"O POVO UNIDO JAMAIS SERA`
VENCIDO”
“(The united people will never be
defeated)."
" . . . Portugal became a
fascination, Debate was very much alive, political graffiti were everywhere and
strikes were spontaneous and often political."
" . . . it is an interesting
paradox that an authoritarian regime was overthrown by its own armed
forces."
"At dawn in Lisbon on 25 April
1974 the leading tank of the spearhead of the amoured columns that slowly moved
towards the city center met an old lady setting up her flower stall. She smiled
and gently tossed a red carnation at the tank
commander and so symbolized a revolution."
Ferreira
& Marshall, 'Portugal's Revolution,’from
the introduction and the beginning of chapter one.
~~~
The Carnation Revolution, was a successful
nonviolent up-rising against the ‘New State’ which Prime Minister Antonio de
Oliveira Salazar, had nearly single handedly used to turn what was once a
democracy into a dictatorship, beginning in 1932. The conditions under which many people lived
in Salazar’s Portugal bring to mind the conditions in Palestine today. Economic development was strictly controlled,
benefiting only those who supported Salazar’s regime, whether they lived in
Portugal itself or in one of the African colonies. Africans living in their homelands were severely
discriminated against and could not obtain citizenship status equal to that conferred
on Portuguese settlers. Laws were
“passed which allowed the state to arrest and imprison people for an indefinite
period in the ‘interests of national security’.” (1) The lengths to which oppressive regimes
will go to for their own benefit and at the expense of other human beings is
chilling, indeed. Torture and political
murder were as common then, in the ‘New State,’ as they are in Palestine under
Israeli rule today.
Salazar remained Prime Minister for 32 years. During this time he steadily worked to
consolidate his power, while maintaining a bare cosmetic appearance of
democracy. This veneer of illusory democracy
is another commonality between Salazar’s regime and conditions in Israel
today. None the less, even though
Salazar was recognized as a fascist by the international community, under his
regime Portugal became one of the founding members of NATO as well as a member
of the United Nations. The key to this
acceptability seems to be Salazar’s rejection of communism and socialism in
favor of the elitist capitalism embraced by the West. Again, we see a parallel with Israel’s
fascism towards Palestinian people, and increasingly towards Israeli citizens
as well, while it embraces Western capitalism; the latter having ensured its
long acceptance by Western powers.
During the decades of Salazar’s regime, and the seven
following years under Prime Minster Marcello Caetano, many tactics were engaged
in by those in opposition to bring about change. They worked from within as members of the
military and government infrastructure, by developing political parties and
organizations, and by organizing strikes and other symbolic actions. Opposition was organized by members of the
community as well as members of a growing diaspora. The regime met every attempt to bring reform or
to rally the citizens by passing laws that increased oppression and censorship,
something we have observed happening under Israeli rule over Palestinians as
well. By 1965, in Portugal, the populace
was so “frustrated by the inability to bring about any effective change in the
regime, the opposition became increasingly violent.” (2) This is often a part of the evolution of
resistance movements. We saw the same
pattern in South Africa. Palestinian
resistance has also resorted to violence at times. The longer and more violently the people are
repressed, the stronger they are likely to push back. Movements against repression that are
thwarted in their bid for freedom become increasingly frustrated. It is up to us, the citizens of the world, to
recognize their frustration and to support them through every non-violent
strategy we can find. Ultimately, for
South Africa and for Portugal, the resolutions came about non-violently. We can work and pray for a similar resolution
for Palestine.
In Portugal’s Carnation Revolution, it is particularly
interesting that the Portuguese Military affected an end to the dictatorial
‘New State,’ without starting a war. It
seems that the military was prepared to start a war if it was necessary to free
the nation, the colonies, and the people.
However, when the appointed morning came and the tanks rolled into
Lisbon the people marched in solidarity behind the army. People of nearly every political and
ideological persuasion were united in their opposition to repression. Peace can happen when the people are united. The dictatorial government fell. However, what ensued was not some sort of
utopian fantasy.
The people of Portugal had many different ideas about what the new government should
look like, how soon changes should be made, and what those changes should
be. There was not only an ideological
struggle, there was also a struggle for power and control. The end result, however, has been an enduring
democracy within an evolving Portugal that is forging its way forward as a
member of the world’s community of nations.
And for this we can be proud of all those who resisted oppression and
were unafraid to dream idealistic dreams.
Portugal’s Carnation Revolution was led by Portugal’s
military. The very same military that
was used to repress the Indigenous people of the colonies as well as those who
strove for freedom at home. The military
was, of course, meant to be a tool of the dictatorial regime. However, who better than the military to see
first-hand the effects of fascism on the people, the colonies, and the
homeland. A study of history reveals
that successful resistance and overthrow of repressive regimes, and the ending
of wars and other hostilities, is often accompanied by solidarity from or
within the regime’s own military.
