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ANGOLA NEWS ONLINE/ANGOLA NEWS ONLINE/ANGOLA NEWS ONLINE
Edition #13 15 April
1998
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A bi-monthly update of news from
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ANGOLA NEWS ONLINE is written by Angolan journalists
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In this edition:
Feature:
CAN ZAMBIA BECOME A NEW ZAIRE?
Stories:
1. CABGOC OPENS LUANDA HEAD OFFICE AFTER 30 YEARS IN
THE COUNTRY
2. MANUVAKOLA WANTS DEMOCRATIC REFORMS IN UNITA
3. ACCORD ON REGIONAL ENERGY SIGNED WITH BELGIUM
4. GOVERNMENT ASKS UN TO VERIFY CASES OF UNITA HIDDEN
FORCE
5. OPPOSITION PARTY LEADER JAILED
6. TWO UN HELICOPTERS FIRED AT
7. CLINTON CLOSES UNITA "DEMOCRACY CENTRE"
IN WASHINGTON
8. MEDIA EXPRESSES DISAPPOINTMENT AT UNITA'S NEWS CONFERENCE
9. US$2.3 MILLION FOR EXPO'98
10.MOVIEGOERS EXCHANGE CINEMA FOR VIDEO VIEWING
Feature:
CAN ZAMBIA BECOME A NEW ZAIRE?
Relations between Angola and its eastern landlocked Zambian neighbour have not been healthy since the end of the conflicts which ousted ex-president Mobutu Sesse Seko in Zaire and Pascal Lissouba in Congo-Brazzaville. Instead, the political tension that then emerged over Zambia's alleged support to UNITA guerrillas seems destined to become worse if an effective, solid national reconciliation is not achieved in Angola as soon as possible.
The two southern Africa nations share a lengthy border of about 1 000 kilometres in what is the second longest stretch of shared frontier, after that of another landlocked country, that of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) of president Laurent Desire Kabila.
Because of this, and with the new geo-political frame generated by the political changes both in DRC and in Congo-Brazzaville, it is believed that any support Zambia might offer to UNITA would be fatal to the ongoing peace process in Angola which, ironically, is being implemented under a peace agreement negotiated and signed in Lusaka under the auspices of Zambia's president Frederick Chiluba.
Officially, all the Angolan authorities have said so far is that Zambia is one of the territories in Africa which is still being used by Jonas Savimbi's UNITA guerrillas to channel supplies to the areas under their control in Angola. Whether this involves the Zambian government or not it has not been made clear yet. Last year, after repeated accusations in Luanda that some of the planes involved in the transportation of equipment and means to rearm UNITA were coming from Zambia, president Chiluba's government confirmed such flights days later and also said it had impounded a plane had that had been attempting to illegally fly to UNITA controlled areas without the consent of the local authorities.
Recently, Chiluba sent an envoy to Luanda, Mr Erik Silwamba, his advisor for presidential affairs, who handed to president Jose Eduardo dos Santos a message the contents of which were not officially disclosed. Diplomats in Luanda believe, however,that in the letter Chiluba tried to convince his colleague Dos Santos that any support UNITA might have found in Zambia could not be from the government but from some private entities who remain interested in illegal business with UNITA.
On this occasion, Chiluba's envoy promised his government's full cooperation in the successful implementation of the peace process in Angola. He said that Zambia, being the host of the Lusaka accord, "has a lot to win" if peace is achieved but "a lot to lose if this turns out to be a fiasco".
A member of the Zambian embassy in Luanda said that the mission of Mr Silwamba was special and prepared after the Angolan state-run "Jornal de Angola" carried an article accusing president Chiluba of being directly involved in the military aid to Savimbi. "Even the ambassador himself was annoyed, very annoyed because the article came in an official newspaper. We have read similar articles in the independent magazines but we never bothered. But this time it was different," Mr Chinhama said in reaction to the article published on March 18.
Reminding its readers of the long ties between Angola's ruling MPLA party and Zambia, the article accused Chiluba of political myopia in "clearly interfering with Angola's domestic affairs". In the opinion of some analysts, although being the host of the ongoing Lusaka peace accord, the Zambian authorities have not been sufficiently convincing on the ground in their denials of claims of systematic assistance to Dr. Jonas Savimbi's UNITA.
