"Angola A Slave Colony"

Officially they were contract workers but in fact the Portuguese authorities arrested many Angolans to make up the quota, and cheated them of their wages on return to Angola, since the wages were paid by the South Africans directly to the Portuguese Authorities. Angolan students were systematically denied access to higher education, and had to escape out of the country to attend universities. If they returned to Angola they faced imprisonment by the authorities.

The Portuguese claimed in international circles to have instituted reforms in Angola, but this was only a facade, said Mr. Touba. The basic situation remained one in which the mass of Angolans were being kept backward.

However, the Portuguese had done one thing which was helping Angolan national spirit, although the Portuguese did not realise it. This was the mingling together of the various indigenous groups in Angola because of the forced labour system. Out of this a national sense of unity was developing in opposition to the present regime.

The current revolt against Portuguese domination was led by the National Liberation Front of Angola, led by Holden Roberto. A provisional government had been organised, already recognised by 18 nations. The Angolans, operating from bases in the Congo, were determined to continue waging a struggle until the Portuguese conceded independence. At the moment the Portuguese refused to contemplate this, and even Portuguese liberals seemed more interested in using the Angola issue as a means for gaining power for themselves rather than seeking genuine independence for Angola.

Mr. Valentim said that the Angola delegates, together with the delegation expected to arrive from Mozambique, were after moral and material support for their cause. A resolution of solidarity was hoped for from the conference, and practical support for the Angolan cause. Mr. Valentim said that practical aid could take two main forms; assisting Angolan students to study outside Angola and putting pressure on various governments to cease aiding Portugal ulti mately with a view to imposing an economic blockade on Portugal if it still continued to prevent Angolan independence. NATO arms were being used against the Angolan people, claimed Mr. Valentim.

At present there were about 180 Angolan students studying outside Angola, mainly in Europe and the USA. said Mr. Touba, and these would be able to be used as the nucleus of technical and administrative cadres for an independent Angola. Efforts were also being made to educate refugee Angolans in schools set up in the Congo and Northern Rhodesia.

The ultimate aim of the National liberation Front in which students were intimately involved was the creation of an independent Angola in which the people would be given power to decide their own government, Messrs Valentim and Touba said. The movement also supported the Pan-African ideal and would support efforts to establish African governments in the countries to the South.