From: rich@pencil.cs.missouri.edu (Rich Winkel)
Subject: ANGOLA: On the Brink of War
Followup-To: alt.activism.d
Originator: rich@pencil.cs.missouri.edu
Organization: PACH
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 1992 00:49:53 GMT

/** headlines: 463.0 **/
** Topic: ANGOLA On Brink Of War **
** Written 11:54 am  Nov  9, 1992 by newsdesk in cdp:headlines **
/* Written 10:25 am  Nov  5, 1992 by web:aiacan in igc:aia.samples */
/* ---------- "ANGOLA On Brink Of War" ---------- */
ES921102.ANG

ANGOLA: On the Brink of War

Luanda, November 2, 1992 (AIA) -- Hundreds of people have been
killed in fierce fighting between government troops and Unita
forces in and around this capital city amid widespread reports
that the South African government has been sending in crack 32
Battalion members to support Unita.

The reports have been denied by the South African government,
which maintains it has told the right-wing Unita guerrillas it
should not expect military assistance from Pretoria if it resumes
its armed struggle.

Meanwhile AKs, grenades and mortars have been used throughout the
city this weekend (October 31 - November 1). According to some
reports, Unita troops have been surrounded by Angolan government
FAPLA forces and their Luanda base, the downtown hotel Turismo,
has been shelled. According to other reports, the situation is far
from being under control by the government and Unita bands are
wrecking havoc in the city.

Diplomats say the fighting started when Unita made use of the
elections to move large numbers of its troops into Luanda -- in
which it has never had a base. From the start, they say, Unita
members uttered threats about what would happen if Unita lost the
election and provoked FAPLA soliders.

"They (Unita) started off with a few of their soldiers guarding
Savimbi's residence in the diplomatic quarter. Within days, there
were about 100 armed troops surrounding the block. Days later
there were thousands of Unita troops throughout Luanda," says a
Scandinavian diplomat.

The diplomat, who does not wish to be named, claims Unita troops
kidnapped two FAPLA guards in the days following the election. One
of these guards was allegedly murdered in front of the residence
of the Portuguese ambassador, sparking off a reprisal attack by
FAPLA troops.

It appears Unita has had difficulty accepting its defeat in the
parliamentary election last month -- the first multiparty
elections since independence from Portugal in 1975. The ruling
Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) won 54
percent of the vote while Unita got 34 percent in the
parliamentary elections.

In the presidential election, however, President Jose Eduardo dos
Santos did not do as well.

By winning 49.57 percent of the presidential vote in the
elections, Dos Santos narrowly missed the 50 percent vote needed
under Angolan law in the first multiparty elections since
independence from Portugal in 1975. Unita leader Jonas Savimbi
polled 40.6 percent. The remainder was shared by smaller parties.

Although it was announced a second presidential election would
take place, no definite date has been set and the second round is
likely to be delayed by the latest fighting.

Election observers maintain that while the election law says
elections must take place within a month of the announcement of
the first round's results, this requirement may not be met. The
war notwithstanding, rains, poor roads and communications are
expected to delay, by up to three months, the second presidential
election run-off.

"We will have to wait until after the rains," said one United
Nations official before the fighting erupted last week. "The
country may likely wait more than three months before they (the
people) can cast ballots again."

Angola's road and communications network is in an appalling
condition after 16-years of bitter civil war. The rains will also
make the administration of the election impossible.

In addition, Foreign Affairs Minister Pedro Van Dunem says Savimbi
must order his troops to their bases before a second round of
voting can take place.

The minister, according to local newspaper reports, says the
government must be allowed to control areas still occupied by
Unita.

But whether Unita will agree to these conditions is unlikely,
given its decision to make use of its new foothold in Luanda to
launch another deadly attack on the war-weary Angolan people.

Note: written with dispatches from IPS.

ENDS (610 WORDS)
** End of text from cdp:headlines **

Newsgroups: misc.activism.progressive