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Colecção «Palavras de Ordem», 1976-1984:
Departamento de Informação
e Propaganda da Frelimo
The series of pamphlets published as «Palavras de Ordem» was a collection of at least 31 leaflets, initially published by the Departamento de Informação e Propaganda of Frelimo, but which later were simply designated Edições da Frelimo. The earliest issues appear to have been intended for distribution to the Grupos Dinamizadores:
A Sede da FRELIMO divulgou já, desde o passado mês de Julho, quatro Circulares aos Grupos Dinamizadores do País. As duas primeiras circulares - «Ofensivas em Várias Frentes» e «Estratégia de Acção Contra o Regime do Tabaqueiro Ian Smith» - permenorizam e concretizam as orientações traçadas pelo Camarada Presidente da FRELIMO e da República Popular de Moçambique, Samora Moisés Machel, nos dias 25 de Junho e 3 de Julho de 1976. A terceira Circular, emanada no Dia das Nacionalizações, indica diversas medidas concretas que devem ser tomadas para que as grandes conquistas do nosso Povo, que são as Nacionalizações, sejam definitivamente consolidadas e valorizadas, por forma a abrirem caminho para novas vitórias. A quarta circular datada de 11 de Agosto, explica a situação concreta no sector da criminalidade, e traça algumas orientações sobre como organizar a luta contra o crime. (Apliquemos criadoramente as palavras de ordem da FRELIMO», 12 de Agosto de 1976).
These early numbers consisted of collections of up to three often-unrelated policy documents, but from no.6 onwards the series only included speeches by President Samora Machel. The later numbers were also issued in very large print-runs of 10,000 or even in one case 40,000 copies, and were distributed by the state INLD bookshop chain. They were therefore, it seems, intended for a much broader readership. MHN's collection lacks numbers 6, 7, 8 and and 29, and includes nothing after no.31, which was published in January 1985, and may have been the last in the series.
No.6 in the series was Organizamo-nos para resolvermos os problemas da nossa vida (1977; 30p.), a speech by Samora Machel on 26 February 1977 at the Companhia Industrial de Matola. No.8 was Estudemos e façamos dos nossos conhecimentos um instrumento de libertação do povo (1977; 50p.), the well-known 8 March 1977 speech which resulted in a generation of secondary school students being assigned to various sectors of society. MHN does not have copies of these two items. No.7 and no.29 have not been identified.
MHN Resources
(in number order)
Above: The two pamphlets on the left and in the centre may possibly be the unnumbered issues 1 and 2 of the series, although they do not contain any reference to the Colecção «Palavras de Ordem», or any numbers. On the left, the document includes the two circulars mentioned in the quotation cited above as being the first to be published, namely «Ofensivas em Várias Frentes» and «Estratégia de Acção Contra o Regime do Tabaqueiro Ian Smith», although the cover refers to them under different titles. The pamphlet in the centre includes the third circular, mentioned above, about the Dia das Nacionalizações, as well as a speech by President Samora Machel about tourism. On the right, issue no.3 of the Colecção «Palavras de Ordem», containing three circulars from the Sede Nacional da FRELIMO. These are «Combate popular contra a criminalidade», dated 11 August 1976; «Apliquemos criadoramente as palavras de ordem da FRELIMO» (quoted above), dated 12 August 1976; and «Vigilância contra especulação e açambarcamento», dated 14 August 1976. Click on the cover images to view or download the texts of the pamphlets.
Above: On the left, no.4 of the series, published on 1 November 1976, contains two texts: «Preparemos colectivamente o III Congresso da FRELIMO», from the Comité Político-Militar, dated 6 October 1976; and «A edificação da democracia popular», containing the seven "teses" or policy proposals for the Congress (undated). In the centre, no.5 in the series, dated November 1976 and containing the single document «Conselhos de produção das unidades de produção e secções». On the right, issue no.9, «Fazer viver a linha do Partido em cada trabalhador», prints the text of a speech by Samora Machel at a rally in Maputo on 1 May 1979 (21 p.; 5,000 copies printed). Click on the cover images to view or download the texts of the pamphlets.
