Protestant Missionaries in AngolaAuthor(s): Theodore TuckerSource: Africa Today, Vol. 15, No. 3, Christianity and Revolution in Southern Africa (Jun. -Jul., 1968), p. 4Published by: Indiana University PressStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/4184906 .

Accessed: 15/06/2014 08:56

Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at .http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp

.JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range ofcontent in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new formsof scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org.

.

Indiana University Press is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to Africa Today.

http://www.jstor.org

This content downloaded from 62.122.73.86 on Sun, 15 Jun 2014 08:56:47 AMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

Protestant Missionaries in Angola

The Protestant Scapegoat and Reprisals The nationalist revolt of early 1961 in Angola

intensified a long standing distrust of Protestants by the Portuguese. Despite freedom of religion guaranteed by the constitution, most Portuguese thought that to be Portuguese one should be Catholic. The presence of hundreds of thousands of Africans who called themselves Protestant (Evangelical) when the census was taken seemed to prove that the Protestant missions had a "de- nationalizing influence", breaking "the spiritual unity of the nation".

When the revolt broke out, one of the handi- est scapegoats was Protestant influence. Many Protestant Africans suffered at the hands of vigi- lante groups, particularly in the San Salvador, Maquela and Dembos areas, as did others between Lobito and Nova Lisboa, hundreds of miles from the revolt. The Compania dos Diamantes (Diamond Company) suggested that between one and two hundred whites were killed in 1961.

In reprisal, an unknown number of hundreds of Africans were killed. Soon tens of thousands of Angolans were fleeing to the Congo for refuge. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees has esti- mated them to number at least 300,000. Among these were both Catholics and Protestants, as well as followers of the traditional religion. Many Protestant leaders, ministers, teachers, nurses, and catechists were seized in Angola; many Wiere killed; and many spent long terms in prison or detention camps. Some of these have been re- leased, but in the meantime there have been other arrests. The all pervasive use of informers and the threat of arbitrary arrest has had an in- hibiting effect on the life of the church and com- munity.

The Meaning of Reforms In the fall of 1961 the Portuguese government

announced certain reforms. All Angolns were to become citizens, without going through the "as- similation" process. Education for Africans was to be extended at government expense. This has in fact begun, despite the continuance of the war and the presence of perhaps 50,000 soldiers from Por- tugal. Insofar as this means- better opportunities for African children, this is an improvement. It should be noted, however, that several African Roman Catholic priests have been sent to Por- tugal. Apparently it is not felt wise to have too many educated Africans in Angola.

Of course the Portuguese give no sign of yielding sovereignty to the majority. The contin- ued growth of the coffee industry (much of which

is sold to the United States and Canada), the opening up of the Cassinga iron mines in the South, and the discovery of off-shore oil in the Cabinda enclave by the Gulf Oil Company are among the reasons for Portugal's determination to stay on in Angola. The police are more efficient and widespread than ever before. White immigra- tion has continued, and it now estimated that there are 300,000 whites out of just over five mil- lion people in Angola.

Declining Missionary Population During 1961 Protestant missionaries (British,

Canadian and American) were expelled from northern Angola and from the Luanda-Malange area. Since then the Portuguese have tightened restrictions on the granting of new entry and re-entry visas. Visas must be passed by a review board which contains civilians, soldiers and polit- ical police.

The refusal of re-entry or new entry permits, even for qualified medical personnel, has reduced the number of Protestant missionaries from 261 to under 50. A further reduction seems inevitable as retirements and long overdue furloughs are taken. The British and Canadian Baptists have had no personnel in Angola for some time. The American Methodists have only two couples in Angola now. The United Church of Canada and the United Church of Christ (U.S.) are down to about a quarter of their 1961 strength. The Ply- mouth Brethren and the Africa Evangelical Fel- lowship (Canadian, American, British) are greatly reduced; and even the Swiss missionaries have been harrassed.

There is evidently a continuing argument be- tween the Portuguese in Angola who see mis- sionaries as useful for Angolan social development and those who regard them as a subversive-or at best an uncertain-quantity.

Theodore Tucker

g

IEL1'6;

4 AFRICA TODAY

This content downloaded from 62.122.73.86 on Sun, 15 Jun 2014 08:56:47 AMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions