Destination​—Carico, Milange District

Between September 1975 and February 1976, all of Jehovah’s Witnesses who were detained, whether in prisons or in open fields, were transferred. The unrevealed destination was yet another weapon used by the police and other local authorities to try to intimidate the brothers. “You’ll be eaten by ferocious animals,” they were told. “It is an unknown place in the north, from where you’ll never return.” Unbelieving family members joined in a chorus of weeping and lamentation, insisting that the believers capitulate. However, very few compromised. Even newly interested ones courageously threw in their lot with Jehovah’s Witnesses. Such was the case of Eugênio Macitela, a zealous supporter of political ideals. His interest had been aroused upon hearing that the prisons were full of Jehovah’s Witnesses. To find out who they were, he had requested a Bible study, only to be arrested and deported one week later. He was among the first to be baptized in the concentration camps, and today he serves as a circuit overseer.

The Witnesses showed no sign of fear or apprehension when they were taken from the prisons and loaded into buses, trucks, and even airplanes. One of the most impressive caravans left Maputo on November 13, 1975. There were 14 buses, or machibombos as they are called here. The seemingly inexplicable joy of the brothers moved the soldiers in charge to ask: “How can you be so happy when you don’t even know where you are going? Where you will be going is not good at all.” But the joy of the brothers was not dampened. While unbelieving relatives cried, fearing for the future of their loved ones, the Witnesses sang Kingdom songs, such as the one entitled “Bravely Press On.”

At each city along the way, the drivers telephoned their superiors to find out their destination, and they were ordered to advance to the next stop. Some of the drivers lost their way. Finally, though, they arrived at Milange, a town and district seat in the province of Zambézia, 1,100 miles [1,800 km] from Maputo. There the brothers were received by the administrator with a “welcoming talk,” a diatribe filled with threats.

They were then taken 20 miles [30 km] to the east, to a place on the banks of the Munduzi River, the area known as Carico, still in the district of Milange. Thousands of Jehovah’s Witnesses from Malawi, who had fled a wave of persecution in their own country, had been living there as refugees since 1972. The unexpected arrival of the Mozambican brothers was a surprise for the Malawians. And it was a surprise for the Mozambicans to be received by brothers speaking a strange language. It was, however, a most pleasant surprise, and the Malawian brothers received the Mozambican Witnesses with such warmth and hospitality that the drivers were impressed.​—Compare Hebrews 13:1, 2.

The district administrator was the man who had been in Machava prison with the brothers years before. On receiving each group, he would ask: “Where are Chilaule and Zunguza? I know they will be coming.” When Brother Chilaule finally did arrive, the administrator said to him: “Chilaule, I don’t really know how to receive you. We are in different camps now.” He held to his ideologies and did not make matters easier in any way for his former cellmates. He was, as he said of himself, “a goat governing among the sheep.”

Loving Support From the International Brotherhood

The international brotherhood of Jehovah’s Witnesses expressed their loving concern for the brothers in Mozambique. They inundated the country’s postal system with messages appealing to the Mozambican authorities. Workmates at a telecommunications firm used to ridicule Augusto Novela, a Witness, and say that Jehovah’s Witnesses were just a local sect. But they were silenced when the telex machines began receiving messages from all over the world. The overwhelming response testified to the fact that Jehovah’s people are truly united by love.

After about ten months, a government minister, on a visit to inspect the camps, acknowledged that the brothers had been imprisoned because of false accusations. However, it was still too early to expect freedom.

The Challenges of a New Life

A new chapter had opened in the history of Jehovah’s people in Mozambique. The Malawian brothers in the area had organized themselves into eight villages. They had gained much experience in adapting to a new life-style in the bush and had developed their skills in building houses, Kingdom Halls, and even Assembly Halls. Those who did not have prior experience in agriculture also learned much about that sort of work. Many of the Mozambicans, never having planted a machamba (cultivated field), were about to experience for the first time hard work in the fields. In the first few months, the new arrivals benefited from the loving hospitality of their Malawian brothers, who took them into their homes and shared their food. But now it was time for the Mozambican brothers to build their own villages.

