Baixa de Cassanje revolt (1961)
Wed Jan 04, 1961
Image: Transporting Cotonang Equipment through flooded areas of the Baixa 1968 [journals.openedition.org]
On this day in 1961, cotton plantation workers in the Baixa de Cassanje region of Angola protested for better working conditions, an act which escalated into a period of open rebellion and war against Portuguese colonizers.
Employed by Cotonang, a Portuguese-Belgian cotton plantation company, several workers launched a protest on January 4th, demanding improved working conditions. The protest quickly evolved into a general uprising, with workers burning identification cards, attacking Portuguese traders, blocking roads, and destroying company buildings.
In response, the colonial government quickly suppressed the uprising with brutal military force, initiating a bombing campaign of nearby villages that killed anywhere from 400 - 10,000 people.
Despite the short-term failure of the uprising, it served as an important precursor to the Angolan Independence War, which would eventually lead to the end of colonial rule.
- Date: 1961-01-04
- Learn More: en.wikipedia.org, journals.openedition.org.
- Tags: #Colonialism, #Protests.
- Source: www.apeoplescalendar.org