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Note: This document is from the archive of the Africa Policy E-Journal, published by the Africa Policy Information Center (APIC) from 1995 to 2001 and by Africa Action from 2001 to 2003. APIC was merged into Africa Action in 2001. Please note that many outdated links in this archived document may not work.


Angola: Angola Peace Monitor, Issue number 5
Any links to other sites in this file from 1995 are not clickable,
given the difficulty in maintaining up-to-date links in old files.
However, we hope they may still provide leads for your research.
Angola: Angola Peace Monitor, Issue number 5
Date Distributed: 950605
Issue number 5, 2 June 1995

Published by ACTSA, Action for Southern Africa, on behalf of the
Angola Emergency Campaign

Angolan government releases prisoners

The International Committee of the Red Cross has reported that
the Angolan government has released UNITA prisoners under the
terms of the Lusaka Protocol. (See ACTSA Briefing Paper:
Prospects for Peace and Democracy in Angola, A Summary and
Analysis of the Lusaka Protocol signed on 20 November 1994#)

On 23 May 98 prisoners were released, with a further 110 being
released on 24 May.

Government envoys meet with UNITA

According to reports from the official Angolan news agency,
ANGOP, two Angolan government ministers travelled on 25 May to
Bailundo in the central Huambo province.

Faustino Muteka, minister without portfolio, and his deputy
Higino Carneiro took with them a message for UNITA leader Dr
Savimbi. They held talks with UNITA on 'outstanding military
matters' regarding the implementation of the Lusaka Protocol,
and issues raised during the meeting in Lusaka on 6 May between
President dos Santos and Dr Savimbi. Also discussed were some
'political ideas' on the next meeting between the President and
Dr Savimbi.

Telephone links President to Savimbi

Following the meeting between President dos Santos and Dr
Savimbi on 6 May in Lusaka, a direct telephone link has been
established between the two.

According to ANGOP, Savimbi used the service to contact the
President on 17 May to inform him of the pending visit to South
Africa, and on 20 May to inform him of the outcome of that
visit.

Further troop deployment

The first contingent of infantry troops deployed in Angola under
UNAVEM III arrived on 31 May. According to a report from
Associated Press, 380 Uruguayan infantrymen have arrived.

This follows the arrival in Luanda on 26 May of 87 Portuguese
soldiers specialising in communications. Their task is to
maintain communications links between Luanda and the six UNAVEM
general staffs.

The Brazilian Ambassador to Angola said on 29 May that 1,200
troops from Brazil would arrive shortly in Angola.

Bridges re-opened

The overland convoy to the sixth special meeting of the Joint
Commission, held in Lobito on 18 May co-incided with the
official re-opening of the newly rebuilt Canjala bridge in
Kwanza Sul province.

The bridge was inaugurated by Brito Junior, Minister of Public
Works and Town Planning, and the UN Secretary-General's
Special-Representative in Angola, Alioune Blondin Beye.

The Lucala bridge, 270km east of Luanda, has also been rebuilt,
giving access to the provinces of Malanje, Lunda Norte and Lunda
Sul, Moxico and Uige. This was inaugurated on 28 April.

Joint Commission to meet

The next meeting of the Joint Commission is planned to take
place on 2 June in Negage, in Uige province.

Humanitarian situation

The United Nations has reported that the humanitarian situation
in Angola is improving.

The latest report on Humanitarian Assistance in Angola, from the
United Nations Department of Humanitarian Affairs#, covering the
period 15 - 21 May states in summary that:

As overland access continues to increase, efforts to ensure the
free circulation of persons and goods multiply. On 17 May 1995,
under the initiative of the Special Representative of the
Secretary-General in Angola, Alioune Blondin Beye,
representatives of the Government and UNITA, as well as other
members of the Joint Commission, UN and NGO staff travelled from
Luanda to Lobito in Benguela province. Comprised of over 100
people, this convoy was the first to make this trip since 1992.

Also on 17 May, WHO Representative in Angola, Professor Emmanuel
Eben-Moussi, gave journalists an update on the developments
surrounding the expansion of the virus Ebola that is assailing
populations in Kikwit, Republic of Zaire. WHO-Angola invited
UNICEF to support the Ministry of Health in epidemiological
surveillance as a means of ensuring that concrete preventive
measures are implemented at local level.

In its previous report#, covering the period 8-14 May, the UN
Humanitarian Assistance Coordination Unit in Luanda (UCAH)
stated in its summary that:

On 8 May 1995 the first World Food Programme road convoy from
Luanda to N'Dalatando since 1992 took place, transporting some
357 Metric Tonnes of food aid that World Vision will distribute.
Access to new areas continues to increase through road
reconnaissance missions like the one conducted on 14 May by UN
agencies, UNAVEM and NGOs from Kuito in Bie province to Huambo
by road. Meanwhile, UCAH/CMAO continues through its mine
awareness activities to sensitize populations, particularly IDPs
(Internally Displaced People) returning to their areas of origin
that the mere declaration of roads as mine-free does not imply
that the surrounding areas are also mine-free.

Nevertheless, as the possible repatriation of Angolan refugees
rises on the priority list of humanitarian activities, UNHCR has
started preparations to reopen offices at entry points in Uige,
Zaire and Cabinda provinces. This week UNHCR sent domestic
items, household goods and seeds and tools for populations in
Saurimo, Luau, Cazombo, and Lumbala N'Guimbo.

# indicates that the full text of the document is available from
ACTSA

Published by Action for Southern Africa - ACTSA (on behalf of
the Angola Emergency Campaign), 28 Penton Street, London N1 9SA,
tel +44 171 833 3133, fax +44 171 837 3001, email: actsa@geo2.poptel.org.uk.
The Angola Peace Monitor is being produced fortnightly for an initial period of
three months. It is available by fax or post at a cost of 5
pounds sterling inside Europe or 10 pounds sterling elsewhere.
This initiative was made possible with the assistance of a grant
from W.O.W Campaigns Ltd. - the campaigning associate of War
on Want.


*******************************************************
This material is being reposted for wider distribution
by the Africa Policy Information Center (APIC). APIC's
primary objective is to widen the policy debate in the
United States around African issues and the U.S. role
in Africa, by concentrating on providing accessible
policy-relevant information and analysis usable by a
wide range of groups and individuals.  APIC is
affiliated with the Washington Office on Africa (WOA),
a not-for-profit church, trade union and civil rights
group supported organization that works with Congress
on Africa-related legislation.

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