Letter from Guinea-Bissau, 1980

In this fifth and last in a series of "letters" from West African postings in the 1977-1980 period, our correspondent looks at the relationship between the two former Portuguese colonies in which he served.-Ed. Since the independence of Guinea-Bissau, observers have speculated on whether or not any significant tension existed between those of Cape Verdean background and those of pure African parentage. There have been rumors that many Africans, including some highly placed in the Party, resented the Cape Verdean predominance in the Party and Government. The question raised by observers was whether or not this tension would or could result in a coalescing of Africans into an anti-Cape Verdean movement, creating a divisive racial element in local internal politics.