"Escravos sem dono": a experiência social dos campos de trabalho em Moçambique no período socialista

Abstract

Through 17 years following independence, a great part of Mozambique population was object of forced dislocations, either resulting from the socialist regime specific developing projects or from repressive deeds, either resulting from the cruel civil war. Among the developing projects, there were large agriculture enterprises which aimed to concentrate the rural population of the country, or even massive deportation operations to faraway regions of individuals classified as"unproductive", who should be turned into rural labor force. Repressive programs sent thousands of people to"reeducation fields" or to political prisoners' fields, destined to keep those considered enemies of the revolution. Finally, Renamo (the movement against the socialist party Frelimo) and the government army frequently used practices of kidnapping in order to engage youngsters in the conflict. Therefore, significant part of Mozambican population has the memory of de-territorialization experience. This article suggests that such experience is perceived as part of a longer historical process that comes from the conflicts in the Southern part of the country in the 19th century. On the other hand, kidnapping and deportation are seen as mechanisms resulting from the construction, pacification and even elimination of those classified as "enemies" and which characterize social dynamics in the south of Mozambique.