Portuguese

massacre1
reported
by
priests tclt113
Bv [:ather Adrian Hastings
Iutlrcr Adran, o tlrc CoIIerc
o tlt.c rtsccn-sjon, Binninehuin,
asc'd tis article <,n ezorrs
reccivetl front Spanish rrrlisjorr.
cr'cs rurr4triiugn Mozantique.
Wcstern Central Mozanrbieuc
has for the past ferv years bcen
r) a state of continual confiict
berwcen the Portuguesa Army
and Irelinro (rre llozambiqu
Libqraton Front). tr{any Airi-
cans in tte area, as elsewhere
in l\ozanrbique. svmpathize
rvith rhe Frelimo gueriills, and
givc rlrenr food and sheltcr from
tme to rirne, partly doubtless
ur0ur c:ret'clon,
The plincipal reason $y
they s-upporttlre guerrillas is ttc
brutal rrealment tev- g o vfre.
ern-
q r . r r : n t yr e c r : i i e f r o m
nrent represerrtatives. This was
trrre of the past but it is eccn
mor truc of toda-y. Faced wirh
tlre groivth of grrerrillaactivi-,
the Porcugucse forces have
gt0rn evcf morc brutal, cerr!'-
i n g o u t t r c s y s t c n r u t i cg c n o c i d a i
nassacre of pcop,: irt uiJlages
t h t r u g h t r o l r u v el r e l p c d I f l e l i n r o ,
Thcre rvas a rvrole sclies of
sucb nrassacres in tlre \ucuur-
bura arca betrvr-.ctrtrlav and
Noveniber, 1971, for g,lrasrincss
eacit rivalling rhat of l!y La, rrr
Victnam. The sccuritv forccs
iccl fler in the kncxrletlgetirat
rlrcr-c rre ro jcrurnalists for
l r r . r u d r c d so f n r i e s a n d t h e v r c -
t iirrs linorv ilo uro1:ear: an-
guage; but thc Spanish ntis-
s i o r r a l i r : si r r r h e a l e a o b t a i n e d
d c t a i l c d i r r t ' o r ' n r a t i o na n d t h e n r -
sglvcs buriccl nratry of the vic,
urls.
s ,r rcsul[ oi tLeir attemprs
o protest tnd bring rvlat 1\'as
I t a y r p e n i r r gr o p r r b i c n o t i c e t : e
t \ ' ( ; F n t l r e ts , \ i r r t i r r H e l n a r t d e z
and ,A.lforrs<,r Valverde. w.re
a r r c s t e t ia r r ( l r a r , c : r o r vb e c n i n
prison, urttried, for iE lnonths
in Lor.rrcno Narqucs. Sincc
t i r c i r a r r e ' s t ea r l i - i n 1 9 7 2 r n a n 5 '
furthcr nassacreslravc takcn
piacc", thc Iatesr o f n.l:ich rr e
k n o r u b c i n g t h t o f , s e r . e r allr u n -
drcd people ar rhe vilage o
Wiryamu last Dcceinber.
llitheno no ncr's of ir has
reached the rest of thc v,'orld.
Since then al trc missions in
tre country areas of that parr
have been closed bv the Gor.
ernncnt so that it is'hardly pos-
sible to obtain information of
nrorc recent auocitics.
The full account of the Wiri-
yanu massacre, carefuly and
sccrety ., compied t:V ryr:.
sionaries in tte arca, is as fol-
l o r ' .s :
In spite o the dificulties
rvricr bave arisen in n-raking a
complete list of the nanres of
the victims ol the massacre irr
the vlage of lViriyamu, the
srulccs of the detalecl nforma,
tion rye have collercd give us
tire right to maintain thi affir-
rlarion thar there rvere more
rhan 400 \'ictinlb',
Front orrl scarcir rve cart vorrch
or tlre foorring facts; 0n tre
a[tcrnoon of Deccnrber L6,7972,
the village of Wiriyamu rvas the
victim oi a military attack on the
llart of tre arnred forces.
Fotlorvinc a bombardmenr.
the soldierrvho harl bcen transl
. I:orted here by helicopter and
h a d a l r e a c ys u r r o u n d c d t h e v i l -
Iagc irrvaded it s'ith ferociry, in.
creasing tle terrof of the ilhatri-
tant.s already terrorized by'the
bonrbs- 0nic inside thc vllaee
the sodiers startcd r.rnsacking
the huts, and this was folloryed
imntcdiatey by the massacre of
thc People.
