by Phyllis Johnson
The Angolan government and the United Nations have agreed that a Government of Unity and National Reconciliation (GURN) will be established on 11 April, with or without the presence of Jonas Savimbi.
During several weeks of delays since the intended date for swearing in the GURN in late January, the international community through the United Nations has blamed Savimbi for the delay and has increased pressure on him to join the process.
This pressure included the threat of sanctions against Savimbi’s party, the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (Unita), if they did not comply with agreed conditions by 28 March; and increasingly strongly worded UN Security Council (UNSC) resolutions condemning Unita for stalling.
On 31 March, the UNSC passed a resolution emphasising the importance of implementation of the Lusaka Protocol agreed by the Angolan government and Unita, and welcoming the decision by the Angolan government to install the GURN on 11 April.
The UNSC welcomed the arrival in Luanda, after considerable delay, of the Unita deputies and future officials of the GURN; and called on both parties to form the GURN on that date.
The resolution called on both parties to implement the remaining military and political aspects without further delay, “in particular the incorporation of Unita soldiers into the Angolan Armed Forces, demobilization, and normalization of State administration throughout the national territory”.
The Security Council extended the mandate of its monitoring force, UNAVEM Ill, until 16 April, and requested the Secretary-General to report by 14 April on the status of installation of the GURN.
”
On the question of Savimbi’s status in the new government, the UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, reported that the Joint Commission adopted a draft law on 21 March “on the special status of Mr. Savimbi, in his capacity as the leader of the largest opposition party”. The draft is to be presented to the National Assembly for promulgation into law.
However, it is still not clear if Savimbi has accepted this status, which he has insisted must be accompanied by a dual role as special advisor to the President with decision-making powers.
He has continued to argue that this was a decision of the Unita congress held in August last year at his headquarters in Bailundo, and as such, cannot be altered except by a subsequent party congress.
The international community has become increasingly impatient with his unwillingness to choose between a role as a government leader or an opposition leader.
Another key issue is the normalization of state administration throughout the country, including areas controlled by Unita. Unita has insisted that this cannot begin until after the establishment of GURN.
Secretary-General Annan also reported that Unita has increased the dissemination of hostile propaganda through its radio “Vorgan”, despite completion of the administrative formalities for its transformation into a non-partisan radio station.
Annan visited Angola from 22-25 March, and held talks with Savimbi in Bailundo and with President Jose Eduardo dos Santos in Luanda.
He reported that, while 70,904 Unita troops had been registered in the 15 UN selection and demobilization centres, 26,966 had deserted or were temporarily absent; and that little progress has been made in demobilization in recent weeks. As of 20 March, 7,491 Unita soldiers were incorporated into the national armed forces; and 449 Unita personnel had been selected for the Angolan National Police.
Annan criticized Unita for not providing a list of communications equipment despite numerous promises, and not surrendering any further military or communications material. He said Unita has still not provided information on the strength and military equipment of its President’s security detachment. He also reported no progress in dismantling the four remaining Unita command posts.
Despite administrative and logistic constraints, he said UNA VEM III has trained and deployed seven
Angolan demining brigades to remove landmines. Each brigade has 70 personnel and is deployed for the Angolan National Institute for the Removal of Unexploded Ordnance (INAROE).
An added source of pressure on Unita has been the erosion of its rear base in neighbouring Zaire, as
President Mobutu Sese Seko’s army collapsed in a large part of the country under the advance of an opposition alliance led by Laurent Kabila.
In recent days, two key areas in Zaire which Unita had relied on for support were taken by Kabila’s “rebel” forces, who were enthusiastically welcomed by the local leaders and population. First to fall was Kamin, formerly a large US-equipped base which Unita had used for re-supply of its forces fighting the government in Angola. Within days this was followed by the loss of the diamond centre of Mbuji-Mayi, a key area for laundering diamonds smuggled by Unita from Angola to fund its activities. This has reduced Savimbi’s options as his source of funds dried up and his rear support base became increasingly insecure. (SARDC)