To many Angolan politicians, Kabila's successful revolution in DCR sounded the beginnings of the death knell where it came to covert military help to UNITA from the neighbourhood. This is also one of the reasons that prompted the Angolan government to intervene militarily in the conflict in Congo Brazzaville where the then president Pascal Lissouba was being viewed as an active supporter of both UNITA and of Cabinda independentists.
Analysts in Luanda argue that the last conflicts in ex-Zaire and in Congo-Brazzaville were "an extension" of that in Angola whose military intervention was "absolutely decisive" in both cases. Believing that the outcome of the two battles would heavily affect the events in Angola in one way or another, both the Angolan government and UNITA sent to the two battlefields tens of thousands of soldiers equipped with some of their new and sophisticated weapons.
To the Angolan government, the time had come to put an end to neighbouring regimes which were hostile to their interests. Hence it was crucial to support the revolutionists, Kabila and Sassou Nguesso.
President Dos Santos himself said later on at a Luanda summit of central African states, to which Chiluba was not invited to attend, that the change of regime in the former Zaire "has marked the start of a new era which we believe will be of peace, regional stability and cooperation. (...) it is in this context too that we include the emerging of a new government in the Republic of Congo-Brazzaville".
In the same way, UNITA realized that it could not fold its hands and let the allies disappear in the region since this was clearly disadvantageous to Savimbi's organization. In their opinion, the survival of both Mobutu and Lissouba was, strategically, of utmost importance since they needed strong military positions to counter the "political manoeuvres" of their MPLA rivals.
But it seemed that Savimbi this time was not lucky enough. His men fought the fiercest battles in both cases as compared to the locals, according to eye witnesses, but only to see the fall, first of Kinshasa and then of Brazzaville, to the hands of their brothers with the Angolan (government) FAA armed forces. According to observers, this was made possible because some western interests were deeply involved. It is said that not only was there the clear support of the United States,who wanted Mobutu out of power, but also there was a surprising indifference from France towards the fall of regimes it had strongly protected in the past.
There were also reports that Elf and Chevron, two of the international oil companies which were in need of maximum stability in the region for them to operate safely and more effectively, welcomed and allegedly supported the intervention of the Angolan armed forces in the conflict in Congo seeing this as the best way of helping put an end to the fighting.
Whatever the truth of the story might be, both Angola's politicians and its people do not want Zambia to substitute the former Zaire of president Mobutu, which for over three decades provided shelter and covert military help to UNITA in its armed insurgence against the MPLA government. STORIES:
1. CABGOC OPENS LUANDA HEAD OFFICE AFTER 30 YEARS
Angola's major oil producer, the Cabinda Gulf Oil Company (CABGOC), a subsidiary of Chevron, on March 30 finally opened its Luanda head office after 30 years of oil exploration in Angola.
The inauguration of the six-floor in Luanda's city centre was promptly applauded by the Angolan government authorities as a being a big contribution to the "development and progress of the country". According to oil minister Mrs Albina Assis, CABOG has set an example to other oil firms operating in the country "to demonstrate that they are not there ... just to explore oil but also to contribute for our development and progress". Assis said that it did not make sense such a big company as CABGOC not having an administrative building adequate to its development level and growth potential.
On his part, CABGOC director Mr Mark Puckett said the building was evidence of the company's growth in Angola, and that its construction had created over 300 jobs. He declined to disclose the cost of the works, allegedly for technical reasons.
CABGOC started operations in 1968 and is currently the major producer pumping out 400,000 of Angola's 750,000 barrels of oil per day. Other oil companies operating in Angola are ELf, Fina, Texaco, BP, Agip, Esso and Den Norske Oljesels.
2. MANUVAKOLA WANTS DEMOCRATIC REFORMS IN UNITA
After being expelled from his UNITA party, former secretary-general Eugenio Manuvakola is now campaigning for what he calls democratic reforms in the organization.
Recent reports from Luanda say Manuvakola has announced plans to lead a process for democratic change in UNITA whose incumbent chief Jonas Savimbi he accuses of causing "many evils to the functional system of the party". Stating that such evils "have totally dismembered the movement," he said that the party officials now based in Luanda no long go along with Savimbi. "This has made him (Savimbi) feel betrayed because he wanted them to defend his philosophy."
Manuvakola added that all he needs to head such reforms is funds.
