Angola
Angola peace talks in critical phase

afrol News, 26 March  - While the Angolan government gives an optimistic impression maintaining "technical modalities" dominate the ongoing peace talks with the UNITA rebels, a UN report reveals that there is still fighting going on in parts of the country, despite the declared "cessation of all military movements." 

Government and UNITA military commanders ceasefire talks that started on 15 March entered their sixth day today. According to government reports, the talks were dominated by "discussions on technical modalities for the quartering, demobilisation and military integration of the rebel soldiers into the national army." The talks were made possible by the peace efforts after UNITA leader Jonas Savimbi was killed in battle on 22 February.

Government media seek to maintain the positive point of view when reporting from the city of Luena, in eastern Moxico province, where the talks are held. Trust had "gained a momentum" over the last two days, with members of the UNITA delegation "strolling and chatting in a relaxed mood around Luena." Angolan Defence Minister, General Kundi Paihama, on Saturday in Lisbon also stated that the peace process in Angola now was "irreversible." Paihama assured that talks in Luena were running in a positive and promising way towards a definitive peace.

According to General Paihama, there had only been reported two cases of military action since the truce was announced, but his government minimized their importance considering that there only had been a "lack of information" to the fighting elements.

A new report by the UN World Food Programme (WFP) covering the week from 11-18 March however contests this information. It reveals that a number of serious security incidents had taken place in Angola lately, including an armed attack on an airport in the north-eastern province of Lunda Sul. Also, several attacks in the coastal province of Benguela were reported, although these might have been executed by ordinary bandits, WFP assessed.

Meanwhile, UNITA seems to be confirming the government's views that peace talks are moving forward and that there is peace and tranquillity in the country. UNITA spokesman Marcial Adriano Dachala in Luena confirmed that the talks going at "slow, short but safe pace." According to a UNITA communiqué issued yesterday, the rebels together with Angolan army leaders had decided on the areas in which UNITA troops would be quartered in the event of demobilisation.

The UNITA rebels however remain split on the peace talks with the Angolan army. UNITA's foreign representation, based in Lisbon, maintains that General Jose Samuel Tchiwale, who is leading UNITA's delegation in Luena, effectively is a prisoner of the government. General Tchiwale yesterday dismissed these statements, saying UNITA's foreign representation was not well informed about the present situation within Angola. It is believed that General Tchiwale and UNITA's foreign representation belong to two rival blocks in an ongoing power struggle within the rebel movement after the death of Savimbi.

Within Angola, most UNITA rebels seem to observe the general truce, and the incidents reported by WFP do not contradict the fact that most of the country is peaceful. In Minister Paihama`s opinion, "some 10,000 UNITA troops and militias are now respecting the truce, indicating that things are on track judging by the cessation of offensive movements on both sides."

Sources: Based on Angolan govt., press reports, UNITA and afrol archives

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