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Note: This document is from the archive of the Africa Policy E-Journal, published
by the Africa Policy Information Center (APIC) from 1995 to 2001 and by Africa Action
from 2001 to 2003. APIC was merged into Africa Action in 2001. Please note that many outdated links in this archived
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Angola: Angola Peace Monitor, no. 4
Any links to other sites in this file from 1995 are not clickable,
given the difficulty in maintaining up-to-date links in old files.
However, we hope they may still provide leads for your research.
Angola: Angola Peace Monitor, no. 4
Date Distributed (ymd): 950531
Issue no. 4, 19 May 1995
Published by ACTSA (Action for Southern Africa) on behalf of
the Angola Emergency Campaign.
President of Angola meets with Savimbi
Angolan President Jose Eduardo dos Santos met with UNITA
leader Jonas Savimbi in Lusaka on 6 May. The meeting was
hosted by Zambian President Frederick Chiluba. After the
meeting the three men shook hands in front of photographers.
According to the Angolan Government in a statement released
by its Embassy in London:
The meeting held in Lusaka on 6 May 1995 between President
dos Santos and Unita leader Jonas Savimbi took place in a
cordial and fraternal climate. All issues related to the
peace process and subsequent national reconciliation were
discussed. After stating that he recognised Jose Eduardo dos
Santos as President of the Republic, Mr Savimbi said he felt
comforted, because his talks with the President has
dispelled all his fears. As a result of the talks, the
following was agreed:
1. The process of consolidating the ceasefire is to be
speeded up, resolving the following outstanding military
issues:
* completing the disengagement of troops in areas where
they are very close to each other
* ensuring the free movement of people and goods
* de-mining the country.
2. The immediate sending of Blue Helmets is to be pressed
for, in order to ensure the immediate start of the process
of quartering and disarming UNITA's military forces by
UNAVEM III and putting the weapons in UNAVEM III custody.
3. The Government and UNITA, as partners in the process of
implementing the Lusaka Protocol, are to work hard to make
up for the delay in putting the Lusaka agreements into effect.
4. After all collateral issues have been dealt with, UNITA
is to join the future Government of National Unity. To this
end, the Government has already issued a formal invitation,
handed to the UN Secretary-General's Special Representative
after Mr Savimbi was informed of this matter during the
talks.
5. The Government and UNITA are to continue to mobilise the
international community to step up humanitarian assistance
for Angola.
6. The next meeting between the President of Angola and the
UNITA leader will no longer be held abroad, but in Angola,
particularly in Luanda, and the Government is to create the
requisite security conditions for this.
Further deployment of UNAVEM III
Angop, the official Angolan News Agency, has reported that
there has been further deployment of infantry troops in
Angola under UNAVEM III:
* on 12 May an advance group of 10 signals specialists
from Portugal arrived, to prepare for the deployment of
the Portuguese contingent of 101
* 600 soldiers from Uruguay were expected on 14 May
* 243 soldiers from India arrived on 19 May, joining
the 39 already in post (out of a full contingent of
1,200)
* 90 soldiers from Rumania, to provide medical care for
UN personnel, have been deployed in Viana.
Roads situation improving
In a significant sign that the road problems were being
overcome, the members of the Joint Commission left Luanda on
17 May in a convoy of 40 vehicles to travel 300 miles
overland to Lobito on the South Coast. There an
extraordinary session of the Joint Commission was held on
the 18 May. The meeting decided to make efforts to open up
roads as soon as possible for the rapid deployment of UN
troops in the centre and south of Angola.
President Mugabe announces meeting
President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe announced in Pretoria,
following a meeting on 12 May with South African President
Nelson Mandela, that the next meeting of the Frontline
States would be in Luanda, where they would discuss the
Angolan peace process.
Secretary-General reports to Security Council
In his observations in the Third Progress Report to the
Security Council on 3 May, the Secretary-General, Dr Boutros
Boutros-Ghali stated that the "gradual and phased deployment
of the United Nations infantry battalions will undoubtedly
provide additional momentum to the peace process". However,
he expressed his "concern about the slow progress in
demining, opening up of major roads and repair of airfields
and other vital infrastructure. The positive decisions that
were taken in this regard and the special plan formulated by
the Joint Commission at its fifth extraordinary session on
26 April should be executed without delay. If these critical
steps are not taken immediately, it will not be possible for
the United Nations infantry to be deployed to the various
regions in Angola in a timely manner."
