. daquele pas. Moambique tinha que se virar para o Ocidente.
Now the country had to submit to the strict demands Agora o pas tinha que se submeter s estritas exigncias
of the IMF. From 1987 on the economy was radically do FMI. A partir de 1987 a economia comeou a transformar-
transformed. The far-reaching demands of the IMF se radicalmente. As duras exigncias do FMI abalaram o pas
disrupted the country even more. Moreover, IMF ainda mais. Alm disso, o apoio do FMI a Moambique era
support to Mozambique was limited, in the period limitado, tendo providenciado apenas 282 milhes de dlares
1985-91 to only 282 million dollars. The Dutch para o perodo 1985-91. O governo holands, que encorajava o
government, that had applauded the IMF programme, programa do FMI, s muito tarde se apercebeu das consequn-
was too late in realizing the disastrous economic and cias econmica e socialmente desastrosas do rgido programa.
social consequences of the rigid programme. Em 1987 o governo holands chegou concluso que o volu-
In 1987 the Dutch government came to the conclu- me da dvida de Moambique era to grande que no devia-se
sion that the burden of debt of Mozambique was so dar outros emprstimos, apenas donativos. Alm disso, diminu-
large that no new loans would be provided, but only ram-se tambm as restries sobre o uso do apoio importao.
gifts. Besides, restrictions on the use of import support Em consequncia das aces de guerra e a contnua seca, uma
were considerably relaxed. As a result of the increasing grande parte do dinheiro foi utilizado para apoio a emergncias
acts of war and the continuing e na compra de comida. A ajuda
drought a large share of the Searching for landmines in Mozambique (1998). In 94/
holandesa tinha agora um objectivo
money was used for emergency 95 24 Dutch instructors were involved in the training poltico: ajudar Moambique a sobre-
of former Mozambican soldiers in mine clearing.
aid and food purchases. Dutch viver perante as aces de desestabi-
A procura de minas em Moambique (1998). Em 94/95
aid was given a more political vinte e quatro instrutores holandeses estavam envol- lizao movidas pela RENAMO,
aim: help Mozambique survive vidas em treinar ex-soldados moambicanos em limpar apoiadas pelos sulafricanos.
minas.
under South African supported At essa altura, a assistncia
destabilization by RENAMO. providenciada pela Holanda era
Until that time aid provided directamente dirigida s zonas
by The Netherlands had been rurais. Da dcada 80 em diante, a
directed to rural areas. From the rpida deteriorao da situao de
1980s onwards the rapidly segurana fez com que esta se
worsening security situation limitasse apenas s zonas urbanas,
meant that it had to be principalmente Maputo e Beira,
restricted to urban areas, cuja prioridade era a sade pblica
notably Maputo and Beira, e o abastecimento de gua.
where it was targeted on De 1990 em diante, a ajuda
sanitation and water supply. holandesa aumentou considera-
From 1990 on Dutch aid velmente. Uma grande parte da
increased considerably. A major assistncia tinha em vista o
part was aimed at the peace processo de paz, a desmobilizao,
process: demobilization, return o regresso de refugiados, a desmi-
of refugees, mine clearing, re- nagem, a reconstruo de estradas
building roads and support for e o apoio ao processo de democra-
the process of democratisation. tizao. Deu-se continuidade ao
Emergency aid and import apoio emergncia e importao,
JAN STEGEMAN
support to restore production para que fosse restabelecida a

