Iko Carreira
Encyclopedia
General Henrique "Iko" Teles Carreira (1933–2000) served as the first Defense Minister of Angola
from 1975 to 1980 during the civil war
. After the death of Agostinho Neto
his position in the party weakened. He later served as ambassador to Algeria
and military attaché
to Spain
.
He was one of the mythical guerrilla fighters of the MPLA, Agostinho Neto's armed wing, fighting against Portuguese colonial occupation,(for the African liberation struggle and human rights). Founder and commander in chief of the Angolan Armed Forces, he defeated the FNLA in the north and UNITA in the south during the first civil war. As Secretary of Defense, he thwarted an attempt at a coup led by Nito Alves. Considered to be the regime's second in command until Neto's death, he was the first African military officer to receive a degree as a general from the Soviet Union 's (Academia de Estado- Maior).
General Iko Carreira knew and associated with Amílcar Cabral
of Guinea-Bissau
, Joaquim Chissano
of Mozambique
, and Lúcio Lara
of Angola.
The 27 of May 1977 Nito Alves attempted a coup that ended the lives of many former freedom fighters, including Saidy Mingas, and Dangere. The government arrested tens of thousands of suspected Nitistas, supporters of Nito Alves
from May to November 1977 after they tried to overthrow President Agostinho Neto
. Some suspects were then tried in secret courts overseen by Carreira. According to some accounts,those who were found guilty, including José Van-Dunem, Jacobo "Immortal Monster" Caetano, the head of the 8th Brigade, and political commissar Eduardo Evaristo, were then shot and buried in secret graves.
General Iko Carreira's last struggle was to combat his illness, a stroke that paralysed his entire left side for the last 13 years of his life, writing two novels with one finger, on a special computer. The novels are titled: "O Pensamento Estrategico de Agostinho Neto", Publicacoes Dom Quixote, and "Memorias" published in Angola by Nzila.
In an article written for The Guardian, on June 6, 2000, Victoria Brittain wrote of General Iko Carreira: "He was brave, assured, mutli-lingual, wordly....Like his friend and mentor, President Neto, Carreira will always remain a reference point for Angolans for the heroic period of their history. He is survived by his wife, daughter, and four sons."
Angola
Angola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...
from 1975 to 1980 during the civil war
Angolan Civil War
The Angolan Civil War was a major civil conflict in the Southern African state of Angola, beginning in 1975 and continuing, with some interludes, until 2002. The war began immediately after Angola became independent from Portugal in November 1975. Prior to this, a decolonisation conflict had taken...
. After the death of Agostinho Neto
Agostinho Neto
António Agostinho Neto served as the first President of Angola , leading the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola in the war for independence and the civil war...
his position in the party weakened. He later served as ambassador to Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
and military attaché
Military attaché
A military attaché is a military expert who is attached to a diplomatic mission . This post is normally filled by a high-ranking military officer who retains the commission while serving in an embassy...
to Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
.
He was one of the mythical guerrilla fighters of the MPLA, Agostinho Neto's armed wing, fighting against Portuguese colonial occupation,(for the African liberation struggle and human rights). Founder and commander in chief of the Angolan Armed Forces, he defeated the FNLA in the north and UNITA in the south during the first civil war. As Secretary of Defense, he thwarted an attempt at a coup led by Nito Alves. Considered to be the regime's second in command until Neto's death, he was the first African military officer to receive a degree as a general from the Soviet Union 's (Academia de Estado- Maior).
General Iko Carreira knew and associated with Amílcar Cabral
Amílcar Cabral
Amílcar Lopes da Costa Cabral was a Guinea-Bissauan and Cape Verdean agricultural engineer, writer, and a nationalist thinker and politician. Also known by his nom de guerre Abel Djassi, Cabral led the nationalist movement of Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde Islands and the ensuing war of independence...
of Guinea-Bissau
Guinea-Bissau
The Republic of Guinea-Bissau is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Senegal to the north, and Guinea to the south and east, with the Atlantic Ocean to its west....
, Joaquim Chissano
Joaquim Chissano
Joaquim Alberto Chissano served as the second President of Mozambique for nineteen years from 6 November 1986 until 2 February 2005. Since stepping down as president, Chissano has become an elder statesman and is called upon by international bodies, such as the United Nations, to be an envoy or...
of Mozambique
Mozambique
Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique , is a country in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west and Swaziland and South Africa to the southwest...
, and Lúcio Lara
Lúcio Lara
Lúcio Lara served as the General Secretary of the MPLA during the Angolan Civil War. Lara, a founding member of the MPLA, led the first MPLA members into Luanda on November 8, 1974...
of Angola.
The 27 of May 1977 Nito Alves attempted a coup that ended the lives of many former freedom fighters, including Saidy Mingas, and Dangere. The government arrested tens of thousands of suspected Nitistas, supporters of Nito Alves
Nito Alves
Nito Alves served as the Interior Minister of Angola from independence, November 11, 1975, until President Agostinho Neto abolished the position in October 1976...
from May to November 1977 after they tried to overthrow President Agostinho Neto
Agostinho Neto
António Agostinho Neto served as the first President of Angola , leading the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola in the war for independence and the civil war...
. Some suspects were then tried in secret courts overseen by Carreira. According to some accounts,those who were found guilty, including José Van-Dunem, Jacobo "Immortal Monster" Caetano, the head of the 8th Brigade, and political commissar Eduardo Evaristo, were then shot and buried in secret graves.
General Iko Carreira's last struggle was to combat his illness, a stroke that paralysed his entire left side for the last 13 years of his life, writing two novels with one finger, on a special computer. The novels are titled: "O Pensamento Estrategico de Agostinho Neto", Publicacoes Dom Quixote, and "Memorias" published in Angola by Nzila.
In an article written for The Guardian, on June 6, 2000, Victoria Brittain wrote of General Iko Carreira: "He was brave, assured, mutli-lingual, wordly....Like his friend and mentor, President Neto, Carreira will always remain a reference point for Angolans for the heroic period of their history. He is survived by his wife, daughter, and four sons."