Independent Angola for 46 years

Luanda – Angola became independent 46 years ago, no longer politically and administratively dependent on the colonial “empire” on 11 November 1975.

Despite all the difficulties over these four decades, with steps ahead as well, this milestone represents the greatest achievement of the Angolans.

With independence, Angola ceased to be an overseas province, an administrative device that Portugal forged to prevent it from being considered a colonial power in international forums.

The political regime of Salazar and Marcello Caetano defended that these territories were not colonies, but an integral and inseparable part of Portugal, considering it as a "Multiracial and Pluricontinental Nation". The practice, however, showed discrimination against people born “overseas”, even those with lighter complexions.

This and other evils led to the awareness of Angolans to the extreme of fighting for independence.

Young dreamers joined their liberation movements under the belief in a radiant socialism for Angola, influenced by the utopian ideas of the new "political current" that spread across the world like a fuse, due to the degradation of capitalist values.

They abandoned families, friends, studies or jobs and, moved by non-conformism, resulting from a high political culture, they thickened the embryo of the promoters of the armed struggle.

The result was the generalization of the armed resistance of the “cambutas brothers” to the “Tuga” incursions.

Fourteen years later, as if by magic, the goal had been achieved. It was the turn of the page, the colonial power faltered and the Alvor Agreement had caught almost everyone (Angolans and Portuguese) against the “against hand”, despite the “Carnation Revolution”, which paved the way for an “intoxicating” independence.

With this, Angolans gained the right to do politics, undertake, teach, produce, in short, they became free. They took care of their destiny, of course, with many mistakes along the way, but they learned and continue to learn with the sole aim of giving the best for the country.

Although there is still much to be done for Angola to truly experience the benefits of freedom, this will never call into question the value of independence.

Story

Faced with all sorts of humiliation, the Angolans were left with only the armed struggle, which began in 1961 with the revolt in Luanda, in February, followed by attacks in northern Angola in March.

The colonial reprisal was violent, disproportionate and vengeful, in an attempt to stifle and discourage armed rebellion, but it did not work, as Angolans were willing to fight for freedom. They fought, died and won.

History records that the “Carnation Revolution”, on the 25th of April 1974, played a fundamental role in the independence of the colonies.

Another truth, however, is that the failure in negotiations for a political solution for the colonies contributes to the Movement of Captains of April, that is, one action gave rise to another and vice versa.

The 25th of April brought forward the negotiation for the Portuguese colonies in Africa to become autonomous, if one takes into account the wear and tear to which the colony troops were subjected as a result of the evolution and combative capacity of the guerrillas.

The use by the guerrillas of portable surface-to-air missiles 9K32 “Strela-2 (Russian) or arrow, designation of NATO, which surprisingly shot down five aircraft in 1973 in Guinea-Bissau, the constant ambushes on the ground and increasingly bold attacks on the garrisons advances in the colonies demoralized the troops.

In 1973, Portugal was forced to ask South Africa for a loan of 150 million rand for the supply of war material, including artillery, anti-aircraft defense system and fighter jets, in an agreement that was signed only in March 1974, to make its armed forces better equipped to face the guerrillas, mainly in Guinea-Bissau. – refers to the Portuguese Military Magazine in an article published in October 2014.

The certainty of the colony guerrillas, however, was that time was against the colonial authorities and that they would yield.

It really happened. The Portuguese power had to negotiate with the liberation movements of the “overseas provinces” the terms of freedom.

Without exception, starting with Guinea-Bissau, where military confrontation was increasingly violent, all Portuguese colonies in Africa and Southeast Asia became independent.

Angola was the last to proclaim independence in Africa under the divergence of the three liberation movements (MPLA, FNLA, UNITA). Overall, East Timor eventually received or declared independence from Portugal, although it was soon invaded and occupied by neighboring Indonesia.