capacity was continued. capacidade de produo.
62
While the reception structure of the Mozambican Enquanto que a administrao moambicana durante os
administration during the first years after independence primeiros anos aps a independncia consistia em apenas 5%
consisted for only 5% of Mozambicans, it had now de moambicanos, tinha agora aumentado para 80%.
grown to 80%. But as a result of the large number of Contudo, dado o grande nmero de doadores (29 parceiros de
donors (29 development partners in 2004), the desenvolvimento em 2004), o governo moambicano perdeu
Mozambique government more and more lost control of cada vez mais o controle do fluxo da ajuda externa. Para
the flow of foreign aid. To ease the administrative aliviar o peso administrativo sobre os moambicanos, o
burden on the Mozambicans the Dutch government had governo holands vinha solicitando coordenao entre os
long pleaded for donor coordination. This was started in doadores. Esta teve incio na dcada noventa, com outros oito
the nineties with eight other donor countries. pases doadores.
Moreover, The Netherlands was one of the first Alm do mais, a Holanda foi um dos primeiros doadores a
donors to give budget support to Mozambique. This providenciar ajuda oramental a Moambique. Isto significa
means that, after negotiating with the Mozambican que, depois de negociar com o governo moambicano os sectores
government for which sectors the aid will be used, the do influxo, a Holanda manda os fundos para os cofres do estado
Dutch government sends the funds into the e no se mete em decises sobre o uso concreto. Deste modo o
Mozambican state budget without controlling for which governo moambicano pode responsabilizar-se pelo seu prprio
projects they are used. In this way the Mozambican desenvolvimento. Embora que a fraca capacidade do governo, a
government can take charge of its own development. todos os nveis, implica que a presena de peritos holandeses
But the weakness of government capacity at all levels (cerca de 45 em 2004) seja ainda indispensvel. *)
implies that the Dutch development workers (about 45 Nos ltimos anos, o governo holands diminuiu de 92 para
in 2004) are still essential. *) 36 o nmero de pases com quem mantm um relacionamento
During the last few years the Dutch government has estrutural de desenvolvimento bilateral, mas a ajuda
decreased the number of countries with which it has a holandesa a Moambique continua. O governo holands v
structural bilateral development relationship from 92 tot Moambique como uma verdadeira histria africana de
36. But the Dutch support for Mozambique continues. sucesso. Nas palavras dum funcionrio do ministrio de
The Dutch government sees Mozambique as a true negcios estrangeiros: O registo de boa governao e de
African success story: Mozambiques good record of implementao de polticas em Moambique, trouxe
policy implementation has brought stability and rapid estabilidade e rpido desenvolvimento econmico a um dos
economic growth to one of the worlds poorest pases mais pobres do mundo. **)
countries. **) Neste momento (2004), a ajuda de desenvolvimento
Dutch development aid now (2004) amounts to 100 holandesa est calculada em 100 milhes de euros por ano,
million euro a year, just as much as the total of the first exactamente a quantia total equivalente ajuda
ten years. Poverty reduction is still the central goal. The providenciada durante os primeiros dez anos. A reduo da
support is directed at education, health care, sanitation pobreza constitui ainda o objectivo principal. A ajuda reverte
and water supply, emancipation of women, support to para a educao, cuidados de sade, saneamento e
the police and parliament. Also, The Netherlands abastecimento de gua, emancipao da mulher e apoio
supports an integrated country development programme polcia e ao parlamento. Por outro lado, a Holanda presta
in the province of Nampula. A large part of the Mozam- ainda ajuda a um programa integrado de desenvolvimento na
bican debt to The Netherlands has been remitted. provncia de Nampula. Uma grande parte da dvida
moambicana para com a Holanda foi cancelada.
* However, several groups of Mozambican civil society have been * A propsito h vrios grupos dentro da sociedade civil moambicana que
criticising this kind of unconditional aid, as it would increase the criticam esta forma de apoio incondicional, afirmando que isto incremente
centralisation and deviation of funds to the detriment of developing a centralizao e o desvio de fundos ao detrimento do desenvolvimento das
the regions further away from the capital. regies mais afastadas da capital.
** Critical voices within civil society say that this development is not felt ** A crtica da sociedade civil de que este desenvolvimento no sentido
by the majority of the population, who still lives in absolute poverty. pela maioria da populao, que continua a viver numa pobreza absoluta.
63
Physics practical at the Faculdade
Preparatoria of the Eduardo
Mondlane University.
Aula prtica de fsica na Faculdade
Preparatria da Universidade
Eduardo Mondlane.
FRANS NIEUWENHUIS
The Eduardo Mondlane A Universidade Eduardo
University Mondlane
The Dutch contribution A contribuio holandesa
In Mozambique I sometimes heard critical voices from Em Moambique, por vezes ouvia algumas crticas de
the Dutchmen working at the Eduardo Mondlane holandeses a trabalharem na Universidade Eduardo
