Johannesburg - The EFF joins the people of Africa in celebrating the 48th anniversary of Mozambique’s independence from more than 400 years of colonial invasion by the Portuguese.
The party said the invasion by the Portuguese of the Mozambican coast, led by Vasco da Gama in the late 15th century, marked the beginning of a dark chapter in the history of Mozambique. "With brutal force and unyielding ambition, they unleashed a reign of exploitation and land dispossession.
“Enslavement became a practice as Mozambicans were subjected to backbreaking labour on plantations and in mines. Their bodies were crushed with the weight of chains," said EFF national spokesperson Sinawo Thambo.
He said the Portuguese imposed a cruel system of racial segregation, stripping away dignity and erecting barriers between communities.
Thambo said land, which is a sacred bond between people and their heritage, was violently stolen, wrenching it from the grasp of those who had tended it for generations.
"Forced resettlement shattered the fabric of Mozambican society, leaving communities displaced and disoriented, their ancestral ties severed.
"The Portuguese, intoxicated by their ruthless power on the Indian Ocean, sought to expand their dominion. They established trading posts as pillars of their imperial ambitions, tightening their grip over the region.
“In the 19th century, their insatiable hunger for control drove them to launch a relentless campaign to cement their colonial rule, using military might to crush any resistance and assert their authority over Mozambique," Thambo said.
He added: "Embedded deep within the core of Mozambique's war against colonialism, led by Frelimo under Dr Eduardo Mondlane, thrived the resounding motto, A luta continua.
“This mighty phrase, birthed by Mondlane in the crucible of the liberation movement, encapsulated the indomitable spirit and unyielding resolve of the Mozambican people as they persistently waged war against the chains of oppression".
Thambo said "A luta continua" resonated not only within Mozambique's borders but reverberated as a thunderous clarion call to all the oppressed across Africa and the globe, a reminder that the quest for liberation is a perpetual crusade that transcends both time and borders.
"On this auspicious occasion of Mozambique’s Independence Day, we recall the gallant leaders of the liberation Struggle, who not only fought for freedom but also found room to host our own freedom fighters in exile. Leaders such as Josina Machel, Eduardo Mondlane, and Samora Machel led Mozambique to victory.
"The government of Mozambique must now fiercely resist the claws of capitalism that orchestrate instabilities so as to steal the country’s wealth, particularly its oil reserves.
“The abundant natural resources must benefit all the people of Mozambique, especially those in communities that have been plagued with natural disasters.
"The EFF sends its revolutionary wishes to the people of Mozambique as we continue our journey towards a unified Africa. A luta continua, vitória é certa," Thambo said.
The Star