From: barnhart@ddsw1.MCS.COM (Mr. Aaron Barnhart)
Subject: IPS:ANGOLA: FIGHTING IN LUANDA RAISES FEARS IN SOUTH AFRICA
Date: Thu, 12 Nov 1992 02:04:54 GMT
Organization: Evanston, Illinois, U.S.A.

Copyright Inter Press Service 1992, all rights reserved.  Permission to re-
print within 7 days of original date only with permission from 'newsdesk'.

Area: Europe, western
Title: ANGOLA: FIGHTING IN LUANDA RAISES FEARS IN SOUTH AFRICA


an inter press service feature

by eddie koch

johannesburg, nov 3 (ips) -- renewed fighting in angola over the
weekend has raised fears among south africans that democratic
reforms in their country would be followed by similar civil
strife.

the angolan violence, which erupted in the wake of multiparty
elections that were lost by unita leader jonas savimbi, is
mirrored in natal province where clashes between supporters of
the african national congress and the conservative inkatha
movement has assumed unprecedented levels.

it is feared that inkatha leader mangosuthu buthelezi would
use similar tactics if he lost multiparty elections in a new
south africa.

the apprehension has been heightened by revelations in a
local newspaper that a south african company has given
authorities in luanda a document that pressurises them into
forming a government of national unity that gives savimbi more
power than he earned in the elections,

the company, called 'strategic concepts', has close ties to
pretoria's department of foreign affairs.

its document suggests that key ministries in a new angolan
government be handled by two ministers - one from savimbi's
national union for the total independence of angola (unita) and
one from the popular movement for the liberation of angola
(mpla) that won the elections.

the report also claims that south africa has been sending in
covert military aid to angola as well as intelligence personnel
to advise unita in its war effort against the mpla government.

this has been denied by the south african defence force as
well as foreign minister roelof botha. ''i have made it clear to
savimbi that he will get no assistance from any quarter if he
goes back to war'', said botha.

but many south africans point to the parallels between
savimbi's behaviour and that of inkatha's buthelezi, who
recently pulled out of multiparty negotiations and is now
involved in a raging conflict with anc supporters in natal.

anc regional chair allan boesak alleges that the south
african government was backing savimbi's violent rejection of
his defeat in angola's first multiparty election held sep.
29-30. (more/ips)


angola: fighting (2)

''they believe the violence that savimbi is able and prepared
to unleash can be used as a reason to thwart the outcome of the
democratic process'', he said.

however, south african president frederik de klerk monday
denied his government was backing the unita strategy.

he insisted that it would be possible to prevent a similar
scenario in south africa by creating strict rules and procedures
around political conduct during and after multiparty elections.

but cape town-based political scientist philip nel says the
angolan conflict is a logical consequence of years of south
african destablisation of angola and mozambique.

the angolan conflict, nel argues, is a result of political
transition taking place in a context where there was no strong
central government to oversee the process.

''for a democracy to work you have to have a strong state and
a well-developed civil society. angola has neither and, to a
lesser extent, nor does south africa'', nel told journalists.

''it is a sad fact that one result of the anc's very
understandable strategy of undermining state power in south
africa is that it will play into the hands of the strongmen in
this sort of situation'', he added.

nel said south africa's buthelezi, like angola's savimbi,
could become one of the local ''strongmen'' who rally support
amidst civil collapse.

rob davies, researcher at the centre for southern african
studies at the university of the western cape, points out that
buthelezi and savimbi come from the same ''generic family''.

both men were bolstered by the south african military as
conservative black bulwarks against left-wing political
movements in the region.

according to davies, this has made it possible for both
leaders to play a spoiling role in the transition process
underway in both countries.

meanwhile, south african foreign minister roelof botha said
on monday he would not be directly involved in new efforts to
broker a peace in angola because too many people suspected his
motives.

botha made the announcement as furious armed luandans began a
manhunt for unita members who they blamed for an outbreak of
heavy shelling and gunfire in the angolan capital.
(end/ips/ek/ar/92)