3. ACCORD ON REGIONAL ENERGY SIGNED WITH BELGIUM
Angola and Belgium have signed a US$2 million accord providing for the creation of an energy planning regional system which is to benefit 12 of the 14 member states of the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC). The agreement was initialled by the Angolan oil minister, Albina Assis, and by the Belgian ambassador in Luanda, Dany Ceunick.
To implement the project, SADC executive secretary Kaire Mbuende will have to endorse the accord as recommended at the last session of the SADC committee of energy ministers, officials said.
4. GOVERNMENT ASKS UN TO VERIFY CASES OF UNITA HIDDEN FORCE
The Angolan government recently asked the chief of the UN observer mission to Angola (MONUA), Mr Alioune Beye, to send verification teams to areas where thousands of UNITA illegal soldiers and weapons are believed to have been massed.
The government says in a letter sent to Beye and to the media on March 30 that despite claiming to be fully demilitarized, UNITA had an estimated 8,000 men equipped with heavy armoured cars and heavy artillery guns ready to be used in military actions across the country, mainly in the north and northeast regions.
It said that UNITA was planing to launch offensives in the provinces of Uige, Lunda-Norte and Lunda-Sul "where fighter units are being reactivated and new forces deployed". Such forces, it added, were being commanded by UNITA's most trusted generals and that one of them was the widely famous Gen Abilio Camalata Numa, who was formally "demobilized" on March 19 in the presence of UN observers. "We are asking for verification teams to be sent to the places mentioned and for UNITA to be advised to refrain from realizing such actions," the letter said.
Beye reacted with criticism saying that the letter should not have been simultaneously sent to the press. He warned the government not to repeat this and said that it had, in his opinion, the sound of hostile propaganda against UNITA since "such reports are not supposed to be aired before being checked by MONUA".
5. OPPOSITION PARTY LEADER JAILED
A Luanda police court April 1 sentenced the president of Angola's opposition "PREA" party, Mr Carlos Alberto Contreiras, to 60 days imprisonment over "car theft and illegal use of firearm".
Mr Contreiras had been arrested five days earlier in Luanda after he allegedly "resisted the authorities" who wanted to speak to him in connection with the theft of a "Mercedes-Benz" car claimed by another Luanda citizen.
According to the police officers who arrested him, Contreiras refused to show up for the session and, instead, "pulled out a gun threatening to shoot". Contreiras said that he had bought the car with his own money and from someone whom he declined to name.
Carlos Contreiras, is the third opposition leader to face trial over the past few months. Last year the court prosecuted Mr ALberto Neto of the "PDA" party over libel against the Catholic church, and Mfulumpinga Landu Victor of "PDP-ANA," over fraud in the gathering of supporter's signatures required for party legalization with the supreme court.
Alberto Neto received a jail term and a fine whereas Victor was acquitted due to lack of evidence.
6. TWO UN HELICOPTERS FIRED AT
The UN Angola observer mission (MONUA) has confirmed that two of its helicopters had been fired at with automatic guns on March 25 when flying officials to a UNITA controlled area in the Angolan northern province of Malange.
A spokesperson for MONUA said in Luanda that the two helicopters were hit by unknown fire while flying representatives of the United Nations, Angolan government and UNITA to the area of Cambundi Katembo in a mission planned to discuss UNITA surrender of the area to state administration. MONUA said investigation was underway to identify those responsible for the incident in which no one was reported injured.
Initial media reports blamed the attack on UNITA forces whose leadership in Luanda promised to cooperate so the attackers could be identified and punished.
7. CLINTON CLOSES UNITA "DEMOCRACY CENTRE" IN WASHINGTON
The United States has closed the so-called "Centre for Democracy in Angola (CEDA)" which represented UNITA interests in Washington in replacement of their political office which had been shut down earlier under UNSC sanctions. Reports in Luanda said the decision followed a report by President Bill Clinton on the enforcement of UNSC resolutions on Angola.
CEDA is the name UNITA decided to give to its new offices in the countries where it was forced to cease any political activity as part of the diplomatic and economic sanctions imposed on the movement last year because of it failing to cooperate in the ongoing peace process in Angola.
In Portugal, the former UNITA representative and CEDA chief in Lisbon, Mr Wandembe, was also told to leave the country after his stay permit expired on March 30. But Wandembe immediately speeded up his marriage to a Portuguese woman seeing this as a way of forcing the authorities to extend his visa. He is now said to be waiting for a final verdict from the courts after he took legal action on the case.
