OPVDC
Encyclopedia
The provincial organization of volunteers and civil defence (Portuguese
: organização provincial de voluntários e defesa civil) or OPVDC was a former militia
type force in each of the Portuguese Overseas provinces
. There were three such organizations raised by the Portuguese Government in their overseas provinces of Angola
, Mozambique
and Portuguese Timor
.
The OPVDC had the tasks of auxiliary internal security
force and civil defense
organization, under the authority of the governor of the province. The OPVDC of Angola and Mozambique were engaged in the Portuguese Colonial War
as auxiliary forces of the Portuguese Armed Forces
.
In the Portuguese Overseas, the OPVDC were the correspondent of the Portuguese Legion
in the European Portugal.
The OPVDCA was formed by officers of the asset or the reserve of the Armed Forces, but was dependent on the Civil Administration, and its maximum in the Governor-General
of the province. The function of OPVDCA was essentially in defence of people, lines of communications and sensitive installations.
Members of OPVDCA volunteers were civilians who had their professions, serving in the organization part time. Initially the OPVDCA was constituted only by white settlers, but later it became increasingly multi-racial. At its peak the OPVDCA reached more than 40,000 staff.
Portuguese language
Portuguese is a Romance language that arose in the medieval Kingdom of Galicia, nowadays Galicia and Northern Portugal. The southern part of the Kingdom of Galicia became independent as the County of Portugal in 1095...
: organização provincial de voluntários e defesa civil) or OPVDC was a former militia
Militia
The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
type force in each of the Portuguese Overseas provinces
Portuguese Empire
The Portuguese Empire , also known as the Portuguese Overseas Empire or the Portuguese Colonial Empire , was the first global empire in history...
. There were three such organizations raised by the Portuguese Government in their overseas provinces of Angola
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...
, 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 Portuguese Timor
Portuguese Timor
Portuguese Timor was the name of East Timor when it was under Portuguese control. During this period, Portugal shared the island of Timor with the Netherlands East Indies, and later with Indonesia....
.
The OPVDC had the tasks of auxiliary internal security
Internal security
Internal security, or IS, is the act of keeping peace within the borders of a sovereign state or other self-governing territories. generally by upholding the national law and defending against internal security threats...
force and civil defense
Civil defense
Civil defense, civil defence or civil protection is an effort to protect the citizens of a state from military attack. It uses the principles of emergency operations: prevention, mitigation, preparation, response, or emergency evacuation, and recovery...
organization, under the authority of the governor of the province. The OPVDC of Angola and Mozambique were engaged in the Portuguese Colonial War
Portuguese Colonial War
The Portuguese Colonial War , also known in Portugal as the Overseas War or in the former colonies as the War of liberation , was fought between Portugal's military and the emerging nationalist movements in Portugal's African colonies between 1961 and 1974, when the Portuguese regime was...
as auxiliary forces of the Portuguese Armed Forces
Portuguese Armed Forces
The armed forces of Portugal, commonly known as the Portuguese Armed Forces encompasses a Navy , an Army and an Air Force...
.
In the Portuguese Overseas, the OPVDC were the correspondent of the Portuguese Legion
Portuguese Legion (Estado Novo)
The Portuguese Legion was a Portuguese paramilitary state organization founded in 1936 during dictator António de Oliveira Salazar's right-wing regime, the Estado Novo. It was dissolved in 1974....
in the European Portugal.
Angola
Provincial Organization of Volunteers of Civil Defence of Angola (OPVDCA) - mainly urban militia, consisting mainly of white settlers.The OPVDCA was formed by officers of the asset or the reserve of the Armed Forces, but was dependent on the Civil Administration, and its maximum in the Governor-General
Governor-General
A Governor-General, is a vice-regal person of a monarch in an independent realm or a major colonial circonscription. Depending on the political arrangement of the territory, a Governor General can be a governor of high rank, or a principal governor ranking above "ordinary" governors.- Current uses...
of the province. The function of OPVDCA was essentially in defence of people, lines of communications and sensitive installations.
Members of OPVDCA volunteers were civilians who had their professions, serving in the organization part time. Initially the OPVDCA was constituted only by white settlers, but later it became increasingly multi-racial. At its peak the OPVDCA reached more than 40,000 staff.