2007 - O Futuro...

Saudações deste lado do mar para todos o Amigos.
Graças à net e às minha insónias, vou acompanhando, na calmaria das madrugadas quentes aqui dos trópicos, tudo o que se passa pelo mundo e o que meus Amigos deste Bar por cá vão colocando, tentando uns "desabafar" e outros "reanimar" nossos espíritos de certa forma alquebrados ou até um tanto "gastos" pela vida de todos os dias e por acontecimentos a gosto ou não de cada um...
E até a morte do tal Sadam me tocou e agravou minha insónia.
Às quatro da madrugada lá desliguei o notebook e fui para a cama, mas o sono não chegava nem o espírito sossegava...

Pensei...pensei...E assim, também me permito um "desabafo" que espero entendam. Ou, pelo menos, aceitem minha modesta reflexão de final-de-ano.
Caramba ! Nunca gostei desse ditador-açougueiro, nem de qualquer outro prepotente governante de direita ou esquerda, mas interrogo-me e agravo minhas dúvidas e preocupações a respeito da imparcialidade e coerência de atitudes desses "justiceiros" de araque que vão aparecendo cada dia mais pelos recantos instáves e violentos do mundo, apoderando-se do direito Supremo da vida, e ainda por cima legitimados ou acobertados por potências que são verdadeiros lobos e rapozas travestidos de plácidos e inocentes cordeiros.
Afinal, com que facilidade se mata neste planeta?!
Com que facilidade se julga, condena e se arvoram o direito Supremo de privar da vida outro ser humano?!
Com que facilidade se acusam uns de criminosos e outros, que cometem os mesmos e mais odientos crimes e atentados contra a liberdade dos povos, como Fidel, Sócios & Amigos, de paladinos dos direitos dos desfavorecidos ?!
Como é possível justificar a continuidade da vida assenhoreando-se do poder de tirar essa mesma vida ?!
Qual a diferença entre um Sadam, um Fidel, um Bush, um Chavez ou outro qualquer governante populista desses paises ditos "civilizados" e "democráticos" que, nas entrelinhas de suas atitudes, vão denegrindo a vida justificando a glória da morte através de armamentos nucleares, chacinas e da pena de Talião?!

Algo, neste mundo terreno, justificará o direito à morte ?!
Qual a diferença entre esses senhores da morte de milhares de inocentes, os carrascos do Sadam e os marginais que assaltam num recanto pobre de Recife ou Salvador, incendeiam ônibus no Rio ou São Paulo e violentam assassinando a população indefesa em Bagdá ?!
E, porque deveremos considerar uns anjos e outros demónios ? !
Onde estárá finalmente, a razão e a coerência para desejar um bom 2007 que sabemos de antemão não será ?
Ou então será sim, só porque agimos como avestruzes enterrando a cabeça no primeiro buraco do chão fazendo de conta que nada vemos e somos felizes !

Abraço para todos meus Amigo(as),

Jaime Luis Gabão

ILHA DO IBO - Incluida pelo "The Independent" como um dos "The top destinations for 2007"

The top destinations for 2007

From exotic escapes to action-packed adventures, Frank Partridge explores the new horizons that will delight even the most world-weary traveller during the year ahead
Published: 30 December 2006

...SOMEWHERE MORE EXOTIC?
Mozambique is is now at peace, but it is taking some time for most travellers to consider the formerly war-wracked African republic as a serious destination. A step in the right direction is the Ibo Island Lodge (http://www.iboislandlodge.com/), which has just opened in northern Mozambique, 45 miles from Pemba, an unspoilt area of exquisite, surreal beauty.
Ibo Island, part of a coral archipelago of 32 islands, was once an important Portuguese trading post, and contains the scattered ruins of abandoned villages and 18th-century forts. The 12-room lodge consists of three waterfront mansions, restored in colonial style - all antique furniture and heavy wooden shutters. You can explore the other islands by boat, in waters ideal for swimming, snorkelling and kayaking. Return flights from Pemba cost £150; half-board at the lodge costs $295 (£160) per person per night.
Week-long packages can be arranged through the UK operator Rainbow Tours (020-7226 1004; http://www.rainbowtours.co.uk/). International flights, light-aircraft transfer, full board at the lodge, a historical tour and some complimentary watersports will cost £1,795 per person.