University. But I would say to them: look at what has Mondlane. Mas dizia-lhes: olhem para o que foi alcanado
been accomplished these 25 years. Then there were only nestes 25 anos. Nessa altura haviam ficado apenas 30 a 40
30 to 40 staff members left, there were empty places funcionrios, tudo estava vazio. Os portugueses, os
everywhere. The Portuguese, the assimilados, the assimilados, os chineses, todos haviam fugido para Portugal.
Chinese, everybody had fled to Portugal. Now all the Neste momento, todas as vagas j foram preenchidas, 90% dos
vacancies have been filled, 90% of the staff are funcionrios so moambicanos e em qualquer parte de
Mozambicans. And all over Mozambique you will find Moambique encontramos pessoas em posies de destaque
people in important positions who have received a que receberam educao universitria aqui, tais como
university education here, such as government ministers ministros e governadores provinciais.
and provincial governors. Jos Walenkamp est claramente entusiasmado com a
Jos Walenkamp is clearly enthusiastic about the Dutch contribuio holandesa no ensino superior em Moambique.
contribution to higher education in Mozambique. He is Ele director do Departamento de Recursos Humanos e
now director of the Department for Human Resource Desenvolvimento Institucional do NUFFIC, a instituio que
and Institutional Development of NUFFIC, the com fundos do governo holands organiza e administra a
institution that with Dutch government funds ajuda Universidade em Maputo.
arranges and administrates the support to the University
in Maputo. Em finais de 1975, o NUFFIC solicitou candidatos de vrias
disciplinas para leccionarem em Moambique. Eles receberam
By the end of 1975 NUFFIC put out a call for 400 candidaturas de pessoas provenientes de 25 locais
candidates in many disciplines to be posted to diferentes. Isso foi surpreendente, pois nessa altura no
Mozambique. They received applications from 400 havia desemprego entre graduados da universidade.
candidates for 25 places. This was quite unique, for at Este grande fluxo de candidatos demonstrava que o
that time there was no unemployment among university movimento de solidariedade havia criado um alto nvel de
graduates. The enormous interest showed that the motivao para que se comprometessem activamente com
solidarity movement had created a high level of Moambique.
motivation to commit themselves actively to Nos anos setenta e oitenta, a elaborao e a definio de
Mozambique. projectos, tanto em termos financeiros como em termos de
In the seventies and eighties, initiating and defining contedo, estavam a cargo de muitos peritos holandeses. Na
projects, both financially and as to content was in the correspondncia sobre projectos e oramentos a lngua
hands of the many Dutch experts. In the correspondence holandesa era muitas vezes usada para comunicao. Naquela
about the projects and the budgets Dutch was often the altura, os moambicanos aceitavam que os projectos fossem
language of communication. In those days the realizados por outros. No fundo, careciam de tudo e todos
Mozambicans accepted that the projects were carried trabalhavam para a mesma boa causa.
out over their heads. After all, they were short of
everything and everybody was then working for the Houve muita cooperao com seis universidades holandesas
same good cause. em onze reas diferentes *). Durante dezenas de anos foram
sempre 25 os especialistas a trabalhar na Universidade
Extensive cooperation came into being with six Dutch Eduardo Mondlane. Este foi um acontecimento nico na
universities in eleven different fields *). For dozens of Holanda: jamais haviam tido um grupo to grande a
years there were some 25 Dutch experts working at the trabalhar num projecto. Tal como os outros trabalhadores de
65
Mondlane University. This was a unique event for The desenvolvimento em Moambique, todos eles sentiam um
Netherlands: it was the biggest group ever to have forte elo de solidariedade para com a reconstruo do pas.
worked on one project. Just like other development
workers in Mozambique they all felt a strong bond of Na dcada de noventa, inverteram-se os papis. Os moam-
solidarity with the reconstruction of the country. bicanos recusavam-se a continuar em segundo plano,
consideravam-se to qualificados quanto os seus colegas
In the nineties the roles were reversed. The estrangeiros. Em 1993, a universidade apresentou ao NUFFIC
Mozambicans refused to continue taking the back seat o seu prprio plano de desenvolvimento, Presente e
any longer, they considered themselves just as qualified Perspectivas.
as their foreign colleagues. In 1993 the university Esta mudana esteve em sintonia com as mudanas na
presented its own development plan, Presents and poltica holandesa , e decidiu-se que a ajuda deveria ser
Perspectives, to NUFFIC. providenciada sob solicitao. Estava claro que o antigo
This change was in agreement with developments in mtodo paternalista no encorajava o envolvimento dos
The Netherlands, where it was also concluded that prprios moambicanos. Os planos so agora elaborados em
assistance should be demand based. It was understood Moambique, e as instituies universitrias holandesas
that the old paternalistic approach was not conducive to podem concorrer a eles.
the involvement of the Mozambicans themselves. The Existem ainda dezenas de especialistas holandeses
plans are now drawn up in Mozambique, for which the envolvidos com a Universidade Eduardo Mondlane de uma ou