Above: From no.10 onwards the the format became smaller (10.5 cm. x 17.5 cm.); each number continued to be devoted to a recent speech by President Samora Machel. On the left above, «Organizemos os nossos recursos para resolver os problemas do povo» was a speech given at the closing ceremony of a meeting of national and state structures on the economy on 3-6 July 1979 (16p.; 20,000 copies printed). Next, no.11, «Façamos de 1980-1990 a década da vitória sobre o subdesenvolvimento», was a speech at the closing ceremony of an enlarged meeting of the Council of Ministers, 1-4 August 1979 (30p.; 30,000 copies). Next, no.12, «Unidade anti-imperialista é a base do não-alinhamento», was a speech delivered on 4 September 1979 to a meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement in Havana, Cuba (31p.; 10,000 copies). Last, on the right, no.13, «Colher no 25 de Setembro força renovada para o combate», was a message to the FPLM on 25 September (16p.; 10,000 copies). Click on the cover images to view or download the texts of the pamphlets.
Above: On the left, no.14, «Fazer do Niassa uma base sólida na construção do socialismo» is decribed as a synthesis of orientations outlined by President Machel during a visit to the province in October 1979 (24p.; 30,000 copies). Next, no.15, «Reforcemos o poder popular nos nossos hospitais» was a speech during a meeting, on 4 December 1979, with health workers from the provinces and the capital. No.16, «A vitória do povo do Zimbabwe é fruto da luta armada, da unidade e do internacionalismo» was a speech given on 23 December 1979 at a rally in Maputo (22p.; 20,000 copies). Last, on the right, «Fazer da Beira ponto de partida para uma ofensiva organizacional», no.17, was a speech at a comício in Beira (23p.; 20,000 copies. Click on the cover images to view or download the texts of the pamphlets.
Above: On the left, no.18, «Transformar o aparelho de estado no instrumento da vitória» is a speech about the administrative structures of the state given at the enlarged session of the Council of Ministers on 6-7 February 1980, in the context of the Ofensiva Política e Organizacional (16p.; 20,000 copies). Next, no.19, «Desalojemos o inimigo interno do nosso aparelho de estado», a very long speech at a mass rally in Maputo on 18 March 1980, returns to the theme of how to transform administration (120p.; 20,000 copies). Next, «Na educação só investiremos em terreno fértil» (no.20, published after a gap of nearly a year) is a synthesis of two speeches given in secondary schools in Beira during a presidential visit to the city in late March 1981 (30p.; 10,000 copies). Last, on the right, no.21, «As Forças Armadas de Moçambique devem participar na batalha económica» is also a synthesis of "diversos intervenções" at meetings with the military in April 1981 (47p, photographs; 30,000 copies). Click on the cover images to view or download the texts of the pamphlets.
Above: On the left, no.22, «Desalojemos os infiltrados nas Forças de Defesa e Segurança» was a speech delivered at a mass rally in Maputo on 5 November 1981, in the context of the Ofensiva Política e Organizacional (55p.; 15,000 copies printed). In the centre, no.23, «Rompamos definitivamente com a burguesia para consolidar o poder popular» was also delivered at a mass rally, on 22 June 1982 as the conflict with Renamo intensified (43p.; 15,000 copies). On the right, no.24, «O apartheid é o nazismo da nossa época», published without a preface, was a speech at the 7th Non-Aligned summit in New Delhi on 8 March 1983 (28p.; 15,000 copies). Click on the cover images to view or download the texts of the pamphlets.
Above: On the left, no.25, «Sindicatos organizarão os trabalhadores para matar a fome e a nudez», was a speech given at the Conferência Constitutiva dos Sindicatos Moçambicanos in Maputo on 31 October 1983 (48p; 40,000 copies). In the centre, no.26, «Acordo de Nkomati: vitória da paz, victória do socialism», prints the speech given by Samora at a special session of the Assembleia Popular called by the Comissão Permanente on 5 April 1984 to mark the signing of the Nkomati Accord (28p.; 15,000 copies). On the right, no.27, «O poder popular garante a legalidade», is an intervention by President Machel at a meeting of the Frelimo Bureau Político in Nampula on 19-20 May 1984 (46p.; 15,000 copies). Click on the cover images to view or download the texts of the pamphlets.
Above: On the left, no.28, «Pela independência, dignidade e paz”, is the text of an address at an extraordinary session of the “Cinco” (the five Portuguese-speaking African countries) in Maputo on 27-28 April 1984 (24p.; 15,000 copies). In the centre, no.30, «Façamos de 1985 um ano de consolidação da independência», an end of year message in December 1984 (23p.; 5,000 copies). On the right, no.31, «Venceremos também hoje o inimigo de sempre», a speech at a rally in Manhiça, Maputo province, on 24 December 1984 (32p., photographs; 10,000 copies. Click on the cover images to view or download the texts of the pamphlets.