police attack on a demonstration like this (protesting against the prisoners" claims for better treatment) that touched Portuguese have yet to give up their hold. FRELIMO guerilla fighters in Mozambique: one of the colonies where the AN AGREEMENT has been signed in Algeria between the Portuguese Government and the African liberation movement, PAIGC, recognising the independence of Guinea-Bissau as of 10 September. -An immediate ceasefire has been declared in the former Portuguese due to be out of the country by 31 October.
VICTORY for the people of Guinea-Bissau and for anti-imperialist fighters all round the world. But is comes as no surprise. The gierilla struggle in Guinea has given the Portuguese military their biggest headache over the past few years. A quarter of Portugal's forces in Africa were tied up controlling a region that represented, in both area and population, less than 5% of Porgugal's African possessions.
It was in Guinea that the Liberation controlling the majority of the coun try long before the military coup in Portugal on 25 April. Moreover, Guines is of the least economic importance to Portugal of all her African possessions.
Elsewhere in Africa, however, the prospoct a not so bright. In the Capo Verde Islands, off the coast of Guines, off the ravent wave of repression and wounding four.
centre with armed soldiers and (See Red Weekiy 64 for an eyewitness account).
many of whose members remain African air lines. colony, and all Portuguese troops are MOZAMBIQUE This agreement is a great victory both Portuguese any.
ANGOLA Noose tightens on left THE CAMPAIGN OF REPRESSION unleashed against the revolutionary left by Portugni's military junta las been stepped up over the past weeks.
Ar its high point police opened fire on an unarmed crowd. killing one The new campaign of repression began at the beginning of the month with the banning of a revolutionary paper. A demonstration called in protest was banned in turn, und the military occupied the Lisbon city out.
armoured cars to enforce the ban.
The following week, on Monday 12 August, a mass demonstration gathered outside the prison where the former agents of the fascist secret Barred from their meeting place, leftpolice, the PIDE, are being beld. The demonstrators wore there to protest at the occupation of the prison by the. There they were attacked by the inmates (undoubtedly aided by sympathetic warders to back up demands out. The police replied by opening for better treatment. The demonstrators were attacked by the spocial riot squad set up under the fascist regime, devoted to the cause of the tar right. the Portuguese Government has refused to recogeise the claims of the PATOC, They are insisting on a Portuguese managed referendum on the political fisture of the islands. The object of this Is to prevent union between Cnpe Verde and Guinea, thus preserving the istands present function as an important NATO base, and a staging post for the South Mozambique is the other colonys where the bberation movement is Te Iatively strong and united. As a result. the Partuguese government has repeated settlers. engaged in lengthy talks with the guerilla arginisation, FRELIMO.
However the sitation in the coutry remains very confused. In some parts the guerillas and tho atmy are reported to be cooperating to maintain - Lie guerillas have gone onto the offen SIVE W BOR DOESNT CAS FROM LAE In any event, as long as Portuguese military Tones ate in the country attempts to politically outmameuvre the guerilIns will continue The latest effort comes with the unitication of five different anti-FRELIMO groups to form the "Mazambique National Coalition Party', under the leadership of a former spokesman of the FRELIMO right-wing The situation is darkest in Angola This is the most economically important Mass demonstration outside the Lisbon prison where former PIDE (fascist political police) are being held. It was a On Wednesday, 14 August, a mass cally was planned in Lisbon by supporters of the Angolan liheration movement. The rally was to call for immediate independence for Angola and to hiphlight recent attacks by fascist bands on buildings occupied by libration movement supporters. The Provisional Government has dese nothing to stop such attacks, and a rush of assaults on individual blacks by white racists has recently broken The rally was banned by the any, and the ban then endorsed by che coalition Government. The army then occupied the sports pavilion in which the rally was to be held.
SHOOTING
wing sympathsers made their way into Lisbon's main square, tbe Rossio.
police, and widespread fighting hroke fire on the demonstrators One demonstrator was killed-an army officer who was a member of the Democratic Electoral Commis sion (CDE-broad liberal grouping colony for Portugal, it has the largest WHEN THEY SHEE EREON IC ment Thete Is cadi anded.
The only offer the Portuguese have made to the liheration movements has been a joke-in exchange for a coasofire the setting up of a provisional Governent with representatives from all political groups (including the white settlers), and the army to remain in Angola until after cloctions are beld in So far these has been iittle support for such a proposal from the guerilla has developed between one of the smallest of them-UNITA-and white The intentions of Portugal's rulers are plain. As far as passable, and particeTarly in Angola, they want to cosure that whatever regime takes over when the army finally leaves is not bostile to the interests of imperialism. Then there may still be a hope for Portuguese imperialisms to do a deal with its bigger brothers and ca sure that Portugal continues to get a cut from the imperialist caploitation of It remains as urgent as ever that the socialist and labour movement in Britain continues to orginise solidarity with the struggle in the African colonies for damediate, full and unconditional independence.
Guinea was the first victory we as rapidly as possible in Mozambique and Angola.
CHRIS BALFOUR under the influence of the Communist Party). Four more people, including a Gerian tourist, were wounded Since this murderous attack the army has pulled in its hots and a number of demonstrations have been held without interference.
But this is obviously only a tactical retreat. Plans for full-scale repression against all those on the left who refuse to lick the army's hoots remain in force.
These ate the difficult conditions under which the Portuguese Trotsky ista of the LCI (International Communist League) have to work. Red Weekie's fund drive to assist the LCI has now topped the C100 mark, and we are proud to report that our Por tuguese comrades have now been able to bring out the fist issue of their bi-weekly newspaper They hope to turn it into a weekly early in the auturn, but they urgently need our assistance Red Weekly is continuing its fund drive, Send contributions fo: LCI, clo Red Weekly, 97 Caledonian Road, Landon N.1, -Red Weekly 29 August 1974 Page 7