Dutch university institutions may put in their tenders. outra forma, mas j no permanecem por muitos anos,
There are still dozens of Dutch experts involved with realizando, em vez disso, visitas de curta durao a
Mondlane University in one way or another, but they do Moambique. Alm disso, existe apoio para consolidao da
not stay on for years any more, paying short visits to instituio, atravs do qual o pessoal universitrio beneficia
Mozambique instead. Besides there are also programmes de formao na Holanda.
for institution development with university personnel Tal como o resto do pas, a universidade de Maputo
often visiting The Netherlands to be trained. tambm afectada pelos grandes problemas econmicos. O
Like the rest of the country, the university of Maputo pessoal moambicano no aufere mais do que uma fraco dos
also suffers from the enormous economic problems. salrios dos especialistas holandeses. Para muitos
Mozambican staff earn no more than a fraction of the funcionrios, a sobrevivncia tem maior prioridade que o seu
salaries that the Dutch experts get. For many members trabalho na universidade. Para os holandeses, por vezes -lhes
of staff surviving has a higher priority than their work at difcil aceitar isso, pois no necessitam de procurar outras
the university. The Dutch, who do not need to find fontes de rendimento.
other sources of income, sometimes have problems
accepting this.
* The Free University of Amsterdam, the Technical University Delft, * A Universidade Livre de Amsterdo, a Universidade Tcnica de Delft, a
the University of Groningen, the University of Utrecht, the Technical Universidade de Groningen, a Universidade de Utrecht, a Universidade
University Twente, the Agricultural University Wageningen. Tcnica de Twente, a Universidade Agrcola de Wageningen.
66
Support from Dutch NGOs Apoio das ONGs holandesas
When the Mondlane Foundation had begun to send Quando a Fundao Eduardo Mondlane comeou a enviar
cooperantes to Mozambique in 1976, other Dutch cooperantes para Moambique em 1976, outras organizaes
organizations also started to offer their assistance to the holandesas comearam tambm a oferecer a sua assistncia
young nation. Very soon DOG (of the Protestant jovem nao. Em pouco tempo, a DOG (das igrejas
churches) were sending cooperantes, followed by SNV. Protestantes) comeou a enviar cooperantes, seguida pela
But there were also people from the Dutch section of SNV. Mas havia tambm holandeses dos Mdicos Sem
Doctors Without Borders, from the Dutch Leprosy Fronteiras holandeses, da Fundao Holandesa de Leprosos,
Foundation, etc. etc..
Henk de Graaf is one of the many Dutch to lose his Henk de Graaf um dos muitos holandeses que deram o
heart to Mozambique. His first activities were with seu corao a Moambique. A sua primeira actividade foi na
Churches for Angola, a campaign campanha Igrejas por Angola, que
in The Netherlands during the South ocorreu durante a invaso sulafricana de
African invasion of Angola in 1975. Angola, em 1975. Tinha como objectivo
The aim was to get the support of conseguir o apoio das igrejas holandesas
the Dutch churches for the MPLA. ao MPLA. Seguiram-se depois dez anos
Then ten years followed with the com a Fundao Mondlane, aps os
Mondlane Foundation, after which, quais, em 1986, ele ficou como
in 1986, he became the Mozambique especialista de Moambique na
expert in the development organizao de desenvolvimento HIVOS.
organization HIVOS. Todas as quatro organizaes no-
MARLEEN KORTEKAAS
All four Dutch non-govern- governamentais que na altura receberam
mental organizations which at the fundos do governo holands (NOVIB,
time received funds from the Dutch HIVOS, ICCO E CORDAID) incluram
government (NOVIB, HIVOS, ICCO Moambique nas suas actividades. Alm
and CORDAID) included do dinheiro do governo, elas tm os seus
Mozambique in their activities. Manuela Monteiro, director of HIVOS. prprios fundos, contribuies da Unio
She came from Portugal to The Nether-
Apart from the government money, lands in 1971 with her partner, who Europeia, etc. A organizao protestante
they have their own funds, refused to participate in the colonial wars. ICCO trabalhava principalmente atravs
Manuela Monteiro, directora da HIVOS.
contributions from the European Veio de Portugal para Holanda em 1971
das instituies Protestantes em
Union, etc. The Protestant com o seu marido, que recusou de Moambique e a CORDAID, Catlica-
participar nas guerras coloniais.
organization ICCO mainly worked Romana (antiga CEBEMO), atravs de
through Protestant institutions in canais catlicos. A HIVOS iniciou as
Mozambique, Roman Catholic CORDAID (previously suas actividades em Moambique em 1983, aps o 4
CEBEMO) through Catholic channels. HIVOS started Congresso da FRELIMO, na Provncia de Cabo Delgado.
its activities in Mozambique in 1983, after the 4th Em consequncia da fragilidade das estruturas das ONGs
FRELIMO Congress, in the province of Cabo Delgado. moambicanas, os cooperantes e as ONGs estrangeiras
As a consequence of the weakness of the Mozambican jogavam um papel crucial. Na dcada de noventa, a NOVIB e a
NGO structures, the foreign cooperantes and NGOs HIVOS tentaram criar uma organizao de apoio s ONGs
played a crucial role. During the nineties NOVIB and locais com pessoal moambicano, mas a iniciativa fracassou.
HIVOS tried to start a support organization for local Havia tambm centenas de cooperantes provenientes de
