Amilcar Cabral was born on September 12, 1924 in Bafatá in Guinéa-Bissau) of Cape Verdean father Juvenal Cabral and Guinean mother Iva Pinhel Évora.

He was an assimilado-educated and assimilated black man. He started school in Bissau and later went to Lisbon University in Portugal from where he qualified as an agronomist.

As an agronomist in Guinea Bissau and Cape Verde, he traversed the whole of Guinea carrying out an agricultural Research for the colonial government.

1956, September 19 - Founded the PAIGC in Bissau, with Luís Cabral, Aristides Pereira, Rafael Barbosa and two other compatriots.

Amilcar Cabral started his armed struggle against the Portuguese regime in 1963 after working as an agricultural officer for the UN.

This same year, while in Angola, Cabral became cofounder of the MPLA (Popular Movement for Liberation of Angola) with Dr. Agostinho Neto and others.

In 1965, Amilcar Cabral wrote "As palavras da Ordem" a document delineating the norms to be followed by the party in the revolutionary struggle and in all its activities.

He was encouraged and inspired by the liberation struggles in other colonies. He got support from Sekou Toure and by the early 1970s; the country was controlled by the guerillas.

He was popular among the peasants and this explains why he got a lot of support from them. They provided food and information to the fighters.

Between 1968 and 1969 - Addressed the Commission of Human Rights at the UN, relating the suffering of the people of CV and Guinea under the colonial Portuguese regime.

1970, February at the Conference in Rome of "Solidarity for the people of the Portuguese colonies". Pope Paulo VI received Cabral together with the leaders of the parties for the liberation of the colonies, namely, MPLA, FRELIMO and PAIGC!

1970, February he was invited to Syracuse University (USA) to participate in a conference honouring the memory of Dr. Eduardo Mondlane, former president of FRELIMO, who had been assassinated in February 1969. The theme of the conference was "National and Cultural Liberation".

In April 1971, at a Press Conference in Stockholm, Cabral denounced the situation of hunger in Cape Verde and the continued complacency and inaction of the colonial Portuguese regime.

1972, October - During the 4th Commission of the General Assembly of the UN, in the name of the peoples of Guinea and Cape Verde, Cabral is the first representative of a people involved in armed struggle to be given the privilege of addressing the assembly as an observer.

In 1972 elections were held in guerilla-controlled areas, organized by the PAIGC under the Cabral.

In Sept. 1973, the National Assembly of Guinea-Bissau declared independence under Cabral.

Cabral immediately received support from majority of member states of the UN. United Nations recognised Guinea as a sovereign state.

Portugal at the time had domestic problems and had to leave Guinea, hence it was forced to offer independence to Guinea-Bissau.

Assasination

The celebrated liberation war leader however did not live to see an independent Guinea-Bissau. The Portuguese agents assassinated him on January 20^th 1973, Conakry.

Cabral was replaced by his brother Louis as a leader of PAIGC and later president of that country.

Cabral is survived by his three children from his second wife, Cape Verdean Ana Maria Cabral. His first wife was Portuguese, Maria Helena Rodrigues.

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