Continrrcd on lragc 5, col 1
 Contilrucd frorn ;lage 1 Cluideria (adult wrrman), Kenrbo thc crild insicc her. " I don'r
O t t c g r o u p o f s o d i e r s g o t t c t . ( a d u l g .n r a n ) , K a m u s i ( b ' o y a E e d ktrow ", shc replied. " Yu sogt
getltei' a I)art of tlt people irr
a ( : o L r t ' t J ' a rdo 5 t l O o tt t r c n r . ' r l r e s1u, w o ) , C f i t e y a _( g i r i a g e d - f o u r ) , rvill ", thcy said. Imrncdiately
nturc,|(adult lan), Adzirvarri the.y opene(i her stomac v.'ith
r'lagers rvere orceil ro sit in (loy ag..d 12), Zcca (boy ag,ecl
knive:i, violently extractillt', lter
t r , / o ] ' o u l ) st,l t e r i t e n o n o r s i t l t r z) . cntrais, Shorvinii her rhe f oerus,
and le \'o.llcrl 0l tbc other. s0 .i\{agrera _(adult rl'oman),' t rDino
t i t i t t h c y c o u l r l r o l ' ee i s i l _ vs c e . ro r v hi c i l t h r o b b e d c o n v u l s v e l y ,
ot' Magreta, ,aged' thc'y said : " I,ook, tol!, you
t h o s c r v h o r v c f r : [ l c i 1 1 6s, h. o t . R y -l l(_- sr )or tt t_ c l s i(aa d u l t ),
' n i e ; r st i f u s p 1 r r aa s o i d i e r i n d i - t v 0 m A l ! s i stal krory." After',rar<ls tre rvonrarr
( : a t e d ' , v h r l i n r c w i s h c d . c i r l r e r o F N { a g r e t a ) , , t a r i o ( b r o t h e r o a n r c h i l d r e f e c ) r ) s r . u n e irui r h e
rv'ligrcra,.irgcdL0 ). Cliuvrr ( aiiult larues.
liltt oI r,'lrlilt, nrart).Kirina (rvife of Chuva),
The iticlicrrtcc p(:soll $tood lfuguerc (adult Orher soldicrs arnusccl rhenr-
u1. sep.rratiug lrintsef ironr rire aged n a n ) , 1 t 1 1 3l g i i i s e l v e s b y g r a s p i n g c h i l d r . * c nb y
tour), Eduardo (bov
i { r ' o u p . ' J ' r cs o l d i e r s i' rf ho itsl r i u r .T l : c s e v e r l ) , ' I ' e n r b t r ( b o y - e d tlrcir f eet ancl striking tlcm or
gictirrr ir:ll ticirrl. proc. aged grou nd.
three). the Aurong nirry
c l t t r ' r .i r r ' r l u g l i ta i ' l o u t t h c ) a r g c . s t o t l t e r s t h c f o l l o r r ' i n gd i c d i r r r h r s
r u r r n r l l c rl r i v i c t i i n s . \ ' l a r t yc h i l d . 0 r r e nonran called Vaina was
\1'ay :
'cr at ric brcirst arrd rtn tre ittjtSl ro srand up. She bad her Dorningas t gir.l agrrcl ou
b a c k s o i t h e i r r r ) o t l l r f . sr v e r e s r o r c l i r i d . n her arms, a boy of nirtc
t r r o n t h) , C h a r r u ( i - r o a g c t l o r e
a t t l l e s i r t l l e t i m u a s t i r e i r r'routls. The rroman el deac
loulc'5. rtith ir [:rrlet shot. The chi]d I r ' ) , K u e r + ' at b o y s c d r h r e e ) ,
Ch.ipiri (bov aged-rr,), Churna
A r u Q u E o t h c r s t r e f o l l o r v i t t g f c l l v , ' 1 s 1h,i s n r o t h e r a n c l s a t b v (girl aged four), \'laconila (bov
S G p e< . : p l c$ ' e r e s l o t : r e . r , . ' i ec r i c c r c s-p c r a t c y a n d
aged two), fr4arco (boy iige
Di:erzereke (.atiut man), It{afita solrlicr' ;r<vanced [o stp lrirrr
(acluit wontan), Ktrgunin'a (aclo- cr_vir9. .He kicked rh bov one), Luisa (gir aged f iric),
l e s c e r r t ) ,R i r i s t i i ( a d u l t r l , o r a n ) , v i o l e n t l y , r l e s t r o ; - i n g l r i s h c . r d . Nario (boy aged [ive), Raui
( b < : 5 , a g e df i v c ) .