NGOs with a Mozambican staff, but the initiative failed. outros pases (Canad, pases escandinavos) a trabalhar em
From other countries (Canada, the Scandinavian Moambique. Contudo, apesar dos frequentes contactos
countries), too, there were hundreds of cooperantes pessoais alm das fronteiras nacionais, a base organizacional
working in Mozambique. But although there were many permaneceu nacional. Por exemplo, aquando das cheias em
67
personal contacts across the national borders, the 1980, os cooperantes holandeses, pessoal da embaixada
organizational basis remained a national one. For holandesa e a indstria holandesa, juntaram-se num esforo
instance, at the time of the floods in 1980, the Dutch comum para prestar assistncia ao distrito de Matutuine, a
cooperantes, staff of the Dutch embassy and Dutch sul de Maputo. Todos estavam envolvidos na distribuio de
industry put in a great common effort to help the mantas, tendas, comida e camies. Com pequenos barcos,
Matutuine district south of Maputo. Everybody was at entraram nas reas inundadas para salvar pessoas e distribuir
work with blankets, tents, food, and trucks. With small comida. A cooperao continuou aps as cheias atravs do
boats they entered the flooded areas to save people and chamado Grupo Matutuine, que ficou envolvido em vrios
distribute food. The cooperation continued after the projectos na rea.
floods in the so-called Matutuine group, which was Do mesmo modo, a cooperao entre as centenas de
involved in many projects in the area. organizaes internacionais doadoras limita-se
In the same way, cooperation between the hundreds principalmente coordenao nacional, apesar dos esforos do
of international donor organizations is mainly limited to Ministrio da Cooperao de Moambique para distribuir as
national coordination, in spite of efforts of the funes da forma mais adequada. H quase trinta anos que as
Mozambican Ministry of Cooperation to bring about a vrias organizaes com projectos em curso nas antigas
better division of roles. For nearly thirty years now the colnias portuguesas se encontram regularmente na Holanda,
various Dutch organizations running projects in the na chamada Consulta Lusfona, para coordenarem as suas
former Portuguese colonies have been meeting regularly actividades; o mesmo acontece com a Kinderpostzegels,
in The Netherlands in the so-called Lusophone MEMISA, SOH, a Cruz Vermelha holandesa, a Fundao Van
Consultation to coordinate their activities; also Leer com as suas actividades educacionais. O Ministrio dos
Kinderpostzegels, Memisa, SOH, the Dutch Red Cross, Negcios Estrangeiros tambm se faz representar nestes
the Van Leer Foundation with its educational activities. encontros desde a dcada de noventa.
Since the nineties the ministry of foreign affairs has also
been represented at these meetings. Henk conclui que j no existe mais a atitude crtica dos
cooperantes holandeses em relao ao seu prprio governo ,
Henk concludes that there is nothing left of the critical como existia nos primeiros anos aps a independncia. Ele d
attitude of the Dutch cooperantes towards their own um exemplo. Na Holanda, o dia do aniversrio da rainha
government during the first years after independence. considerado um feriado pblico nacional, com muitas
He illustrates this with an event from the early period. bandeiras e um dia de folga para todos. No estrangeiro, os
In The Netherlands the Queens birthday is a national holandeses renem-se nas embaixadas holandesas para
public holiday, with many flags and the day off for celebrar o aniversrio da Sua Majestade. A Embaixada da
everybody. Abroad, the Dutch meet at the Dutch Holanda em Maputo tambm estava cheia de pessoas, mas
embassies together to celebrate the birthday of Her quando se pediu aos presentes que cantassem o hino nacional,
Majesty. The Dutch embassy in Maputo also filled with os cooperantes, de punho erguido, cantaram a Internacional.
people, but when those present were asked to rise and O Henk entretanto louva a atitude geral do pessoal da
sing the national anthem, the cooperantes stood with embaixada. Ele d um exemplo: Os funcionrios da
fists clenched, singing the International. Embaixada costumavam a organizar regularmente corridas de
Still, Henk is very positive about the Embassy staff in bicicleta contra equipas moambicanas. Quando se
Maputo. He gives one illustration: The staff of the aperceberam que ganhavam porque os moambicanos no
Dutch embassy regularly held bike races against tinham boas bicicletas, eles solicitaram bicicletas de corrida
Mozambican teams. Soon they realized that if they won, ao Primeiro Ministro holands, na altura o Sr. Van Agt, ele
it was mainly because the Mozambicans did not have prprio um devoto ciclista. A fbrica de bicicletas holandesa
good bikes. The staff asked the Dutch prime minister at Batavus enviou ento vinte novas bicicletas de corrida para a
the time, Mr. Van Agt, himself a passionate cyclist, for equipa moambicana.
racing bikes. The Dutch bicycle factory Batavus then sent
twenty new racing bicycles for the Mozambican team.
68
Twin Cities: Cidades geminadas:
Amsterdam and Beira Amsterdo e Beira
In 1987 the Mondlane Foundation started a new ABC Em 1987 a Fundao Mondlane iniciou uma nova actividade
activity, the Amsterdam Beira Campaign. In two years de ABC, a campanha Amsterdo-Beira. Num perodo de dois
