Another Day Of Life: The Angolan Civil War

Confusão

When the world starts falling apart politically and economically, chaos ensues. This is a common occurrence throughout history and it was true of the Angolan Civil War. As the civil war raged on into the early 2000’s the disillusionment of the citizens wasn’t too severe and the fighting was more organized and fierce than it was at the beginning; however, During the 1970’s the colony was in such upheaval that almost no one knew what was going or what to do about it. It was during this period of confusion and chaos that the Portuguese journalist Ryszard Kapuściński writes his short memoir Another Day of Life. Two resistance parties formed in Angola in opposition to Portuguese imperialism: the MPLA (Popular Movement for the Liberation

An Angolan soldier states, “Everything comes down to luck and happenstance. This war is a real mess. Nobody knows where they stand.” (p.83) Indeed, besides the leaders and an educated few, everyone who fought fought basically for the group they were most geographically akin to – the FNLA in the North, UNITA in the South and the MPLA spread out over the major populated areas. Combat boils down to the simple principle of kill or be killed (p.135 ) and loyalty runs only as deep as self-preservation. Kapuściński writes concerning a captured soldier that, “He knows it is shameful to fight for the FNLA” (p.39). The MPLA seems to have the most loyal and capable soldiers and leadership yet they have no way of asserting dominance because of their lack of guns, that is, until near the end when the Cubans come in and begin fighting with the MPLA for Luanda. Weapons are brought in and tension mounts as the out come of the battle for the city is uncertain. Our loyalty is decided for us in the book from Kap initial bias toward the MPLA but also from the description of the FLNA as “a cruel army.” As well as the fact that they practice slaughter and cannibalism. Both armies, towards the end of the book appear to be more organized than Kap described them at the beginning of the memoir, yet the FLNA and UNITA become suddenly barbaric and we, as readers, are now on the MPLA’s side with him.

Luanda is defended and the MPLA sets up a government there while at the same time the FLNA sets up a government in Huambo. Angola officially declares its independence from the Portuguese and what was once petty guerilla war becomes an organized war for Angola between the factions. Kap telegram to Warsaw sets up the ensuing conflict, “Both sides are getting stronger. There are more and more men, better-trained troops, and weapons of greater destructive power.” (p.130) This is essentially where he leaves