by Caiphas Chimhete
This is the third in a Jour-part series on Angola.
The Lusaka Protocol signed by the government of Angola and the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (Unita) in November 1994, remains mainly a concept two years later.
The Lusaka Protocol stipulates the demobilisation of 62 000 Unita soldiers in the centres. The first camp was opened in November last year. Only 35 000 soldiers, however, had been demobilised by early June this year.
The Angolan Minister for Assistance and Social Reintegration, Albino Malungo, says the unfinished quartering of Unita troops has delayed other aspects in the implementation of the Protocol.
“The repatriation of about 100 000 refugees from Zambia will be delayed because of the unfinished quartering of the Unita troops,” says Malungo.
The refugees were supposed to have been repatriated in June, but conditions for their return have not yet been finalised. Malungo says shelter has not been provided for, due to lack of freedom of movement in the country. Repatriation, as a result, is now scheduled for August and September this year.
Many Angolan refugees are uncertain about whether they will be able to return to their country, fearing what they see as tenuous relations between the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) government and Unita. Hundreds of returnees fled to refugee camps in Zambia and Zaire after Unita leader, Jonas Savimbi rejected the September 1992 elections and resumed war. Over 100 000 people, mostly civilian, are estimated to have been killed since then.
To speed up the process, the UN Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has earmarked US$44 million for the repatriation of Angolan refugees in western and north-western Zambia.
Disarmament, not only of Unita forces, but of the civilian population is lagging behind. It will be difficult to disarm the civil population before disarming the troops themselves.
“Disarming the civilian population in Angola is very important because this is one of the most basic steps in the peace process, the Lusaka Protocol,” says the Information director of the Free Angola Information Service, Malik Chaka.
Government statistics indicate that there are more than 600 000 unregistered weapons in Angola’s capital, Luanda, alone. There are fears that these ammunition will be used to perpetuate crime, not only internally but might flow into other countries of the southern African region in the post-conflict era.
In disarming the civilians, Angola could draw examples from Mozambique’s guns-for-hoes campaign, where guns are being exchanged for hoes and seeds to boost agricultural output.
Although the programme is still under implementation, the Mozambique Council of Churches, which is coordinating the programme, says it is getting an encouraging response.
A suggestion has already been made to implement a money-for-guns campaign in Angola where the lure of money is expected to have favourable results considering the poverty facing most the population.
“People are very poor in Angola … and if you had an exchange of guns for money, or guns for food, this might prompt people to turn in their guns to the government,” suggests Chaka.
However, the government has not responded to the suggestion perhaps because of the mere pressing problem of lack of resources.
The issue of national reconciliation, although it is one of the major principles in the Lusaka Protocol, is it stake and has not been adhered to in some parts of the country which are no-go areas even for the UN troops. The fact that Unita and MPLA are reportedly still buying weapons put the peace process and national reconciliation in doubt as it fuels suspicion and mistrust.
Meanwhile, Unita is putting more demands before its participation in the Government of National Unity and Reconciliation which has further strained relations with the MPLA government and jeopardises prospects of national reconciliation.
In a communique issued by its Political Commission, Unita says it wants to continue to be an opposition party and demands that all the opposition parties represented in the National Assembly be included in the government.
“Unita would like to emphasise that it will only participate in the Government of National Unity and Reconciliation if it will reflect the consensus of the Angolan parties within the National Assembly,” says the communique. It adds, “Unita should be seen inside and outside Angola as an opposition party to the MPLA government”, a statement which is not quite in keeping with the spirit of power-sharing.
The Angolan government also has to deal with the separatist movement in the Cabinda enclave. Although an agreement on a cease-fire was signed between the government and the Cabinda Liberation Front – Cabindan Armed Forces (FLEC – FAC), separatist forces in the oil-rich enclave claim that a battle recently took place between its forces and government forces. Reports say that the separatists have killed 150 people in fighting around Nekuto since 10 May this year.
FLEC – FAC claims that the Angolan Armed Forces (FAA) launched an attack on the town with tanks and helicopters. In April, the representatives of government and the movement met in Namibia for the fourth time to try and resolve the conflict with President Sam Nujoma as mediator.
Political analysts say Angolan leaders have a legal and moral obligation to work according to the timetable for the implementation of the Lusaka Protocol, so that peace returns to Angola. (SARDC)