time DG 500,000 was collected for projects in Beira. The anos, conseguiram angariar Fl. 500.000 para projectos na
Foundations hope was that the campaign would develop Beira. A Fundao esperava que a campanha resultasse numa
into an official twinning relationship between the two geminao oficial entre as duas cidades. Como parte da luta
cities. As a part of the struggle against apartheid in contra o apartheid, muitas cidades holandesas e municpios
South Africa many Dutch cities and municipalities had tinham o seu prprio programa anti-apartheid. A ajuda para
their own anti-apartheid programme. One of the os pases da linha de frente, os vizinhos da frica do Sul, fazia
activities within that programme was to provide aid to parte dessa poltica e, ao apoiar o porto da Beira, os pases do
the countries bordering on South Africa. By supporting interior no ficariam to dependentes do porto sulafricano de
the port of Beira the hinterland would become less Durban. O apoio de Amsterdo Beira teve incio em 1987,
dependent on the South African port of Durban. mas s em 1993 que a geminao se tornou oficial.
In 1987 the Amsterdam city council started its Bulawayo, Berlim, Bristol e Gotemburgo estabeleceram
support programme for Beira, but only in 1993 did it relaes similares com a Beira.
become an official twinning relationship. Bulawayo,
Berlin, Porto, Bristol and Gothenburg have similar ties O apoio consistiu, em parte, em material que Amsterdo j
with Beira. no necessitava. Assim, estabeleceram-se contactos com
hospitais para se conseguir equipamento mdico, e com
Some of the aid consisted of goods that the city had no escolas para se arranjar carteiras e outro material educativo.
longer any use for. For instance, hospitals in Amsterdam Para alm disso, existiam tambm projectos a longo prazo. A
were approached for medical equipment and schools for Direco de guas de Amsterdo apoiou o abastecimento de
desks and other educational equipment. In addition gua na Beira. A companhia guas da Beira fornecia gua a
there were long-term projects. The Amsterdam Water somente 12.000 casas, enquanto havia 500.000 pessoas
Board supported the Beira water supply. guas da Beira residindo na cidade e nos arredores. As Autoridades do Porto
provided water for only 12,000 houses, whereas there de Amsterdo ajudaram a melhorar o porto da Beira. Em 1987,
were 500,000 people living in and around the town. The 13 especialistas de consultoria do Porto de Amsterdo
Amsterdam Port Authority helped improve the Beira viajaram para a Beira para formao do pessoal do
port. Specialists from Amsterdam Port Consultants went Departamento de Gesto e Marketing do porto. Em 1987, foi
to Beira to train the port management and marketing efectuada a dragagem do canal. Os bombeiros de Amsterdo
department. The channel was dredged. The Amsterdam enviaram um carro de bombeiros para Beira, onde nem um
fire brigade sent used fire engines and other equipment sequer estava a funcionar. Depois do ciclone Eline e das cheias
to Beira and trained the fire fighters of the town, the em 2000 e 2001, Amsterdo doou Fl. 350.000 para sete
port and the airfield. After the cyclone and the floods in projectos de reconstruo. Paralelamente a estas actividades,
2000 and 2001 Amsterdam donated DG 350,000 for tentou-se tambm atrair o interesse do sector comercial e
seven reconstruction projects. Next to these activities industrial holands para a Beira. A firma Cornelder, de
attempts were made to interest Dutch trade and indus- Amsterdo, por exemplo, est muito interessada no porto da
try in Beira. Today, for instance, the Amsterdam-based Beira.
firm of Cornelder has large interests in the Beira port.
Aps a fuso da Fundao Mondlane com duas outras
After the merger of the Mondlane Foundation in 1997, organizaes no novo Instituto Holands para frica Austral
the new Netherlands institute for Southern Africa (NiZA) em 1997, este ltimo tornou-se o motor por detrs da
(NiZA) became the driving force behind the twinning geminao das cidades. Tinha tambm a misso de envolver a
links. NiZA also had the task of involving the population populao de Amsterdo no projecto. Estabeleceram-se
69
of Amsterdam in the project. Schemes were set up for protocolos para intercmbio juvenil anual, nos quais
annual youth exchanges, in which many schools participaram muitas escolas, para intercmbio entre grupos
participated, exchanges between cultural groups, visits culturais, visitas oficiais da cidade, encontros para troca de
by city officials, information meetings were held and informao e, quatro vezes por ano, foi publicado o boletim
four times a year the Amsterdam-Beira Newsletter Amsterdam-Beira Nieuwsbrief.
appeared.
Em 2003, o Conselho Municipal de Amsterdo decidiu que o
In 2003 the Amsterdam city council decided that the protocolo de geminao com a Beira (e com Mangua, na
twinning scheme with Beira (and with Managua in Nicargua) deveria terminar em 2005. Quase metade da
Nicaragua) had to end in 2005. Nearly half the present actual populao de Amsterdo de origem estrangeira e a
population of Amsterdam is of recent foreign origin and cidade tem dado prioridade a relaes de geminao com
the city is giving priority to twinning relations with the pases de onde provm a maior parte dos novos imigrantes:
countries where most of these immigrants originate: Marrocos, Turquia, Gana e Suriname.
Morocco, Turkey, Ghana and Surinam.
Fire fighters in Beira, who were

