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The Conflict with Renamo, 1976-1992
«October-December 1979»
Dossier MZ-0020
10. "We are the Frelimo. We have
nothing to do with the Rhodesians"
Above: A group of Mozambican soldiers looking at the remains of a Rhodesian helicopter, shot down when flying over Mozambican airspace on the way back from the MNR base at Gorongosa. Photograph: Tempo, no.474, 11 November 1979, p.18.
In an interview broadcast by the SABC on 6 November, an unidentified MNR spokesman claimed that the movement ‘started with a few groups’ in late 1976, and that it was ‘against the communist system of the Machel government’. More significant were a series of legitimising claims made in the same interview. The spokesman stated that, in fact ‘we are not against the Frelimo because we are the Frelimo’, continuing with the ideals of Eduardo Mondlane. Any report that the MNR had links with Rhodesia, said the spokesman, was untrue and mere propaganda aiming ‘to confuse the international press’.
Meanwhile, fighting on the ground between government forces and the MNR continued, with reports published of the capture of towns in central Mozambique around Gorongosa and Macossa. The TMR sentenced five people to death and others to long prison terms, for crimes against state security.
MHN Resources
◊ 22 October 1979
Rebel designs against Maputo. Daily News [Dar es Salaam], 22 October 1979. Click here to view or download a PDF, size 88 kb.
◊ 25 October 1979
Mozambique rebels lose Macossa hold. Pretoria News [Pretoria], 25 October 1979. Click here to view or download a PDF, 167 kb.
◊ 9 November 1979
S[outh] African radio interview with Mozambique Resistance Movement spokesman. Summary of World Broadcasts [London], 9 November 1979. Click here to view or download a PDF, size 192 kb.
◊ 11 November 1979
Gorongosa: neutralizada agressão inimiga. Tempo [Maputo], no.474, 11 November 1979, p.13-19. Click here to view or download a PDF, size 1.6 Mb.
◊ 16 November 1979
José Ramalho. Mozambique: Frelimo’s opposition gains ground. To the Point [Johannesburg], vol.8 no.46, 16 November 1979, p.17. Click here to view or download a PDF, size 242 kb.
◊ December 1979
Mozambique’s fifth column. Africa [London], no.100, December 1979, p.18-19. Click here to view or download a PDF, size 312 kb.
◊ 6 December 1979
Five sentenced to death for anti-state crimes. Foreign Broadcast Information Service (FBIS) [Washington DC], 6 December 1979, p.E3. Click here to view or download a PDF, size 93 kb.
◊ 6 December 1979
More on sentencing. Foreign Broadcast Information Service (FBIS) [Washington DC], 6 December 1979, p.E3. Click here to view or download a PDF, size 93 kb.
◊ 16 December 1979
Agentes do inimigo condenados pelo Tribunal Militar Revolucionário. Tempo [Maputo], no.479, 16 December 1979, p.6-9. Click here to view or download a PDF, size 313 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 October, November, and December 1979. Note: it is possible that materials have been added to this archive that are not listed above.
