- Human rights organisations have become increasingly concerned that Angolan government pressure to enforce a peace deal it brokered with oil-rich Cabinda's splintered secessionist movement may stoke political tensions. Many Cabindan groups are against the peace deal.
According to Vegard Bye, Head of the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR) in the capital, Luanda, "the government has made it clear that it would crack down on those who don't accept the peace deal."
The Angolan government said it had been in discussions with Cabinda's secessionist movements since March, and in August signed a peace treaty with António Bento Bembe, a former leader of the Front for the Liberation of the enclave of Cabinda - Armed Forces of Cabinda (FLEC-FAC). Mr Bembe claims to represent the Cabinda Forum for Dialogue (FDC) - the representative body of the enclave's secessionist movements that include civil society groups, Catholic Church representatives and FLEC.
According to Virgilio Fontes Pereira, Angola's Minister for territorial administration and co-signator of the agreement, "We have sealed the end of hostitliies in the last territory still in war ... antagonism, political conspiracy and military confrontation now give place to frank and open dialogue." The President of Angola's national assembly, Roberto de Almeida, added: "Cabinda had a conflict that has been overcome by patriotism and dialogue between all parties involved."
However, the deal has not been recognised by the majority of FDC and FLEC members. "There has been no understanding with the major part neither of FLEC, nor of the civilian dialogue movement [FDC]. The peace process did not make a serious effort to get everyone on board," the UN's Mr Bye told the UN media 'IRIN'.
In a reaction to the peace agreement, UNITA, Angola's main opposition party, released a statement saying: "To find a durable solution, the talks should include all [active] forces in Cabinda, including [FLEC's veteran] leader, Nzita Tiago, [excluded from the current process]. The option of excluding some sectors and leaders of Cabinda, and calling on convenient [negotiating partners] may not contribute to the solution desired by everyone."
Raul Danda, a member of the FDC and head of Cabinda's only human rights group, Mpalabanda, was arrested on Friday while on medical leave from his employer, international oil conglomerate Total-Fina-Elf. He remains in custody and "on Monday was interrogated for 10 and a half hours - he has a health problem, and that is a concern," Mr Bye said.
In an interview with 'IRIN' last month, Mr Danda maintained that Mr Tiago [currently in exile in Paris], was unaware of a peace deal with Luanda, and said Mr Bembe had no authority to negotiate on behalf of FLEC. "Mr Tiago is the only one who could get the soldiers to stop fighting, and even the soldiers themselves have said they do not recognise the agreement," he commented.
Shortly after the group Mpalabanda was officially banned in July - it is appealing the decision - the Angolan military raided the NGO's headquarters and the home of its president, Agostinho Chicaia.
A demonstration by about 30 people against Bento Bembe and the detention of Mr Danda, at which police fired into the air to disperse the protestors, were reported on Friday.
The peace accord was "denounced by all Cabindan factions," said Jonathan Levy, an international lawyer representing FLEC-FAC and "the Republic of Cabinda's government in exile".
On Monday, Mr Levy filed "an urgent request for intervention" on behalf of FLEC-FAC with the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights (ACHPR), an African Union (AU) body responsible for promoting and protecting human rights throughout the continent, citing "an Angolan grab for disputed oil and mineral resources, and the growing threat of an all-out war."
According to Robert Eno, officer-in-charge at the ACHPR secretariat, "This is a very rare case because it concerns the right to resources, but these are rights that are covered in the AU's charter."
Mr Eno said the request would be presented at the next ACHPR meeting in November, but warned that any outcome would not be legally binding. "We can make recommendations, request the [Angolan] government to investigate, and to engage in dialogue. This will depend on the goodwill of the government."
Mr Levy said that since the agreement "Angola has assured foreign companies that the untapped mineral and oil-rich onshore regions of Cabinda are now safe for exploitation", but that "firms have been warned [by the rebels] not to enter [FLEC held] territory, which has essentially remained untouched since the Cabindan conflict began in 1975."
Cabinda, a sliver of land sandwiched between Congo Brazzaville and Congo Kinshasa, produces 60 percent of Angola's oil. Separatists claim the enclave has its own distinct and separate history and culture being an autonomous Portuguese colony, and was illegally occupied by Angola's ruling MPLA government at independence in 1975. Cabinda by now is internationally recognised as part of Angola.
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