From: rich@pencil.cs.missouri.edu (Rich Winkel)
Subject: Angola Emergency Campaign News
Followup-To: alt.activism.d
Originator: rich@pencil.cs.missouri.edu
Organization: PACH
Date: Wed, 30 Dec 1992 00:52:01 GMT

/** reg.safrica: 216.0 **/
** Topic: Angola Emergency Campaign News **
** Written 12:11 pm  Dec 28, 1992 by gn:macuk in cdp:reg.safrica **


The Angola Emergency Campaign has been set up by the Anti-
Apartheid Movement and the Mozambique Angola Committee in
Britain.  For further details contact AAM (tel. +44 71 387
7966; fax. +44 71 388 0173 or MAC tel. +44 81 292 1394;
e-mail macuk@gn.apc.org


******************* ANGOLA EMERGENCY CAMPAIGN ******************

Pilot Bulletin No.1                                    22/12/92


1) EVENTS INSIDE ANGOLA

New Government Sworn In

On 4th December, Jose Eduardo dos Santos, President of the 
Republic of Angola, swore in the new Government resulting from 
the democratic multiparty elections held on 29th and 30th 
September which had been won by the MPLA with 57.8% of the poll.

The composition of the new Government was in line with earlier 
statements emphasising the need for national reconciliation and 
unity.  Reflecting the election results, the MPLA has a dominant 
position in the Government although strong representation has 
been set aside for UNITA (as yet not taken up though recent UNITA 
statements indicate they are prepared to accept their positions).  
Other parties are also included in the Government.

The new Prime Minister is Jose Marcolino Moco, formerly Sec.Gen. 
of the MPLA.  The MPLA head the Ministries of Defence, the 
Interior, Foreign Affairs, Oil, Industry, and Health.  However, 
while the MPLA hold the post of Chief of General Staff, UNITA 
have been offered the post of Deputy Chief of General Staff and 
the post of Chief of Staff of the Army.

The President asked the new Government when drawing up their 
programme of action "to take into account the programme of the 
Government of the party that secured the sympathy and preference 
of Angolan voters, and whose guiding lines and priorities are the 
consolidation of peace and democratic processes, the unity and 
national reconciliation of all Angolans and the reconstruction 
and development of the country".

The President also condemned the "new war situation" created by 
UNITA "by unilaterally breaking the Peace Accords signed in 
Bicesse, through its rejection of the election results and the 
bellicose and militarist stance it then adopted.  UNITA subverted 
the embryonic democratic order and voluntarily placed itself 
outside the law, aiming to win by military means the power it had 
been unable to gain at the polls".

UNITA's response - Words of reconciliation, acts of war

Hardly had the Government and UNITA finished signing the Namibe 
Agreements to stop the fighting when UNITA's illegally-maintained 
standing army, FALA, launched major assaults on Uige and Negage 
on November 30th and December 1st.  Similar attacks on Soyo were 
repulsed by the Angola police but the occupation of these two 
towns added hundreds to the many thousands already dead due to 

At the time of the inauguration of the new Government, over 50 
municipalities were occupied by UNITA along with the provincial 
capitals of Caxito and Dalatando.  The occupations of Uige and 
Negage were declared ended by UNITA in mid-December.  However, UN 
monitoring teams only later certified some withdrawals, and the 
Angolan Government pointed out that large bodies of UNITA troops, 
many heavily armed and in civilian clothes, remained in the two 
towns.

Meanwhile, in the first week of December, UNITA assassination 
squads murdered Dr.David Bernardino, an internationally renowned 
doctor, scientist, and editor. Moreover many local government 
officials, police, and traditional local chiefs were found to 
have been murdered or abducted by UNITA in areas under their 
control.

South Africa continues its support

Radar in various Front Line States have been revealing increasing 
numbers of South African overflights of their territory.  These 
flights are widely believed to be for the purpose of supplying 
UNITA bases in the South and to the North of Angola.  

A number of Front Line State Governments have already protested 
to the South African Government and demanded explanations.  South 
Africa is believed to have purchased huge transport aircraft from 
Russia and chartered aircraft from Britain, in clear violation of 
the international arms embargo.  South Africa's traditional 
denials, or claims of UN-approved 'humanitarian assistance' ring 
particularly hollow especially in view of President De Klerk's 
belated recognition of 'dirty tricks' by his senior military.

Air-supply is of course particularly crucial in a situation where 
UNITA has so far failed to capture any port, and represents a 
serious outside intervention in the affairs of Angola.

2) INTERNATIONAL RESPONSES

UN

On 30th November 1992 the Security Council adopted UN SCR 793 
which rolled forward the existing mandate of the UN, known as 
UNIVEM II, until 31st January 1993 and requested a further report 
by the Secretary General.  The resolution, in common with many 
other governmental and international statements failed to place 
the blame for hostilities on UNITA and appealed to both parties 
to abide by ceasefires and the Bicesse Agreements.  However,  the 
Sec.Gen.'s report to the Security Council (S/24858) went further 
in explicitly stating that it was "UNITA (which)...launched a 
nationwide operation to occupy municipalities by force and remove 
the Government's administrative structures there".

