From: barnhart@gagme.chi.il.us (Mr Aaron Barnhart)
Subject: IPS: ANGOLA: SLOW DEMOBILISATION THREATE
Originator: barnhart@gagme
Organization: Evanston, Illinois
Date: Thu, 10 Sep 1992 00:50:08 GMT

Reference: North America
Title: ANGOLA: SLOW DEMOBILISATION THREATENS ELECTION SECURITY


an inter press service feature

by vicki finkel

cabinda, angola, sept 1 (ips) -- with the first democratic
elections in angola now only four weeks away, 26-year-old lucas
caumba arrives, suitcase in hand, at the airport in the county's
northern province of cabinda to greet the arrival of a u.s.
airforce c-130 plane.

after fighting for eight years in the sixteen-year civil war
against the national union for the total independence of angola
(unita), lucas becomes part of 2,500 soldiers and their families
to be officialy demobilised from the army and returned to their
home areas by a u.s. military airlift operation.

labelled ''operation provide transition'', the u.s. airlift
aim is to demobilise the two former belligerent factions in the
civil war-ravaged south-west african nation of about 10.5
million people, and safeguard the peace process of which the u.s
has been a keen observer since the signing of the cease fire
agreement in may 1991.

according to the peace agreement signed by president jose
eduardo dos santos and unita leader jonas savimbi, the two
battlefield adversaries agreed to merge their armies into a
scaled down force of 50,000 and demobilise the remainder.

the accord also called for the holding of multi party
elections now scheduled for sept 29-30 with the official
campaign launched saturday.

but the demobilisation process has lagged far behind schedule
and many observers fear that when angolans go to the polls there
will be three armies -- the partially unified army alongside
government and unita forces -- instead of the planned
single force.

while lucas is en route home to the eastern province of
moxico, 50,000 soldier still remain with their weapons in the
assembly points throughout the country. only 30 percent of the
total forces have so far been demobilised with 16 percent of the
intergrated army formed.

meanwhile, the two sides have been trading allegations over
the amassing of troops and their weapons throughout the country
leading to fears that the massive distrust betwen the two sides
is thwarting the political will necessary for total
demobilisation and peaceful elections. (more/ips)


angola: slow (2)

''both sides are not confident enough to fully give up their
weapons and soldiers before the election,'' says paulo baldan,
assistant resident representative of the u.n. development
programme here.

other parties in the election race have also voiced concern
over the security threat posed to the elections by slow
demobilisation.

a recent communique issued on state radio by holden roberto's
national front for the liberation of angola, one of the three
main liberation movements which fought for independence until
1975 noted concern.

''the absence of a truly national army, military
demobilisation delays, and the lack of a truly neutral and
impartial natonal police are the principal causes of the
instability experienced in most parts of the counrty,'' said the
communique.

already, since the official launching of the election
campaign saturday, there there has been a high level of
political tension in the war-devastated country -- a foretaste
of what could transpire if the two armies are not fully
intergrated by the election dates.

during a government rally in the southern province of bie
saturday, a governent vehicle was attacked and violent clashes
led to the deaths of two government and four unita supporters.

''our mission sees demobilisation as a priority. if one side
feels it can challenge the election results, with its forces
still in place, we could end up with the conflict all over
again,'' says lt. col. jerry bryant mission commander of the
75-member u.s. airforce team.

meanwhile the number of unita-incited incidents taking place
in the country in the build-up to the election has led some
observers to believe that fearing an imminent loss, savimbi is
deliberately dragging his feet over the demobilisation process
and creating enough insurrection to force the cancelation of
elections.

an editorial in the state newpaper claimed last week that the
u.s., a staunch unita supporter, wants to defer the elections
until after the u.s. presidential elections in november for fear
that savimbi's loss will damage chances for george bush's
victory against bill clinton.

''there are worrisome indications that unita may propose,
with the support of the united states, postponement of the
elections. failure to hold the elections on these dates could
lead to the breakdown of the the peace process and the
resumption of violence,'' says sunday's edition of 'jornal de
angola'. (end/ips/vc/tvh/oa/92)



-- 
Mr. Aaron Barnhart@gagme.chi.il.us -- posting from Evanston, Illinois
Newsgroups: soc.culture.african