“The Movement of the Armed Forces was born from the spirit
and heart of a group of democratic, patriotic and anti-fascist officers who
decided to put an end to the long fascist night and to begin, with the Portuguese
people, a new march of peace, progress, and democracy . . .” (6)
Here in the US we find there was resistance for the Vietnam war,
not just from civilian protestors at home, but from within the military itself.
The government and the media here in the
US did its best to hide the military dissent from public view, but we can
inform ourselves about it now.
(3)
In our ongoing struggles for Peace and Freedom it is important to
remember that the human beings that make up military forces are not all
ideologically aligned with the regimes and the
narratives that they are
deployed to serve.
They are human
beings, and they can learn and grow and change, sometimes in very surprising
ways.
(4) In fact, a quite a
few of them could teach us a thing or three.
"I would like to see every citizen have equal
opportunities at birth and each select their responsibilities according to
their potential. I believe that
fundamental rights such as health, education, housing, social security and work
should be assured for all. The scale of
rewards for each individual should be according to their ability. I am against a political elite and power
should be examined openly and there should be constitutional means of changing
power, according to the needs of the country.
I think that this is only possible through an extensive programme of
decentralization. Central offices could
control major areas such as security and foreign affairs. But the solution of citizens' immediate
problems, culture, housing, work, etc. could all be resolved at an autonomous
local level. Only in this way can
citizens participate in the solution of their problems." Brigadier Pezarat Correia (5)
This vision of freedom
and self determination held by The Movement of the Armed Forces was extended,
not just to Portuguese citizens, but also to the Portuguese colonies. They engaged in a program of decolonization
in their overseas territories, even though Portugal was financially dependent
on these colonies. “ . . .
‘decolonisation’ should continue to be,
until it is complete, the principal national objective.” (7) In fact, the through the processes of the
Carnation Revolution, the colonies all gained their independence. Not, however, without effort and loss of
their own. They had worked towards their
independence for many years. Part of
that work included educating those who were charged with their oppression.
“It is a question of constructing a society of tolerance and
peace and not a society which is subject to new mechanisms of oppression and
exploitation . . .” The Movement of the Armed Forces. (8)
Land of brothers,
Town, it’s the people who give you power.
A friend in every corner,
Equality on every face.
In the shadow of the ageless oak tree,
I swear to choose your power as my companion.” (9)
Jose Alfonso
From the song, ‘Grândola,
Vila Morena,’ played on a Lisbon radio station shortly after midnight on
April 25, 1974, signaling that the march for Freedom was about to begin.
~~~
Sources and notes:
1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9.
Portugal’s Revolution: Ten Years On, Hugo
Gil Ferreira & Michael W. Marshall, Cambridge University Press, 1986.
1 pg 7;
2 pg
27; 5 pg 83; 6 pg 269; 7 pg
270; 8 pg 274; 9 pg 30. Highly recommend.
There is lots of food for thought here, in the struggles for Freedom,
Justice, Equality, and Peace.
Those
involved with nation, movement, or organization building will also find much of
value.
Out of print, but most likely
available through college or interlibrary loan programs; check with your local
library for more information.
4.
More information on
military dissent is found in the DVD, “FTA.”
“FTA,” is a documentary centered on Jane Fonda’s alternative military
entertainment show staged at various locales around the Pacific Rim during the
Vietnam War.
It is very worth
watching.
The exact nature and purpose
of the “FTA” show was much different than the newspapers claimed at the time,
of course.
The movement to end the war,
to end genocide, to end imperialism, and to end capitalist exploitation--
within the military is
highlighted.
A movement which Jane Fonda
did not start, by the way, but which she responded to and supported.
Military personnel are interviewed and
snippets from their solidarity meetings are included.
One of the resounding themes is how oppressed
military personnel are; and how they are therefore inclined to feel solidarity
with other oppressed people.
An
interview with Jane Fonda included on the DVD discusses the objectification of
women as parallel and related to the objectification of military
personnel.
Again, this video is very
worth watching.
Available by request
from most local libraries and other video outlets.
For more information see:
http://www.docurama.com/docurama/fta/ and:
http://www.sirnosir.com/FTA.html
General Information
on Portugal in today’s world was garnered from a number of websites, including:
Picturing Portugal:
Our local library system's collection of Portuguese content is impoverished. However,
Cultures of the World: Portugal (by Jay Heale & Angeline Koh), has maps and photos of the regions discussed in
Portugal’s Revolution: Ten Years On. It is a young adult publication. It does, however, provide a brief introduction to the culture and people and it mentions the Revolution and the benefits it brought to the country.
A DVD was the only other offering,
PBS's Rick Steves, Best of Travels in Europe: Spain & Portugal. Hopefully your library system has a better collection. If not, this selection will expand, only slightly, the view of Portugal offered in
Cultures of the World: Portugal.
Boycott for Peace
~~~
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