There has been widespread dissatisfaction with the level and  
Anstee, head of the UN operation in Angola, was summoned to New 
York for a reassessment of its effectiveness. A post-mortem was 
held on the failures of the UN to enforce full demobilisation of 
UNITA's forces.  However, the UN has approved a much larger force 
of 7,500 military and civilian personnel to be dispatched to 
Mozambique in recognition of its failure in Angola.

Britain and the European Community

Britain, as a UN Security Council permanent member and as EC 
President has been playing and key and negative role in Angola.  
There has been particular reluctance to do anything other then 
"evenhandedly' call for peace from "both sides" despite the fact 
that it was UNITA who had broken the Bicesse Agreements and had 
refused to accept the results of the democratic elections.  
However, due to mounting international and domestic pressure 
there signs of some changes in the Communique of the Edinburgh 
Summit of December 12th : "The Community and its member States... 
have made significant political efforts to encourage 
implementation of the peace agreements in Angola and Mozambique.  
In Angola the European Council urges both sides, particularly 
UNITA, to abide by the peace agreement, respect the ceasefire, 
proceed with demobilisation and with the formation of the new 
unified armed forces.  It calls upon UNITA to accept 
unequivocally the results of the 29/30th September elections and 
encourages the Government to continue the democratic process with 
a view to the reconciliation of the people of Angola".

Frontline States - Summit supports Angola

President Mugabe of Zimbabwe convened a special Frontline States 
Summit in Harare on 11th December in response to an appeal by 
President Dos Santos of Angola.  President Mugabe's opening 
speech recalled that five days after the free and fair 
elections..."Dr.Jonas Savimbi, whose party had lost, decided to 
reject the election result...South Africa was now supporting 
UNITA again and building up its military capacity in Southern 
Angola".

After briefing from Angola's new Prime Minister, the Summit 
"appealed to all parties to renew their commitment to the Bicesse 
Peace Accords which promised a return to normal life in Angola 
after the holding of elections which were considered by the 
international community to be free and fair". "The Summit 
expressed great disappointment and amazement at the attitude of 
the UNITA leadership towards the democratic process and the 
purpose of free elections.  An appeal was directed to them, and, 
in particular, to Dr.Jonas Savimbi to respect the democratic 
process and the wishes of the people of Angola.  In this regard 
the Summit strongly condemned the acts of violence which have 
been committed by UNITA's armed forces in Angola.  UNITA should 
accept the election results unequivocally and take up their 
rightful places in the Parliament and Government of National 
Unity and National Reconciliation which came into being on 4th  
a broadly-based Government of national unity representing all 
sections of Angolan society".

USA

The longtime supporter of UNITA, the US Government had announced 
in October that they would recognise the Government elected from 
the 29/30th September elections.  So far they have failed to do 
this.  The US were, however, praised by the Angolan Government 
for rapidly condemning UNITA's attacks on Uige and Negage at the 
start of December.

3) SOLIDARITY RESPONSES

Pressure on EC Summit

The Emergency Advertisement was signed by well over 200 British 
and European parliamentarians, national, international, and local 
anti-apartheid groups, solidarity organisations, trade unions, 
and concerned individuals and appeared in 'The Guardian' on 
Friday 11th December to coincide with the EC Summit.  On 10th 
December an AEC delegation, including MP's, trade union, local 
authority and church figures presented the petition to the EC 
Summit in Edinburgh.  The petition was signed by over 2000 
people.  Both the advert and petition called for urgent action by 
the Summit in support of peace and democracy in Angola.

International Declaration

Over 40 organisations in 19 countries  have now signed the 
International Declaration of Solidarity with the Government and 
People of Angola.  Further efforts are being made to gain support 
for the declaration among Governments, NGO's and other 
organisations and bodies throughout the world.  The International 
Declaration is intended to be sent to the UN Sec.Gen. Dr.Boutros 
Ghali.

Efforts welcomed in Angola

A letter from the Angolan Ambassador to the UK and Ireland, HE 
Jose Alves Primo, contains his own and Government's thanks for 
the AEC's efforts in solidarity with the Angolan people.  The 
Ambassador quotes his foreign minister :"I saw and read the 
declaration of the Anti-Apartheid Movement involving various 
countries.  It is wonderful work.  Our media have already 
referred to it and I shall see to it that it is guaranteed 
publicity, so that the people may know they are not alone".

Campaign supported at AAM and MAC annual meetings

Discussion and support for the AEC were highpoints of the AGM of 
the AAM(Dec.12th) and at the MAC annual 'A Luta Continua' study 
conference(Dec.5th).
** End of text from cdp:reg.safrica **
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