Recent reports in the western press have openly peculated on the possibility of the fall of the relimo government in the former Portuguese colny of Mozambique. PETE EVANS reports on a country that's been under attack for 11 years.
vas purely an internal, civil war. In fact, behind the problems faced by the people of Mozambique lies he apartheid regime in South Africa.
In 1975 the Mozamican liberation 11UVC nent, Frelimo, took power fter a fifteen year strugde They took power in a 00г, underdeveloped heavy lent on their powerful and neighbour: South Africa. Immediately after he seizure of power the partheid regime set notion a plan to destabise the country. The plan involved a combination of economic military pressures.
At the economic level it nigrant labour (Mozambique has 45,000 workers in South Africa, who provide the biggest source of breign currency); closures or restrictions; regulating the exports goods, especially food and bil; and cutting electricity supplies (South Africa provides 28% of Mozampique's electric power). he apartheid strategist, Deon Geldenhuys, blained that The objective is) to cause serious hardhip the population, their frustration and fury Al te oile To take advantage of the openings created by the Economic pressure, military intervention was required. There have been a number of direct military incursions South African commandos, for •antic inc bombing of ANC offices in the capital city, Maputo. in uctober Not to have some semblance of an idea about the situation in South Africa, a person would have to be wilfully stupid. About neighbouring Namibia, the last colony in norance could be excused. Press silence about Namibia is deafening. Even the timid sanctions in relation to South Africa agreed by the EEC pointedly do not apply to Namibia.
This news boycott is not accidental. If the full, horrific truth of brought home to people the campaign for sanctions against apartheid would be enormously boosted.
Namibia is occupied by 100,000 troops of the South African Defence Force, one soldier for every Namibians. It is backed up by the locally drafted SWATF (South West African Territorial Force), Koevoet death squad. The occupation forces have established a dusk-to-dawn curfew in the north (Ovamboland), created 'protected villages' (as was done in Vietnam) and a security zone to practice their atrocities out of sight-and-sound of worid opinion.
common. Crops are destroyed and water poisoned.
The country is used as a convenient steppingstone to attack neighbouring black-ruled states.
Angola especially has been the target of repeated incursions over ten years, in alliance with South Africa's puppet mercenary army UNITA. Refugees from the war in Namibia have been attacked and numerous massacres killed many hundreds of The war in that country has been presented as if it 1983. But the main tool used by the has been the Mozambique National Resistance (MNR).
The MNR was initially set up by the Rhodesian go eras based ann Porwas based Porcommandos and Mozambicans who had worked for the colonialists and were afraid to go home they were known as members orancons brutal units. They also recruited torme Frelimo officials who had been cashiered corruption Photo: LARRY HERMAN After the defeat of the Smith government, MNR collapsed, the remnants South Africa. In 1980 the MNR restarted Its attacks, this time under the control of UnC South African authorities. was the apartheid regime which chose the areas of attack, and provided the training logistical support.
Ihey also provide 'advisors to lead une allacks on the ground. captured diary of an MNR officer explained: 'In the event of our friends (the being seen by the people, it will be the fighters' duty to inform the people that they captured Russians'.
omic military Frelimo agreed In 1984 South Africa's main demand: the signing ol ine Ikomal accolas. expulsion refugees from the country; in return South Atrica Dromised to withdraw all support from the MINR.
Whilst Mozambique stuck rigidly to the terms of the agreement, South Africa refused to do the same Instead of peace the war escalated. The MR Decallic active near Maputo for the first time, with attacks on the road, railway and electricity line between the capital In August 1985 a joint force of the Mozambican civilians, women and children. The overall aim of and Zimbabwean armies captured the main internal Dast the MNR. Amongst the details nos seized details meetings which proved the continuing support of the for the MNR, and which showed that it was the apartheid regime itself which was ordering the attackes on the capital.
The South Africans agreed to send 'material for urban guerilla warfare including time bombs and timing devices' to the rebels. It is clear from the captured documents that the target of apartheid is the Frelimo government itself. quite blatantly ignored the UN decrees. Build on ballot result tion not compensation.
pear, writes JOHN LANG, clerical SOGAT.
We must build for action within Fleet Street. In one way or another were all attected bv Murdochstyle attacks on jobs, conBy fighting back together we can all win that all Murdochs pro- The call products are boycotted. The scab titles mut not pass the threshold OI any Fleet Street house. Advertising with News International should be stopped. The CASSOMALO should not take any copy from or to News International: An instruction to the sale distribution i nationally to boycott News International products must be given along with the bov. cotting of colour preprints from the Bemrose plant in Liverpool.
And we've got to immediately the DICKCUIS Convoy's Wharf where paper reels are transported from and the picketing of the TNT depots.
Part of escalating the dispute involves forging comedia on cc ico. the movement. Countless resolutions have been passed, congress an LIC Brighton the impor tance of this dispute for all workers. They must turned into action. The TUC leaders must now Murdoch's 'final offers' is a clear indication of the strength of feeling amonst the rank and file membership. The message is clear: jobs and union recogniThe union's leadership must now get down to the job of winning the dispute instead of allowing the hard-won conditions of organised labour to disapdeputy FOC, Times understand that this dispute wil not go away and be forced to act. The issue or ine EETPU has been fudged far too long.
Those must be instructed to stop doing the printers' jobs.
Confidence must be built not only amongst those on strike but also for those who are in work but running scared by the attacks of management.
This dispute has exposed some of the weakest types of leadership. Judging by the meeting held o SOGAT '82 FOCs/MOC: at Hadleigh directly after ballot result, resolve by SOGAT leadership still long way off. There was realisation the dispute must be taken forward but the fear of sequestration seemed to cloud any rea positive steps The FOCs/MOCs have the contidence to take up the struggle ahead but need get themselves organised into a proper strike committee to build on the strength of feeling and chart course for victory.
The basis for victory is there if the right tactics are implemented. All heed the ballot result and help gain not only tol the printers but the labour
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THE increased majority returned by sacked News In- ternational Sogat '82 members, rejecting another of