Llva (child of th'r) yeurs), Leke- " ll"t up, dog ", the solrlier
Several officels of trc l)irec.
a n i ( a d u l t i S i n o r i a ( r v i f e o f s a'tI' l.r e
Lekerani), Charrdidi (sr:r: ol pr.ostrate child cried no t o r a t c - G e n e r a o f S e c u r : i r y( D G S )
Lekerrrrri, fr,e -vcifs old), more and the sodier returned accompanied the soJdiers and
N g u r r i - ' " a ( a d u l r i ' , ' o n l a n ) ,T a n g u - r v i t h r i s b o o t c o v e r e d r v i t h rvere also inr.olved n the i;illins..
blood. His fellow ()ne of them betore killin.
c r a d z . u o( a t u i t n t a n ) . soldiers
T , e r i s t a ( a d u l t r t o n l a t t ) , T i n t a accaimed the tieecl rvith i began sornerimes by attackir
( g i r l a g e d s e v e n ) ,r \ q u e r a ( a c u l t r o u n d o f a p p l a u s c . " \ { e l l d o n e , thc victirns rvirh hii fists unril
\ v o 1 a ' ) , I ; i l i p c ( a d u l t n t a n ) , you ir'e a brave man," It l\'as thev tvere exhausted. Then
Bzil'cze (wife o l"iipc), Ieta thc be;;inning of a nracarre he 6ave them thc finishing shor.
( s o n o f F i l [ t > e , ; r g c dl o u r ) , \ r l e z a f o o t b a l l r a t c h . H i s c o m o a n i o n s Among those who dieci in this
TrLtre Kupesa, a boy,
( s o n o f t i l i p e , a g e d o l e ) , f o l l o r . r e c h i s e x a r n p e . t'iy and
Brtezaui (ircut nrarr). Ka1>itorri 0ther sodjers, warrdering Chakupa anil Djone, nduli'men.
( a r l u f t m a n ) . l u n i t o ( r t i f e o f a b r . r u t ,f o r c e d p e u p l e i n t o t h e i i \,lany people were taker orr(-
Kai:itoui), ,lanraro (rrifc ot Itrrrs rvhich thcy tlien set alighr sitle the vilage anr,t:ied, Orr
K a p i t o r ti ) , C h a g u e n c : ( s o u o t i t n d t h e p e o p l c r r . e r c l : u n r t t o the follorving day many corpscs
K a p t o r r i , a 5 1 c rrr v o ) , C h l n a i ( s o r r r l e a t h i n s i c t r r h e r n . S o n r e t i n r e s . ( ) t a c l o l e s c c n t sa n c l c t r i i c i r e r rf r o l r r
crt K : r J r i t o rir. irgcd f our ). irctorc .scttilg fire to rhe hurs, l 1 t o 1 5 r - e a r sr v c l e f o u n d a r r h e
grcnades irrsitjc
K n o n i v ' u ( s < r no f K i r p i t o n i . a g e < t' rl rvehl ' t r r e n ' h a u r l Nvatrtarvatarva .ir.gr. The.v
icli cxpoded over tte c o r r l d l t e c o u r : t c c lb y t e n s . l ' h
12).
r . i c t i r n s . n t h s r n a r t ) c r ,a t l o g bodies vere totall5' tnutilatLrl.
Liarrrla {adut lyonar),
othct'5, the folloring 34 neople S o m a o f t h e n r h a d b e e r rd e c a n i ,
) j c r n u . s e { a d u l r r n a n) , J u ) i n a
(adut rvonran). Acljipi (aged tlicd : tatcd ancl orlcrs hacl had ttrir
Cirakupondeka (adult rnal),
s e 1 . ' e)n, A i j s r a ( a d t r t l 1 ' o m a n) r ] J r v a m b u l u k a (rvife
heats smasred. Th e cori)ses
t{isipho (gir} aged l0), Nsern, of Yerc lying abour in riifeienr
Chakrrpondeka), Kulnga (adrrlt
bercmrc Ilgeil nirre), Vira arl), ( r v f e lrositious^ Scrmurvcrc piled up
Nadcrja o i n r n o u r r d s )o t h e r s t h r o r i ' n a s j d e ,
(adut \\,otla;, Tonrasi (adult Kuiinga),
f,u\vir ( claugfrter oI some side by sidc, rlre greater:
mitn), r\rtcnsiu (gir aged 13), Kuinga, aged rrvo).
r'laria rrunrber scattcred along the
D u a l r n i a ( a d u r \ r o n a 1 ,D z a i s i l I r . l c n a ( d a u g h t c r o f K r r i n g a .
