O The former camp, today the Resistance Museum, was prepared to host the central ceremonies that evoke the resistance of more than 500 people who were imprisoned in the “camp of slow death”, a symbol of the oppression and violence of the Portuguese colonial dictatorship.
A total of 36 people did not survive, the majority, 32 dead, were Portuguese who challenged the fascist regime, imprisoned in the first phase of the camp, between 1936 and 1956.
The camp reopened in 1962 under the name Camp de Trabalho de Chão Bom, intended to incarcerate anti-colonialists from Angola, Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde, when two Angolans and two Guineans died.
The release of those who opposed the Estado Novo happened a few days after the fascist regime was overthrown with the revolution of April 25, 1974 in Portugal.
Today’s program includes the unveiling of a commemorative plaque, a special session with heads of state and a conference on the Tarrafal field by historian Victor Barros.
Luís Fonseca, former Cape Verdean ambassador, executive secretary of the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries (CPLP) between 2004 and 2008, will speak as spokesman for political prisoners.
After being attacked by PIDE, the regime’s political police, Luís Fonseca was part of the first group of Cape Verdean political prisoners to arrive in Tarrafal (1970-1973).
“Tarrafal is in fact a symbol of Portuguese fascism”, of the “denial of rights”, he said, in an interview with Lusa, regarding the 50th anniversary of liberation.
“There is a duty of memory towards the fighters who gave their lives for freedom”, meaning that the site “should not be forgotten by generations, because it represents the struggle of the people of four countries”.
In the afternoon, the Presidents of Cape Verde, Portugal and Guinea-Bissau and the Minister of Defense of Angola carry out a guided tour of the countryside and the day’s celebrations end with a concert with Mário Lúcio (Cape Verde), Teresa Salgueiro (Portugal ), Paulo Flores (Angola) and Karyna Gomes (Guinea Bissau), with free entry.
Today’s program includes the opening of the exhibition ‘Tarrafal, from repression to freedom’, curated by Alfredo Caldeira, with audiovisual and photographic materials and testimonies about different aspects of prison life.
As part of this evocation, the book ‘Tarrafal-Political and Social Prisoners’ will also be published and an online Documentation Center about Tarrafal will be created (www.tarrafal-cdt.org), open to public consultation from today.
Read Also: Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa begins three-day visit to Cape Verde today
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Tags: Portugal Cape Verde Bissau Angola mark liberation Tarrafal
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