8th March 2002

Vol 43 N0 5

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Angola ANGOLA

Death, not peace

After four decades of war, the killing of 'O Mais Velho' Jonas Savimbi makes peace possible but not certain

The government sent a message of reconciliation. After the death in combat of Jonas Savimbi in late February, President José Eduardo dos Santos said the army was working towards local truces, with a view to a general ceasefire. The aim, presumably, is to placate the foreign observers who want the government to focus on development rather than war ­ and perhaps to coax the remaining fighters of Savimbi's União Nacional para a Independência Total de Angola out of the bush and into Luanda politics. There is, the authorities tell them, 'nothing to be afraid of any more'. The necessary compromises could take time to achieve, though. It is by no means clear who will lead UNITA's forces after Savimbi's death. The first post-Savimbi contender, António Sebstião Dembo, has just been killed in unexplained circumstances; some say by the government, others by UNITA rivals. Dembo has not been replaced by the harder line UNITA Secretary General, General Paulo Lukamba 'Gato'. Dos Santos has said it would be absurd for the army to declare a unilateral ceasefire. There are still reports of limited rebel attacks, though it is, as usual, rarely clear whether the attackers were UNITA fighters, renegade government soldiers or 'armed bandits', a vague but comprehensive term. Would-be peacemakers, such as Dom Zacarias Kamuenho, of the Comité Inter-Eclesial para a Paz em Angola (Inter-Church Committee for Peace in Angola, Coiepa), say they are deeply disappointed by Dos Santos' position....

(This article contains approximately 1536 words)

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Keywords:

 Jonas Savimbi, José Eduardo dos Santos, António Sebstião Dembo, Paulo Lukamba, Gato, Zacarias Kamuenho, United States, Chester Crocker, Few options for UNITA, Israel, Portugal, João Miranda, João Lourenço, Armando da Cruz Neto, Galiano da Silva e Sousa, Bula Matadi, Ilidio Paulo Sachiambo, Almeida Ezequiel Chissende, Buffalo Bill, Doris Chipenda, Luanda, s power centres, Helder Vieira Dias, Kopelipa, José Leitão, Fernando Garcia Miala, António Van Dunem, Aldemiro Vaz da Conceição, Fernando da Piedade Dias dos Santos, Nando, Marcolino Moco, Lopo do Nascimento, Bornito da Souza, Desiderio Costa, João de Matos, Manuel Vicente, Noe Baltazar, Carlos Sumbula, Lev Leviev, União Nacional para a Independência Total de Angola, Dom, Comité Inter-Eclesial para a Paz em Angola, Movimento Popular de Libertação de Angola, Forças Armadas Angolanas, Futungo de Belas