The report also draws attention to the need for support for
humanitarian projects. "While some donors have confirmed the
pledges made in response to the 1995 United Nations
Consolidated Inter-Agency Appeal for Angola (see Angola
Peace Monitor no.3), others have yet to announce their
contributions. The World Food Programme (WFP) is currently
experiencing a serious shortfall in the supply of maize and
the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) a critical
shortage of relief items, reducing the level of support that
they can offer to NGOs. I strongly urge the international
community to provide all possible assistance to the
humanitarian projects of United Nations agencies and NGOs so
that these organizations can adequately address the pressing
needs of the Angolan People".
Plans to incorporate all troops
In a significant move towards the implementation of the
Lusaka Protocol, the Joint Commission at its fourteenth
regular session, held in Luanda on 20 April, agreed on the
principle of the "global incorporation" of UNITA soldiers
into the Forcas Armadas Angola (FAA), which will then be
gradually reduced until it reaches the level of 90,000
troops.
The figure of 90,000 troops has been jointly agreed between
the Angolan Government and UNITA.
Status of Forces Agreement signed
An agreement between the United Nations and the Angolan
Government was formally signed in Luanda on 3 May by Alioune
Blondin Beye, the Secretary-General's Special Representative
for Angola, and Jose Anibal Lopes Roche, the Minister of
Territorial Administration#.
Reduction in cease-fire violations
According to the United Nations, by early May there had been
a further reduction in the number of cease-fire violations.
However, the United Nations reports that both UNITA and FAA
have continued to occupy forward positions and complaints
have been lodged against UNITA and FAA each of the Lusaka
Protocol.
UNAVEM, however, were only able to confirm such breaches in
a limited number of cases, partially because its movement is
still restricted in parts of the country because of poor
road conditions and mines.
Further progress on disengagement
In his report on 3 May, the Secretary-General of the UN
stated that the second phase of disengagement as set out in
the Lusaka Protocol (see ACTSA Briefing on Lusaka Protocol#)
has now almost been completed.
This phase covers the disengagement of FAA and UNITA forces
in the Provinces of Lunda Norte, Lunda Sul and Moxico. A
working group of the Joint Commission will visit these areas
to verify that the disengagement has been completed.
Humanitarian situation
The United Nations reports that UN agencies and
non-governmental organisations have been able to extend
their humanitarian and rehabilitation programmes to several
previously inaccessible areas.
Efforts to intensify the distribution of humanitarian aid by
road have begun to show results. Overland convoys have been
operating from Lobito to Cubal in Benguela Province, and
humanitarian organisations have travelled by road in Malanje
Province and halfway through Huambo Province. However, the
UN reports that as a result of logistic constraints, mines
and banditry, overland access to many parts of the country
is still restricted. These factors are hindering the return
of displaced people to their places of origin. As a result,
the WFP airlift operation remains essential to the
humanitarian aid programme.
WCC holds meeting on Angola
The World Council of Churches held an important seminar on
the situation in Angola on 4 and 5 May in Geneva. Present at
the meeting were leading members of the churches in Angola,
members of the Ecumenical Commission of Angolan Women,
agencies and churches from around the world (USA, UK,
Norway, Germany, Holland and Switzerland), the All African
Conference of Churches, and representatives from the Council
of Churches of South Africa and Mozambique.
Joao Vahekeni, the UNITA representative to the UN in
Switzerland attended the meeting. However, the Angolan
Government representative to the UN agencies in Geneva was
not able to attend due to ill health. Also present was
Amadou Niang, the Director of Human Rights within UNAVEM
III.
President Mandela receives Savimbi
On 17 May the South African President Nelson Mandela
received UNITA leader Jonas Savimbi at his official
residence of Tuynhuys in Cape Town. During his visit to
South Africa, Mr Savimbi also held meetings with General
Constand Viljoen MP, and Deputy-President Thabo Mbeki.
# indicates that the full text of the document referred to
is available from ACTSA.
Published by Action for Southern Africa - ACTSA (on behalf
of the Angola Emergency Campaign), 28 Penton Street, London
N1 9SA, tel: +44 171 833 3133, fax: +44 171 837 3001, email:
actsa@geo2.poptel.org.uk. The Angola Peace Monitor is being
produced fortnightly for an initial period of three months.
It is available by fax or post at a cost of 5 pounds
sterling inside Europe or 10 pounds sterling elsewhere. This
initiative was made possible with the assistance of a grant
from W.O.W Campaigns Ltd - the campaigning associate of War
on Want.
*******************************************************
This material is being reposted for wider distribution
by the Africa Policy Information Center (APIC). APIC's
primary objective is to widen the policy debate in the
United States around African issues and the U.S. role
in Africa, by concentrating on providing accessible
policy-relevant information and analysis usable by a
wide range of groups and individuals. APIC is
affiliated with the Washington Office on Africa (WOA),
a not-for-profit church, trade union and civil rights
group supported organization that works with Congress
on Africa-related legislation.
*******************************************************
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