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afrol News, 8 January - The former UNITA rebels, turned politicians, have apologised to Angolans for the suffering their participation in the Angolan civil war had caused. UNITA's party Secretary for Political Affairs, Abilio Camalata 'Numa', said the ex-rebels assume responsibility for "the errors committed during the conflict." Mr Camalata was speaking on state owned National Radio (RNA) on Monday, addressing the citizens of the war-ravaged nation that finally found peace after UNITA leader Jonas Savimbi was shot dead early last year. UNITA signed a ceasefire with the Angolan government in April and has since turned into a political party. Speaking on RNA, the UNITA spokesman underlined that "UNITA made the war and assumes responsibility for much of the errors produced during the armed conflict, because many lives were lost and nobody can pay for a life. And UNITA assumes responsibility for that many lives were lost as consequence of this war." According to the UNITA secretary, it was "within this framework that UNITA comes forward before the people to beg for pardon because many lives were lost." Mr Camalata made himself completely clear: "We assume responsibility for our errors. We ask for forgiveness for the period of war that in this country endured since 1975", he stressed. Mr Camalata however maintained that the war had been "a political project" for the UNITA movement, and also had to be understood in this context. UNITA however had had its internal problems, "as other political parties," which caused many of the errors Mr Camalata was referring to. UNITA had started out as one of the guerrilla groups fighting for independence in Angola, as did the ruling party, the MPLA. The civil war between pro-Western UNITA and the Marxist-oriented MPLA started immediately after independence in 1975. While UNITA at first had a liberal political orientation and was supported by the West, it gradually degenerated to become a militia fighting for the control over Angolan diamonds and other resources and mainly being supported by South Africa's apartheid government. This is not the first time that UNITA leaders apologise to the Angolan people, however. In an interview in May 2002, General Lukamba 'Gato' - one of UNITA's most prominent military leaders - confirmed "the need for Angolan leaders to apologise" to the people. He himself gave the example by telling Angolans: "Forgive us" - on a foreign media, in English, however. Sources: Based on Angolan govt., press reports, UNITA and afrol archives
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