African Activist Archive

The press release says the American Committee on Africa released a statement condemning Portugal for complicity in the attack on the Republic of Guinea and calling for an end to the U.S. military alliance with Portugal. The press release says the purpose of the invasion was the preservation of Portugal's colonial empire. The statement says the invasion must be seen as a major thrust in Portugal's attempt to maintain colonial rule in Africa. African liberation movements now pin down some 150,000 Portuguese troops in Angola, Mozambique, and Guinea-Bissau. In Guinea-Bissau, two-thirds of the country is controlled by the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (the PAIGC). The Portuguese-led invasion did destroy the PAIGC headquarters on Conakry, but the leadership was away. It also razed President Sekou Toure's summer home when he was thought to be there, but he escaped. The statement calls for an end to all U.S. assistance to Portugal provided under the Military Assistance Program (M.A.P.) and all other programs, including the NATO alliance; an end to training programs provided for key Portuguese military personnel both on U.S. soil (e.g. Fort Bragg) and in Portugal; an end to the U.S. loan of two destroyer escorts (since 1953) and three additional new destroyer escorts (in 1969) to the Portuguese Navy; an end to the supply of technical expertise and know-how to the Portuguese provided by the constant visits to Angola, Mozambique and Guinea-Bissau, as well as Portugal, by groups of U.S. military, navy, and airforce experts; an end to the maintenance of the U.S. Military Assistance Group in Lisbon, which provides military advice to the Portuguese; and an end to the use of the Azores as a U.S. airbase.

African Activist Archive

American Committee Calls for End to US Military Alliance with Portugal

Statement on the Invasion of Guinea

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