That was not an easy task. The rainy season had begun, and the region was generously blessed with water from heaven as never before. However, when the Munduzi River, which cut through the center of the camp, overflowed in a region normally afflicted with drought, the brothers saw this as a symbol of how Jehovah would care for them. Indeed, in the 12 years that followed, the river did not once dry up as it had done before. On the other hand, “the muddy, slippery terrain, caused naturally by the rainy weather, made for an additional challenge to former city dwellers,” as Brother Muthemba recalls. Furthermore, it was not easy for the women to cross the river while balancing themselves on improvised bridges that were nothing more than tree trunks. “For men who were accustomed to offices, our challenge was to go into the dense woods and cut down trees to build our houses,” recalls Xavier Dengo. These conditions turned out to be a test for which some were not prepared.

We recall that in the days of Moses, complaining started among “the mixed crowd” that accompanied the Israelites out of Egypt and into the wilderness and that it then spread to the Israelites themselves. (Num. 11:4) Similarly, among those who were not baptized Witnesses, a group of complainers manifested themselves right from the beginning, and some of the baptized ones joined them. They approached the administrator and let him know that they were willing to pay any price to be sent back home as quickly as possible. But this did not result in any prompt homeward trip as they had hoped. They were kept in Milange, and many of them became like a stone in the shoe for the faithful ones. They became known as “the rebels.” They lived among the faithful brothers but were always ready to betray them. Their love for God had not held up under test.

Why the Halls Fell

The Malawian brothers in the camps had enjoyed considerable freedom of worship. When the Mozambican brothers arrived, they initially benefited from this. Each day, they would gather in one of the large Assembly Halls for a consideration of the day’s text. It was often a Malawian circuit overseer who presided. “It was strengthening,” recalls Filipe Matola, “after months of imprisonment and traveling, to hear spiritual exhortations in the company of so many brothers.” However, this relative freedom did not last.

On January 28, 1976, government authorities, accompanied by soldiers, went through the villages and announced: “You are forbidden to worship or pray in these halls or anywhere else in the villages. The halls will be nationalized and used by the government as it sees fit.” They ordered the brothers to bring out all their books, and then they confiscated these. Of course, the brothers hid what they could. Following this, flags were raised in front of each hall, and soldiers were stationed as guards to ensure compliance with the decree.

Although the halls were built of stakes and appeared rustic, they were quite strong. Yet, in a relatively short time, all of them began to disintegrate. Xavier Dengo remembers that on one occasion he and the administrator had just arrived at one of the villages when the hall actually began to collapse, even though it was not raining nor was the wind blowing. The administrator exclaimed: “What is going on? You people are bad. Now that we have nationalized the halls, they’re all falling down!” On a later occasion, the administrator said to one of the elders: “You must have prayed for the halls to fall down, . . . and your God made them fall.”

Organization in the Villages

Nine Mozambican villages sprang up parallel to and facing the existing eight Malawian villages. These two groups, united by the “pure language,” would live together for the next 12 years. (Zeph. 3:9) The area of each of the villages was divided into blocks, lined by well-maintained streets, each block encompassing eight plots of approximately 80 feet by 110 feet [25 m by 35 m]. The congregations were grouped according to blocks. After the ban had been proclaimed in the camps, they could not build conspicuous Kingdom Halls. So, instead, they built special L-shaped houses to serve the purpose. A widow or other single person would live in these to give the appearance that they were residences. Then, when meetings were held, the speaker would stand at the corner of the “L” and thus be able to face the audience on either side.

Around the perimeter of each of the villages were its machambas. Each congregation also tended a “congregational machamba,” which all shared in cultivating as their contribution toward congregational needs.

The size of each village varied according to the population. A 1979 census showed that Mozambican Village No. 7 was the smallest, with just 122 publishers and 2 congregations, while No. 9, the largest and most distant, had 1,228 publishers and 34 congregations. The entire camp had 11 circuits. This whole camp, composed of the Malawian and Mozambican villages and dependent areas, came to be known to the brothers as the Circle of Carico. The last census we have on record is that of 1981, when the population of the entire Circle of Carico was 22,529, of which 9,000 were active publishers. Later there was further growth. (The then president, Samora Machel, declared the population to be 40,000, according to the brochure Consolidemos Aquilo Que nos Une [Consolidating That Which Unites Us], pages 38-9.)

