DATE=7/25/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=NAMIBIA / ANGOLA (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-264770
BYLINE=CHALLISS MCDONOUGH
DATELINE=JOHANNESBURG
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Two civilians have been killed in the Kavango
region of northern Namibia in violence linked to the
civil war in neighboring Angola. The Namibian
government is blaming Angolan UNITA rebels for the
attack. But as V-O-A's Challiss McDonough reports
from our southern Africa bureau, a local human rights
group blames the violence on Angolan government
troops.
TEXT: There is no dispute about what happened in the
Namibian border village of Muhopi early Friday morning
(July 21st).
A group of armed men -- who identified themselves as
members of the Namibian special forces --rounded up
the residents, ransacked their homes and forced
several people to walk to the nearby Kavango River,
which marks the border between Namibia and Angola. On
an island in the middle of the river, the gunmen shot
a married couple.
The 34-year-old husband -- shot in the chest -- died
instantly and fell into the water. His badly wounded
25-year-old wife managed to survive and swim to
safety, along with their young child. She remains
hospitalized in the nearby town of Rundu. But the
gunmen later killed another woman in the village, also
throwing her body in the river.
There are conflicting reports, however, about who
attacked the town. It was the latest in a series of
raids that have killed more than 50 people in northern
Namibia since January. Scores more have been maimed
by landmines planted along the border. The Namibian
government has blamed UNITA rebels from neighboring
Angola for most of the violence.
A spokesman (Vincent Mwange) for the Namibian Defense
Ministry told V-O-A the government suspects UNITA
bandits attacked the village of Muhopi as well. He
condemned the killing of innocent Namibian civilians.
But Namibia's National Society for Human Rights blames
the attack on Angolan government forces, who have been
operating in northern Namibia since late last year.
Society director Phil ya Nangoloh says UNITA rebels
have committed atrocities, but he blames most of the
recent killings on Angolan government troops.
/// ya Nangoloh Act ///
In Kavango, only maybe government officials
believe these are UNITA atrocities. People in
Kavango do not buy this at all. They know
precisely what has taken place, and all of the
information that we have so far received is that
these atrocities are being committed mainly by
Angolan forces, with Namibian mercenaries who
they trained.
/// End Act ///
Mr. ya Nangoloh says Angolan troops are targeting
Namibian civilians who speak Umbundu -- the language
spoken by many UNITA members, including rebel leader
Jonas Savimbi -- because of their real or perceived
support of the rebel movement.
/// REST OPT ///
Namibia decided late last year to allow Angolan
security forces to launch attacks against UNITA from
Namibian territory. The Namibian defense ministry
spokesman says the Angola is not battling the rebels
inside Namibia.
But Mr. ya Nangoloh says the rule of law has broken
down in northern Namibia since the Angolan troops
arrived.
/// ya Nangoloh Act Two ///
All the factions that are there, we have been
appealing to them to respect the Geneva
convention and not to violate the rights of
people, whatever their political background or
ethnic affiliation is. But our appeal has so
far been falling on deaf ears. I think it will
not be too long before the people in Kavango
themselves stand up in mass demonstrations to
demand the withdrawal of Angolan forces.
/// End Act ///
The latest report of violence comes just days after
the end of a landmark peace conference in the Angolan
capital, Luanda, sponsored by the Roman Catholic
Church. Protestant and Catholic religious leaders
urged both the government and the rebels to end the
fighting and work toward a negotiated settlement.
(Signed)
NEB/CEM/GE/JP
25-Jul-2000 09:37 AM LOC (25-Jul-2000 1337 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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