Song from Mozambique: Plantations Are NOT Forests

We share this song, composed by the organizations Justicia Ambiental, Missão Tabita and AJOCME, from Mozambique. Plantations are not forests!!!

Lyrics:

(Chorus)
Plantations are not forests
Plantations are not forests
Our land is our life
Our future is our land

(Stanza)
Don't be fooled
They arrived at our house
Loaded with promises and smiles,
They convinced us that they brought
development
They convinced us that they brought a
better life
They convinced us that it was enough to
hand over part of our land that our lives
would improve

They promised us development
They promised us jobs
They promised us schools and hospitals
They promised us a better life
They brought eucalyptus
But we didn't know it

(Chorus)
Plantations are not forests
Plantations are not forests
Our land is our life
Our future is our land

(Stanza)
They took our land
They took our water
They took our joy
They took our future
Our land is our life
They asked for what?
Only part of our land
They took everything
Plantations are not forests
We were robbed with beautiful words

Plantations are not forests
We were deceived with promises
We were deceived with lies
And when the promises and smiles were
gone
They threatened us
They humiliated us
Plantations are not forests
Promises are not agreements
Your profit is not our development
Our land is our life

(Voice)
In the first days they arrived in the villages,
they deceived us with oil, sweets, cakes for
children, and the community leaders were
given flashlights along with a Solar panel
and with a bicycle to try to deceive us to
hand in our lands.
Now we have seen that we lost sight.

(Chorus)
Plantations are not forests
Plantations are not forests
Our land is our life
Our future is our land

(Voice)
Now we have seen that these trees in neat
lines are not forests
The forests that we had, from where we
took mushrooms to feed our children, cut
sticks and grass to cover our houses.
Hooo Now with these trees we are
miserable. Where are we going to end up?

By Justiça Ambiental