Chingo’s Time​—A Difficult Time

Of course, Jehovah’s Witnesses had not been taken to Milange simply to become an agricultural colony. It was not without reason that the government called the camp Reeducation Center of Carico, as is evidenced by the administrative center in the middle of Malawian Camp No. 4, manned by government staff, with offices and residences. There were also a camp commander, his soldiers, and a prison where many of our brothers were incarcerated for varying periods, according to the decisions of the commander.

The most notorious commander of all was Chingo. His two-year period as commander became known as Chingo’s time. Determined to break the uncompromising stand of Jehovah’s Witnesses and “reeducate” them, he resorted to every psychological tactic known to him, as well as to violence, in order to achieve his aim. Although having virtually no formal education, he was a fluent and persuasive speaker, with a penchant for illustrations. He used his gift to try to indoctrinate the brothers with his political philosophy and to weaken their love for God. One of his schemes was “the five-day seminar.”

“The Five-Day Seminar”

The commander announced that a “five-day seminar” had been scheduled and that the Witnesses should choose the most capable men from the villages, ones who would be able to pass on information of interest. These would be sent to a seminar to be held in some distant location. The brothers refused, doubting his intentions. However, “the rebels” who were present pointed out the brothers in positions of responsibility, including the circuit overseers. Among these were Francisco Zunguza, Xavier Dengo, and Luis Bila. A truck left carrying 21 men and 5 women. They traveled hundreds of miles to the north, to an area north of Lichinga, in the province of Niassa. There the men were thrown into a “reeducation camp” with criminals, while the women were taken to a camp for prostitutes.

Here they were subjected to severe tortures, including what their tormentors called “Christ fashion.” The victim’s arms were held straight out to the sides, as if on a cross, and then a stake was placed parallel to the arms. Nylon line was wrapped tightly around the arms and the stake for the entire length of both arms, from the fingertips of one hand to the fingertips of the other. With circulation completely cut off from the hands, arms, and shoulders, he was kept in this position for a considerable length of time in a futile effort to squeeze out of him a “Viva Frelimo.” Because of this cruel and inhuman treatment, Luis Bila, a faithful elder, suffered a heart attack and died.

The sisters were subjected to a treatment of “exercises,” requiring that they run almost endlessly, sometimes into and out of water; perform somersaults up and down mountains without letup; and be subjected to countless other indignities. What a seminar! What “reeducation”!

In spite of this cruel treatment, the majority of these brothers kept their integrity; only two compromised. One of the brothers managed to send a letter to the Minister of the Interior in Maputo, exposing this treatment. It had an effect. The governor of Niassa came in person by helicopter. He immediately stripped the commander and his aides of all authority and declared: “These can consider themselves under arrest for practicing acts that Frelimo never intended.” When the other prisoners who had suffered similar treatment heard this, they shouted for joy, saying: “Thanks to you, we’ve been freed,” to which the brothers replied: “Give thanks to Jehovah.”

After a while they were transferred to other camps, where the treatment consisted of only forced labor. In all, it was almost two years before they were returned to Carico​—and Chingo was there to receive them. He continued to make unsuccessful attempts to weaken their loyalty to Jehovah by conducting similar “seminars.” Finally, when about to leave Carico, he gave a discourse in his characteristic illustrative style. Admitting defeat, he said: “A man applies many blows to a tree, and not having many more left to fell it, he is replaced by another who, with just one blow, completes the job. I applied many blows but failed to finish. Others will come after me. They will use other methods. Do not give in. . . . Continue firm in your stand. . . . If not, they will receive all the glory.” By keeping their love for Jehovah strong, however, the brothers endeavored to make sure that only Jehovah would receive glory.​—Rev. 4:11.

[Pictures on page 140, 141]

In Carico refugee camp, our brothers (1) cut wood and (2) trampled clay for making bricks, while (3) sisters carried water. (4) They found ways to hold assemblies. (5) Xavier Dengo, (6) Filipe Matola, and (7) Francisco Zunguza helped provide spiritual oversight here as circuit overseers. (8) Kingdom Hall built here by Malawian Witnesses is still in use