Resistance: From Portuguese occupation to Gaza

Throughout history, resistance has emerged wherever people have faced invasion, oppression and the destruction of their communities. Some stories of resistance survive for centuries in historical records, while others disappear beneath the ruins of forgotten cities.
Today, the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza unfolds before the eyes of the world. Yet, for much of the international community, everyday life continues almost undisturbed. The images of destruction have become a spectacle watched alongside ordinary daily activities.
History offers disturbing parallels.
One particularly revealing account appears in The Commentaries of Afonso de Albuquerque, published in Arabic in 2012 by the Abu Dhabi Authority for Tourism and Culture. Compiled by Brás de Albuquerque, the Portuguese commander's son, and first published in 1557, the work records the military campaigns of Portugal's expansion into the Indian Ocean.
What makes these accounts remarkable is that they describe atrocities committed by the Portuguese themselves, often with apparent pride.
Barawa: Resistance against overwhelming force
In Barawa, Somalia, Portuguese troops encountered determined resistance. Women threw stones from balconies, while local fighters gathered near the mosque, prepared to defend their city to the death.
The Portuguese responded with firearms, gunpowder and superior military equipment. According to the chronicles, many inhabitants were killed, including women attempting to flee. The attackers seized possessions before setting fire to the city.
The episode illustrates a recurring feature of occupation: overwhelming military force used against communities defending their homes.
For the author, resistance is a deeply human instinct. People may recognise that confronting a stronger army could cost them their lives, yet refuse to surrender their freedom and dignity.
Socotra: A refusal to surrender
Another striking account concerns Socotra, Yemen.
When the Portuguese commander threatened to destroy the island unless its defenders surrendered their fortress, the local leader rejected the ultimatum.
He reportedly declared that neither he nor his men would die of fear. If they were to die, it would be by the sword. They would not abandon their position while any defender remained alive.
Their response expressed a determination to defend their homeland despite the overwhelming odds.
Oman's coast: Destruction and defiance
As Portuguese fleets approached the Omani coast, they encountered thriving fishing communities and trading settlements.
The chronicles describe the burning of fishing vessels near coastal locations variously identified as Ras Al Hadd, Ras Al Hikman or Ras Al Aqit. Dozens of boats were destroyed, threatening the livelihoods of communities dependent on fishing and maritime trade.
The destruction extended beyond military targets to the economic foundations of everyday life.
In Qurayat, residents erected wooden barricades, reinforced their defences with palm trunks and earth, and positioned archers and armed fighters to resist the approaching forces.
Their efforts could not match Portuguese firepower.
The chronicles describe the killing of fleeing inhabitants, including women and children, followed by the seizure of supplies and the burning of buildings.
One particularly disturbing passage recounts how the fire consumed almost the entire town, including a mosque described as among the most beautiful the Portuguese had seen.
Prisoners were mutilated, while dozens of vessels were destroyed.
These accounts reveal the brutality inflicted on communities that refused to submit.
Muscat: Courage amid destruction
Muscat suffered a similarly devastating assault.
The Portuguese records acknowledge the courage of the city's defenders, who held their positions for a considerable time despite the attackers' superior weapons.
Reinforcements arrived from surrounding areas, but the Portuguese eventually overwhelmed the resistance.
The chronicles describe killings, looting and the destruction of homes, supplies and religious buildings. They also record violence against women, children and prisoners.
What is especially disturbing is the manner in which these events were documented by those responsible. Acts of extreme violence appear not as crimes to be concealed, but as achievements of conquest.
History's enduring lesson
The parallels drawn between these historical campaigns and Gaza concern more than military violence. They also involve the destruction of civilian life, the seizure of resources and attempts to present occupation as legitimate while portraying resistance as wrongdoing.
The Portuguese accounts demonstrate how those exercising overwhelming power can seek to control not only territory but also the story told about their actions.
Yet history also records the determination of occupied peoples to reclaim their freedom.
The inhabitants of Barawa and Socotra resisted Portuguese rule, while Omanis eventually united to expel Portuguese forces from their territory. Omani naval power subsequently challenged Portuguese influence across the region and along the East African coast.
For the author, these experiences carry a message for the present: military superiority cannot extinguish a people's attachment to their homeland.
The struggle of Palestinians in Gaza is viewed through this historical understanding of resistance, sacrifice and the pursuit of freedom.
Cities may be destroyed and generations may suffer, but the desire for liberation can survive even the harshest occupation.
Resistance, in this reading of history, is not simply a military response. It is an expression of humanity's enduring refusal to surrender its dignity and freedom.
Translated and adapted by Badr al Dhafari
This is an adapted translation of the original Arabic article published in the print edition of the cultural supplement of the Oman Daily newspaper on March 28, 2024.