The African Independence Party (PAIGC), which is struggling for the total and immediate independence of the Guinean and Cape Verdean peoples in the framework of African unity, has followed closely all the steps taken by the Portuguese government in order to try to maintain its colonial dominion over the peoples of Guinea and Cape Verde. Our party, forced by colonial oppression and police repression to operate in clandestinity, has mobilised and organised the mass of the people for the struggle for urgent elimination of Portuguese colonial domination from Guinea and Cape Verde.

Although they know too well the attitude adopted by the Portuguese government in regard to the characteristic phenomenon in our century of decolonisation, the peoples of Guinea and Cape Verde and our party have been ‘hoping for the best without failing to be prepared for the worst’. We have waited patiently for the current leaders in Portugal to make up their minds to analyse specifically the situation of our countries and the Portuguese interests themselves – and to come to a decision to recognise for our peoples the right to self-determination, enshrined in the United Nations Charter and respected by the overwhelming majority of colonial powers.

Instead of deciding to take a courageous attitude in the sense of fulfilling its obligations towards our peoples – and extricating itself from an unbearable situation manifestly contrary to the international laws and spirit of our age, the Portuguese government has had recourse to all the methods it can lay hold of to strengthen and to try to maintain its dominion over our peoples. It is with deep disgust that we record this reality, because it has come so far as to destroy the potential for the Portuguese people and our peoples, after the winning of national independence for Guinea and Cape Verde, to achieve a fruitful co-operation in peace and equality of rights and duties. Even if it is not for us to judge the Portuguese government in what concerns defence of the interests of the people of Portugal themselves, we are forced to recognise that these interests are being greatly harmed by the attitude that government persists in maintaining in regard to the fundamental rights of our peoples and our liberation struggle.