8. MEDIA EXPRESSES DISAPPOINTMENT AT UNITA'S NEWS CONFERENCE
Journalists and observers have expressed disappointment at a recent Luanda news conference where UNITA vice president Antonio Dembo was widely expected to provide information on when Jonas Savimbi would be coming to town.
On the expiry date of the latest Angolan peace process wind-up timetable, Savimbi who was expected to move to Luanda by April 1, but he once again ignored the schedule and instead sent the vice president whom he entitled "to coordinate all UNITA activities in Luanda".
Vice president Dembo reached Luanda on April 1 along with the movement's foreign secretary Alcides Sakala and two generals. Asked for the reasons why Savimbi had not come after earlier promises to do so, Dembo declined to give details but promised to explain "everything" at a news conference later on.
After the conference took place, according to some of those attending, the reactions were of despair and disappointment. "Always the same game, the same story. With everyone awaiting to hear the good news, he ended up talking a lot but saying nothing at all," a local reporter said.
Another reporter with an independent Luanda-based weekly wrote that "all we heard was Dembo blaming everything on the press and on the government, trying to convince people that UNITA is to blame for nothing".
At the conference, Antonio Dembo was expected to announce dates for the final settling of Savimbi in the country's capital, and for the normalization of state administration at the villages of Bailundo and Andulo in the central region, the present headquarters for UNITA. Dembo accused the press of not conveying a message of peace and national reconciliation to the soldiers especially those out of the control both of UNITA and of the government.
He said that it was because of this that "some of them can hardly believe in the politicians' promises for peace. As a result, they prefer to remain uncontrolled in the bush and ready for disorder". He also said that "we are not saying that there is an army wandering. The press is responsible. It is the press here in Luanda which has been announcing the existence of a phantom army".
9. US$2.3 MILLION FOR EXPO'98
Angola has put at US$2,3 million as its total expenses for the upcoming world fair opening in May in the Portuguese capital of Lisbon, EXPO'98.
Culture minister Mrs Ana Maria de Oliveira recently announced that $700,000 of the total is meant for the construction, decoration and equipping of Angola's 640 square metres stand. The minister has been to Lisbon to formalize the start of works for the Angola EXPO'98 stand which is to display items of ethnography, plastic arts, photography, artifacts and philately.
Angolan music shows, theatre, films and national gastronomy will also be represented. Angola's day at the exhibition will be celebrated on September 17, the country's National Hero Day, the birthday and funeral day of the first president and founder of the nation, the late Antonio Agostinho Neto (1922-1979).
A secular giant southern African typical tree named "embondeiro" has been adopted as the emblem of Angola's participation at the fair. Four samples of this tree have already been shipped from Luanda to Lisbon to be transplanted at the fair stand
where they will be kept after the exhibition is over. 10. MOVIEGOERS CHANGE CINEMA FOR INDOOR VIDEO
Movie going habits in Angola have totally declined over the last ten years mainly because of the liberalization of films distribution and exhibition services. According to the director of EDECINE (the national cinema company), Mr LoureÁo Roque, since the company lost the monopoly over the distribution and exhibition of films in the early 90s their business has become risky and profitless.
Roque was recently quoted by the Luanda independent "Folha 8" bi-weekly as saying that yearly imports of films which until 1990 were 200 have progressively climbed by 100 percent. He said that one of the causes of this is the high costs involved which the company cannot stand due to the drastic dwindling in income from ticket selling.
Filmlovers, both local and resident foreigners are no longer interested in going out for movies because of a massive proliferation of video houses from where cassettes can be hired without any (legal) restrictions on type or nature of the film to be watched. Alternatively, films are also available on different TV channels either on the local television or on foreign ones which are accessed through the satellite dishes spread out all over in the cities.
Because of this, Roque maintains that the state should urgently put an end to this by adopting a clearly defined and more strict cultural policy to help revive EDECINE activity.
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From: AfricaNN@inform-bbs.dk (Africa_news Network) Date: Sun, 26 Apr 1998 17:45:52 +0200 Subject: ANGOLA NEWS ONLINE #13 Message-ID: <1262350334.1313519@inform-bbs.dk>
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