trained and equiped by the
Amsterdam fire brigade. This
engine was donated by the
Amsterdam electricity company.
(1994).
Bombeiros na Beira, que foram
treinados e equipados pela
corporao de bombeiros de
Amsterdam. Esta mquina foi
um donitavo da empresa de
electricidade de Amsterdam
(1994).
JAN PEURSUM
Still a lot to do Ainda h muito para fazer
In the year 2005 Mozambique celebrates the 30th No ano 2005 Moambique comemora o trigsimo aniversrio
anniversary of its independence.Yet, how independent da sua independncia. Contudo, at que ponto um estado
really is a state which to a large extent is dependent on independente enquanto continua em grande parte dependente
foreign aid from the rich Western countries for its de ajuda estrangeira dos pases desenvolvidos ocidentais para
survival? This aid is often tied to a lot of conditions a sobrevivncia? Essa ajuda muitas vezes condicionado
which seriously limit the freedom of the Mozambican numa forma que limita seriamente a liberdade do governo
government to govern the country. moambicano na governao do pas.
Mozambique will not be able to free itself from foreign Moambique no pode se libertar da ajuda internacional at
development aid until it is able to develop its economy. conseguir desenvolver a sua prpria economia. Contudo,
Yet, also in this respect, Mozambique is dependent of the mesmo neste aspecto Moambique dependente do comrcio e
trade with and investment from the rich Western investimentos dos pases ocidentais e frica do Sul. Tambm
countries and South Africa. And also in this field the nesta rea as regras e condies so ordenadas pelos pases
rules and conditions are laid down by the rich countries. ricos. O ponto de partida ainda no o qu melhor para o
The starting point still is not what is the best for the desenvolvimento de Moambique, mas o qu d mais lucro
development of Mozambique, but what is most economia ocidental.
profitable for the western economy. Um exemplo notvel so as regras unilaterais do comrcio
A striking example are the one-sided trade rules that que limitam seriamente as possibilidades de Moambique
seriously limit the possibilities of Mozambique to para desenvolver a sua economia. Quando a industria de caju
develop its economy. After the Mozambican cashew ficou destruda em grande parte pela interferncia do FMI, a
industry was largely destroyed by the interference of the restaurao da industria de acar tornou-se uma prioridade
IMF, restoration of the countrys sugar industry became do governo. Mas aqui tambm o governo moambicano entrou
a governnment priority. But also here the Mozambican em choque com as normas ambguas do ocidente. Embora
government collided with the double standards of the Moambique produziu 200.000 toneladas de acar em 2002 e
West. Although Mozambique produced 200,000 tons of 300.000 em 2003, as quotas de importao da Unio Europeia
sugar in 2002 and 300,000 tons in 2003, the import atingiram s 10.000 toneladas. O imposto de importao para
quota for the European Union amounted to only 10,000 cada volume adicional de acar de 300%. E enquanto
tons. The import duty for any additional volume of Moambique possui a infra-estrutura para refinar o acar,
sugar is 300%. And while Mozambique has the infra- somente lhe permitido de exportar o acar cru. Alm disso,
structure to refine its sugar, it is only allowed to export os mercados de exportao da frica e Mdio Oriente so
raw sugar. Moreover, the African and Middle East export estragados para o acar moambicano pelo facto da Europa
markets for Mozambican sugar are spoilt by Europes exportar o seu excesso da produo de acar a preos baixos
sugar surplus being dumped there at low prices. para essa regies.
The result is that an increasing part of Mozambiques O resultado que uma parte crescente da produo de
sugar production is being stored. If Europe would not acar de Moambique est sendo armazenado. Se a Europa
erect these barriers, tens of thousands of jobs could be no criava essas barreiras, milhares de postos de emprego
created and Mozambique would soon have an income podiam ser criados a dentro pouco Moambique podia ganhar
from its sugar higher than what it receives now in um rendimento do acar maior do que recebe agora em ajuda
development aid from the European Union. para o desenvolvimento da Unio Europeia.
There is still a lot to do for Mozambiques Brothers and Ainda h muito para fazer para os Irmos e irms do
Sisters from the West. Ocidente.
71
A Selection of Dutch books
on Mozambique, published
by the Angola Comit,
Mondlane Foundation and
others in the 1970s and
1980s.
Uma seleco de livros em
holands publicados pelo
Angola Comit, a Fundao
Eduardo Mondlane e outros
na poca 1970/1990.