In "The Independent" - 30/12/2006

IBO HISTORY

Ibo Island is part of the beautiful Quirimbas Archipelago. Ibo Island supports one of the oldest towns in Mozambique, and is definitely one of the most interesting and atmospheric towns in the whole country. Ibo Island is regarded as one of Africa’s best-kept secrets, and many people say Ibo Island was the highlight of their time spent in Mozambique.
Mozambique’s recorded history goes back many centuries and the country has been subject to conquest and exploitation since time immemorial. As early as AD600 Arab traders had established contact with the local inhabitants and subsequently established fortified trading posts along the coastline. Via these trading posts slaves, gold and ivory were shipped to the Arab world.
Ibo Island is one of the most ancient settlements in Mozambique, after Ilha do Moçambique (usually just known as “Ilha” in Mozambique) The specific history of Ibo can be dated back to at least the 1600 – Chinese grave stones still bear their readable dates, though Arab influence dates earlier. The Fort of Forma de Cisterna was constructed by the Arabs even before the Portuguese occupation.
Ibo Island and all the Quirimbas islands that had water have always supported human habitation, and at the time of the first Portuguese contact these islands were called the Maluane Islands because the local population generally Muslim traders designed woven cloth - both in silk and cotton and dyed with local indigo. This cloth was called Maluane, and was much sought after on the mainland.
When the Portuguese first arrived in the Quirimbas, the main trading centre in the archipelago was on the large Quirimba Island (next island south of Ibo Island. The Portuguese attacked Quirimba Island in 1522, because the trading Muslims of Quirimba refused to trade with the Portuguese Christians, and intended probably to eliminate them as trading rivals. The town was set alight and destroyed, dhows sunk, some 60 Muslims killed and much looting took place with large amounts of ivory and other trade goods seized.
By 1590 seven of the nine biggest islands were ruled by a Portuguese lord, and two by the Muslims. Ibo Island traded in amber, jet, ivory, ambergris and turtle shell. The locals had to pay 5% of their produce to the islands lord – as well as a contribution to the church. On Ibo the Portuguese built large rainwater cisterns that enabled them to raise cattle, pigs and goats. Meat, millet, rice, beans and palm products were all exported and even Ilha de Mozambique seems to have been supplied from Ibo Island. By this time Ibo Island had become the most important centre of the islands and in the mid 17th century the Archipelago was ruled by two main ‘Mazumgo’ (white) families – the Morues and the Meneses.
At this time the slave trade also became significant, with the French needing labour for their plantations in Mauritius and Reunion. The Portuguese tried to control this trade, for monetary, not humanitarian, reasons but the Quirimbas Islands were ideal for clandestine pursuits and the trade brought more prosperity to Ibo even after the market switched to Brazil and indeed, even after it was illegal. Of this period Newitt writes:
After the government of Mocambique was separated from that of Goa in 1752 the governor-general began building a fort at Ibo, which was raised to the status of municipality. In 1770 the new district of Cabo Delgado was created (on Ibo Island) with its own governor. A church and warehouses were built and in 1786 the island acquired a customs house. In 1791 Antonio de Melo e Castro began work on a new fort. This fine star shaped building rose on the mudflats guarding the narrow shipping channel through the reefs into Ibo Islands harbour. The slave trade bought Ibo great prosperity. Streets of houses were laid out and fine public buildings were erected around the plaza. By the beginning of the nineteenth century Ibo had become a very established trading centre.
Ibo Island gained municipal status in 1763 and by the end of the 18th century, Ibo is regarded to have been the second most important Portuguese trading centre Ilha do Mozambique. Throughout the 18th and 19th century the population of Ibo Island and the adjacent regions were consistently under attack from Dutch and Madagascar forces. As a result of the attacks the Fort of São João Batista (St. John Baptist) was completed in 1791. The little chapel housed inside of the fort was built in 1795, followed by the Fort Santo Antonio (St. Anthony) and Fort of the Bairro de Rituto built in 1847.
It wasn’t until 1897, when Ibo Island was integrated into the administration of the Niassa Company that the island and population enjoyed relative safety and peace.In 1902 the capital District of Cabo Delgado was transferred from Ibo Island to Port Amelia, currently the city of Pemba, which remains the capital until today. This signalled the slow demise of the island, which eventually led to is total abandonment as a formal trading centre some years later.

In "Ibo Island"

Feliz 2007

Feliz 2007 - Assim esperamos ...

Imagem retirada daqui

Onde está o Natal ?

Da minha janela, ao entardecer, tento redescobrir no horizonte o Natal da minha saudade !

Glória de Sant'Anna na RDP - Antena 2.

O Paulo Rato em seu programa na RDP-Antena 2 que se chama "Sons Férteis", no dia 19 de Dezembro - 11h00 falou da poetisa do mar azul de Pemba, GLÓRIA DE SANT'ANNA.

Escute aqui:

OS SONS FÉRTEIS

Glória de Sant'Anna (Portugal / Moçambique) 2006-12-19

-tempo total - 8m23s

5.96Mb-ÁudioWMA-mms://195.245.176.20/rtpfiles/audio/wavrss/at2/180716-0612221637.wma

8.04Mb-ÁudioReal-rtsp://195.245.176.21/rtpfiles/audio/wavrss/at2/180716-0612221634.rm

Programa de Paulo Rato dedicado a Glória de Sant’Anna (Moçambique)

Via http://multimedia.rtp.pt/index.php?prog=1092

Ciclone tropical ameaça Nampula e Cabo Delgado.

Um ciclone tropical acompanhado de chuvas e ventos fortes poderá atingir, a partir da noite de amanhã, sábado, as regiões costeiras de Nampula e Cabo Delgado.

Um comunicado do Instituto Nacional de Gestão das Calamidades, recebido na nossa Redacção, indica que até as 14 horas de segunda-feira, o intenso ciclone tropical, de categoria três, tinha o seu centro localizado na Latitude 10.3 graus Sul e na Longitude 54.0 graus Este, movimentando-se na direcção Oeste-Noroeste.

O INGC recomenda as autoridades das províncias de Cabo Delgado e Nampula para a necessidade de se manterem em estado de alerta e monitorar o fenómeno.

Maputo, Sexta-Feira, 22 de Dezembro de 2006:: Notícias