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The Conflict with Renamo, 1976-1992
«May-June 1979»
Dossier MZ-0020
8. The "Arc of Destabilisation"
By mid-1979 the then still uncertain outcome of the liberation struggle waged by ZANU-PF against the weakening Smith regime was spilling over into what Anthony Delius, in an article in the Cape Times, called ‘an ocean-to-ocean arc’ of destabilised African countries, but most especially into Mozambique. Much of this activity was still fairly low-key, however. Articles appeared in the foreign press linking different movements such as the Zambézia Liberation Front, the Cabo Delgado Liberation Front and Domingos Arouca’s FUMO with the Rhodesian-backed MNR. Jorge Jardim’s name was also being mentioned. Meanwhile, the MNR continued to broadcast its claims of military victories, using the Voz da África Livre radio station, based inside Rhodesia. One such broadcast included an early programmatic statement from the movement.
There were intermittent reports of arrests by SNASP and the capture of saboteurs by the FPLM.
MHN Resources
◊ May 1979
Victor Ndovi. Frelimo’s ruthless enemies. New African [London], May 1979, p.38-40. Click here to view or download a PDF, size 416 kb.
◊ 3 May 1979
Mozambican security forces’ capture of alleged Rhodesian spies. Summary of World Broadcasts [London], 3 May 1979. Click here to view or download a PDF, size 155 kb.
◊ 3 May 1979
Mozambique dissident group’s objectives. Summary of World Broadcasts [London], 3 May 1979. Click here to view or download a PDF, size 190 kb.
◊ 7 May 1979
Anthony Delius. An ocean-to-ocean arc of troubled African nations. Cape Times [Cape Town], 7 May 1979.
◊ 10 May 1979
Reported defection of two Mozambican conscripts. Summary of World Broadcasts [London], 10 May 1979. Click here to view or download a PDF, size 101 kb.
◊ 11 May 1979
Rhodesia and its neighbours. Summary of World Broadcasts [London], 11 May 1979. Click here to view or download a PDF, size 108 kb.
◊ 12 May 1979
Alleged murder of Mozambicans by Mugabe guerrillas. Summary of World Broadcasts [London], 12 May 1979. Click here to view or download a PDF, size 90 kb.
◊ 13 May 1979
SNASP captura mais dois espiões de Smith: reuniões na Beira para aumento da vigilância popular. Tempo [Maputo], no.448, 13 May 1979, p.4. Click here to view or download a PDF, size 142 kb.
◊ 15 May 1979
Commentary on Machel’s, Mugabe’s recruitment practices. Foreign Broadcast Information Service (FBIS) [Washington DC], 15 May 1979, p.E1. Click here to view or download a PDF, size 208 kb.
◊ 15 May 1979
Tory-anti-Frelimo link. People's News Service [London], 15 May 1979. Click here to view or download a PDF, size 120 kb.
◊ 16 May 1979
Radio’s claim of Mozambican soldiers being forced to fight for Mugabe. Summary of World Broadcasts [London], no.ME/6117, 16 May 1979, p.B/2-B/3. Click here to view or download a PDF, size 266 kb.
◊ 30 May 1979
Reported killing of Mozambican soldiers by Mugabe’s forces. Summary of World Broadcasts [London], 30 May 1979. Click here to view or download a PDF, size 97 kb.
◊ 12 June 1979
Mozambique dissidents’ military claims. Summary of World Broadcasts [London], 12 June 1979. Click here to view or download a PDF, size 135 kb.
◊ 27 June 1979
Capture of counter-revolutionary group in Mozambique. Summary of World Broadcasts [London], 27 June 1979. Click here to view or download a PDF, size 262 kb.
Consolidated Downloadable Zipped Files
Click on the yellow folder image below to download an unsorted zipped archive of documents and press clippings in PDF format concerning the armed conflict between Renamo/MNR and the Mozambican government in May and June 1979. Note: it is possible that materials have been added to this archive that are not listed above.
