Mozambique: The Tortuous Road to Democracy

by J. Cabrita

Overview

Mozambique's civil war was inevitable given the tradition of conflict that has always characterized Frelimo, first as an independence movement, and then as a ruling party. Without disregarding the role played by both Rhodesia and South Africa in the war - in fact providing new and detailed information about it - Cabrita guides the reader through Frelimo's early days and gives a clear understanding of the pattern of internal dissent, persecution and physical elimination of members and opponents that remained the organization's hallmark.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781349424320
Publisher:	Palgrave Macmillan UK
Publication date:	01/01/2000
Edition description:	1st ed. 2000
Pages:	311
Product dimensions:	5.51(w) x 8.50(h) x (d)

About the Author

JOÃO M. CABRITA works as a Southern Africa news media consultant. He is a Mozambican, born and raised in Beira, currently living in Swaziland.

Table of Contents

List of Tables List of Maps Acknowledgements List of Abbreviations Introduction PART I: A TRADITION OF CONFLICT Marriage of Convenience Profile of a Leader Southerners and Those from Afar Mondlane's Dilemmas Independence War Zambia Backs Frelimo Dissidents Mondlane and Che Guevara The Rise of Samora Machel Student Unrest Crisis Within Frelimo Mounts Mondlane Assassinated Frelimo After Mondlane PART II: INDEPENDENCE Portugal Transfer Power to Frelimo Jorge Jardim: Myth and Reality The Long Arm of Frelimo Totalitarian State Political Police Re-education M'telela: The Last Goodbye Coup Attempt Destroying the Sequels Revolutionaries and Traditionalists Frelimo and Religion PART III: RESISTANCE Conflict with Malawi and Rhodesia The Magaia Pamphlet The Voz da Africa Livre Renamo: the Early Days The Quest for Autonomy Gorongosa Matsangaice Killed Cristina Marginalized The Renamo Programme Renamo Survives the Wind of Change PART IV: THE TURNING POINT South Africa Backs Renamo Renamo Reviews the 1979 Programme Cristina Killed Heading for Maputo The Invasion that Never Was The Government Counter-Attacks PART V: RUMOURS OF PEACE A Different Kind of Operation The Nkomati Accord The Pretoria Talks PART VI: FOREIGN INTERVENTION Zimbabwe's Role Expanded The Malawian Connection Changing the Guard Britain and Tanzania Assist FAM Renamo's Response Recruits and Collaborators The Washington Lobby Epilogue Notes Index

Editorial Reviews

At the root of Mozambique's 16-year civil war lay the totalitarian Frelimo regime and the nature of its political, social, and economic program. Cabrita (a news media consultant based in southern Africa) believes the war was inevitable, given the tradition of conflict that always characterized Frelimo, first as an independence movement and later as a ruling party. Relying in part on first-person documents obtained under the US Freedom of Information Act, Cabrita looks at Frelimo's early days as well as the role played in the war by Rhodesia and South Africa. He sheds new light on the emergence of the resistance Renamo movement, the dynamics of the war, and the government's attempts to resolve it militarily, diplomatically, and politically. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

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