Brothers From The West

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BROTHERS FROM THE WEST

SOLIDARITY IN THE NETHERLANDS WITH MOZAMBIQUE 1962 - 2005

BROTHERS FROM THE WEST / IRMOS DO OCIDENTE

ARQUIVO HISTRICO MOAMBIQUE

Arquivo Histrico Moambique

Netherlands Institute for Southern Africa (NiZA) Arquivo Histrico de Moambique

Amsterdam, June 2005 Amsterdo, Junho de 2005

Dr. Joel das Neves Tembe, director

Brother from the West

Como podes recusar, irmo do Ocidente ?

The founding of the Angola A fundao do Angola

Protest against Dutch

The large influence of A grande influncia da

The liberation struggle in Africa is a matter for us.

A luta de libertao em frica um problema

Dutch government A poltica do governo

Portuguese conscientious Opositores e desertores

The Mondlane Foundation A Fundao Eduardo

At the request of Janet Mondlane, the

went to PAIGC and MPLA.

HANS VAN DEN BOGAARD

The collected blankets were

Jan and Frouke Draisma Jan e Frouke Draisma

Paul Staal, the roving Paul Staal, o embaixador

To celebrate the twentieth anniversary of the

International solidarity A solidariedade internacional

Easter meetings Reunies da Pscoa

Facts & Reports Facts & Reports

The Den Uyl administration A administrao de Den Uyl

Development aid Ajuda ao desenvolvimento

Minister Pronk of Development

Dutch missionary Joao van den

The solidarity movement O movimento de solidarie-

Dutch development Cooperao holandesa para

support to restore production para que fosse restabelecida a

Fire fighters in Beira, who were

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