The Portuguese colony of Angola has been seen in the past few months as the victim of a dictatorship—a dictatorship that holds Portugal in an iron cage and would do the same to her colonies. No one had heard much about this country (population 4,300,000 black, 200,000 white) until the Portuguese liner Santa Maria was seized by opponents of Dr. Salazar. Since then, stories from Angola of intimidation, savagery and atrocities have been making the headlines. And what started as an internal disturbance has gained international magnitude and caused extreme embarrassment to the Portuguese Government. The Government argues that its overseas territories are not colonies but overseas departments of a unitary Portuguese state; but so far it has convinced no one.

The growth of Nationalist movements in Angola, and the persistent unrest there have broken down the pretence that there is calm and peace, as well as Portugal's oft-mentioned claim that there is no racialism in her colonies.

Since 1957, the dictatorship has mounted strong repressive measures in Angola to subdue the Africans. Several leaders of the popular movement for the liberation of Angola have been gaoled, as well as many Africans who have refused to show their allegiance to the regime. Not one of these has yet been placed on trial.