Angola
Angola at the crossroads

afrol News, 7 March  - Oxfam International yesterday warned that the death of UNITA leader, Jonas Savimbi, does not necessarily bring the end of suffering and war in Angola. "Angola is at a crossroads; peace is one option, but the country could just as easily descend into fresh bloodshed if the right moves are not made now." 

Oxfam’s Angolan Country Representative, Fred Kumah is currently in New York to give evidence to the UN Security Council about the harsh conditions faced by millions of Angolans who do not have access to even the most basic humanitarian assistance and protection. 

Mr. Kumah said: “The death of Jonas Savimbi brings new opportunities for peace in Angola, and could herald a new era. But everything is up in the air. What is urgently needed now is for the government to immediately help the millions of people stranded by war, and to declare a genuine ceasefire which will hopefully lead to the end of this brutal conflict.”

The civil war has claimed 1 million lives since the beginning of the conflict, and nearly one-third of the population – 3.8 million - have been displaced. The humanitarian situation in the country is acute, and the tactics of both UNITA and the government have led to 500,000 people being displaced this year alone. In Bie province, where Oxfam is working, an average of 7,000 people have fled their homes every month since July 2001, the humanitarian organisation informs. 

- Access to displaced and stranded populations is also a critical issue, Oxfam states. "Relief agencies can only reach a tiny percentage of the country. In conflict-ridden areas, where it has been too insecure for aid agencies to operate, the government is responsible for providing assistance, but this has been at best insufficient and at its worst, non-existent." 

The most basic needs of the people of Angola could be paid for by Angola's immense natural resources, such as diamonds and oil. "However, little of this money actually reaches the people who need it most," Oxgam holds. Secrecy surrounding the oil industry prevents the Angolan people from monitoring the revenues it brings in and reaping the rewards. This needs to change.

Mr Kumah said: “Angola earns US$ 3-5 billion a year from natural resources, and yet every three minutes an Angolan child dies from a preventable disease.” 

Mr Kumah today spoke to the UN Security Council, along with representatives from Human Rights Watch, Medecins Sans Frontiéres (MSF) and Save the Children Fund.

Sources: Oxfam and afrol archives

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