( a d u l t n t an ) , i l l a r v i r l r n t i ( a d u t z r g e d 'feiubo rjver.'fhCrC rvere intlications
forrr), (.son crf
r u o n r u r)r, J ) o n r i r r g o s ( b o y a g e d K u l i n g a ) , i ; a
t there hrrd been sont(l
Keresya (adur ghastly game beforc tre vicriurs
trvc). r v o m a n) , . fo a o z i n o ( s o n af
i\'1iriodzc ( arlul t .rr()rn ) , \vere masscred- There rvere n0
Keresiyir, ageci tlro). Iv1alora
Sederia (aduit rvlan), vIboy (daugl'rter of survvors ro cxpJain ruitut il
Kercsiya, t\1'o
(girl aged slx), Guaninfa (bo rnonths olcl), Kanchembcre (g,irl [)ellefl.
yoce li'iti authority lracl
aged four;, Klclrig,anrba (boy agedonc nonth). Itasanambani .
aged f our ), Krrcrtrprkrr (adult kc-pt on shouting : .,Kill- thcni
lboy ag,cd six), Chiniri (boy a l l r l r . t ' oo r r e l l c l c f t , ' , O r r e r v i t .
m a n ) , \ { a t t a n i ( r v i f e o t K u c h u - a g e t l f i v e) .
pike ), \,apaiar;r (rvife n e s . ss a i d t h i r t a n A r n : y o i f i . l \
o[ Donrir:gos ( bcry a g e d f i v e ) ,
Kuchul;,ikc), ,Sirio (son h a d " s u g g e s t c cal p u i c v - r f . j , n .
o f l'Ibo,y (girl of, 1 0 n 0 n t h s ) ,
K t t c h u p i k r - ' ) , I ( L r t o g , r i r r 1( 6 d 1 1 1 C h i p o s (gir e.rcy, wth the idea o[ takinc
aged thrcc), rhesc pr.'ople .ro a fonifiJ
man), ,laria (dauehter of ugusto (bov aged one), larau
K u t o r r g t r i r v a ,a g e d t h r c ) . vtJlag0, but the voicc was
( b o y , r t g e d t r v o n r o n t h s ) ,A n t o n o
treard to say; " These ,rri
. S a d i s t a { a d u l t r v o n t u ' )' , } l o - ( b o y a g e d s i x ) " A n g u i n a ( a d r r l t thc or(le.r'sof our. chief, Lili rhn
rinda ( a d u l t w o m a n ) . s i r i a w o m a n ) , . fa n t a r ( a d r r l t n r a n ) ,
( a d u l t \ \ ' o m a ) ,K u p e u s a r ( a d u r J - u i s a ( g i r l a g e d f o u r ) . a l l . T h o s c r v h o r r . n r a i r ia t i v e w i l l
mir.n), Olincja (gill age<t l0), d e u o ur c e t r s . t t
\,atas (boy aged rwo),
L a i r r a ( a r l u r r v m a .)1. L u i r r a N c i r o r r d e ( b o v a g e r l o n e ) , X a n u Irvo children fonnd by acci"
( a d u l r r n ! t a n) , A l u v i a n i : ( a r ! u l t b o . v a g c d s e v n) , D j o r : e ( a d r r l t dertt attcr the c.nc of tl-re rnss_
v c l n a ! K , u i t c n u i ( a d u l t n r a n ) . r n a r l ) .C h a r v e n e( h o y ' a g e d t h r e e ) . Ecre irc'e burnt insidC ir hut bv
Caetano (:.u;; agcrj tive). Locia (adLrt rvorhan). !ario 'ttre
I l r e ssame
e officcr of tfic DGS.
t"\ucttcpa ( bcrv scenLrs continucc until
a.ged 1 2) , ( b o y a g e d f i l e ) . l o s t i r r r r ( g i r l r r i g h t f a l l . T a k i n g a d v a r : r a s ei , f
t l z t r v e n t r n t ( a c l t r l t n a ) , N j j r r g a a g e c l1 1 ) . R o s a ( g i r l a g e d f o u r ) ,
r h e c l a r . k n e s sr, v i c h t c . i l r . a p i < l l v ,
a d u i t n r a n) , A l r : f i r r : r r i ( d i l ' i r t v a r i n { g i r l a g e d t r v o ) , l i s r a
s n n re r . i c I i r . sr. . : ] a g e dt o c s c a p j
ilal ). (adult 1\'otllan),Bol' (girl agetl
deatlr by fljght.
. Dzabele lgir a.qetl l4), rhree). T l r e r e i s l r o c o r n p a r . a b l ec n i -
Aq.sla .qrr-J aiied I6 ). Ros;i !\'andering about thc vilage
tgu'l aged 15). Zaberia rirl sode on record in the h.i.stor3.'of
the snldiers forind a ror'rarl trvcntictlr century cololriai'ism
a g ed 1 6i . A l i s r a ( a d r r l t r r o n r i i rr . n a u r e c J Z o s t i n a r t h o r t a s p r e g -
rbiriandende in Africa.
(adulr m a n ) ; nalt. They asked her the sex o[