DATE=1/26/99
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-42439
TITLE=ANGOLA/CONFLICT
BYLINE=ALEX BELIDA
DATELINE=N'DALATANDO, ANGOLA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: THE CONFLICT IN ANGOLA IS OFTEN REFERRED TO AS ONE OF
AFRICA'S "FORGOTTEN WARS." FIGHTING HAS GONE ON FOR SO MANY
YEARS AND SO MANY EFFORTS TO HALT IT HAVE PROVED FUTILE THAT FEW
PEOPLE OUTSIDE OF ANGOLA REALLY BOTHER TO PAY MUCH ATTENTION ANY
LONGER. V-O-A SOUTHERN AFRICA CORRESPONDENT ALEX BELIDA REPORTS
FROM A "FORGOTTEN CITY" IN THIS "FORGOTTEN WAR."
TEXT: IN THIS MORE THAN THREE-DECADE-OLD FORGOTTEN WAR, THERE
ARE A HOST OF WHAT ARE, ESSENTIALLY, FORGOTTEN CITIES -- PLACES,
OUTSIDE OF THE ANGOLAN CAPITAL, THAT NEVER MAKE HEADLINES AND
WHOSE RESIDENTS' PLIGHT, GO ALL BUT UNNOTICED.
ONE SUCH CITY IS N'DALATANDO, ABOUT 200-KILOMETERS EAST OF
LUANDA. IT IS THE GOVERNMENT-HELD CAPITAL OF CUANZA NORTE
PROVINCE.
TO BE TRUTHFUL, IT IS NOT MUCH OF A CITY. THOUGH SOME
BUILDINGS LOOK RENOVATED, MOST STILL SHOW SIGNS OF HEAVY BATTLE
DAMAGE FROM EARLIER BOUTS OF ANGOLA'S CIVIL WAR. MANY STRUCTURES
REMAIN ROOFLESS. A FEW ARE JUST COLLAPSED PILES OF SHATTERED
CONCRETE.
BUT PEOPLE STILL LIVE HERE -- ABOUT 100-THOUSAND OF THEM -- AND
THEIR NUMBERS HAVE SURGED AS FIGHTING HAS SPREAD IN RECENT WEEKS
BETWEEN GOVERNMENT SOLDIERS AND THE UNITA REBELS. MORE THAN
45-THOUSAND ADDITIONAL PEOPLE HAVE SOUGHT SANCTUARY IN
N'DALATANDO AFTER FLEEING HOMES IN THE LUSH SURROUNDING
COUNTRYSIDE.
/// PORTUGUESE LANGUAGE ACTUALITY, FADE UNDER ///
ONE OF THEM IS 34-YEAR-OLD SEBASTIAO DOMINGUES. AS UNITA FORCES
MOVED INTO THE AREA AROUND HIS HOME (IN BULA ATUMBA)
50-KILOMETERS TO THE NORTH IN DECEMBER, HE FLED WITH HIS WIFE AND
FOUR CHILDREN. HE SAYS THEY HAD A GOOD LIFE ON RICH, PRODUCTIVE
FARMLAND, BUT NOW ALL THEY OWN HAS BEEN DESTROYED.
36-YEAR-OLD FRANCISCO TOMAS SANTOS AND HIS FAMILY HAD TO ABANDON
THEIR FARM NORTH OF N'DALATANDO TO ESCAPE THE FIGHTING AS WELL.
HE SAYS IT IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THEY HAVE HAD TO FLEE BECAUSE
OF WAR.
LOOKING TIRED AND DEJECTED, THE TWO MEN SAY THEY JUST WANT PEACE.
BUT ASKED WHEN THE FIGHTING WILL EVER END, MR. DOMINGUES SAYS
WITH A SIGH -- ONLY GOD KNOWS.
// MORE PORTUGUESE ACTUALITY, FADE UNDER //
THEY AND OTHERS LIVE IN A CAMP FOR DISPLACED PERSONS, A
COLLECTION OF MUD-WALLED HUTS WITH STRAW ROOFS ON THE OUTSKIRTS
OF N'DALATANDO. THEY SAY THEY FEEL SAFE HERE. BUT THERE ARE
INDICATIONS THEIR SENSE OF SECURITY IS NOT SHARED BY LOCAL
GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AND AID WORKERS.
SOME FOREIGN AID WORKERS HAVE BEEN EVACUATED WHILE THOSE THAT
REMAIN NO LONGER GO MORE THAN A FEW KILOMETERS OUTSIDE THE CITY
LIMITS FOR FEAR OF AMBUSH OR ATTACK.
AS FOR THE GOVERNMENT, ITS SECURITY FORCES ARE DIGGING FRESH
BUNKERS AND SETTING UP SANDBAGGED MACHINE GUN EMPLACEMENTS ON THE
POTHOLED MAIN STREETS IN ANTICIPATION OF AN ASSAULT BY UNITA.
THE PRESENCE OF ARMED CIVILIANS AT ROADBLOCKS SUGGESTS
AUTHORITIES ARE BOLSTERING THEIR DEFENSES BY ONCE AGAIN PASSING
OUT WEAPONS TO MEMBERS OF THE GENERAL POPULATION.
THE REBELS HELD N'DALATANDO FOR TWO-YEARS DURING THE LAST PHASE
OF ANGOLA'S CIVIL WAR. IT OCCUPIES A STRATEGIC POSITION ON THE
ROAD BETWEEN LUANDA AND MALANGE CITY, WHICH IS CURRENTLY UNDER
REBEL ATTACK. THOUSANDS OF MALANGE RESIDENTS ARE PASSING THROUGH
N'DALATANDO ON RAMSHACKLE TRUCKS AND BUSES, MAKING THEIR WAY TO
THE OCEANSIDE ANGOLAN CAPITAL.
SIMILAR DISPLACEMENTS HAVE TAKEN PLACE BY THE TENS-OF-THOUSANDS
AROUND ANGOLA FOLLOWING THE OUTBREAK LATE LAST YEAR OF RENEWED
FIGHTING THAT HAS SHATTERED A U-N BACKED PEACE EFFORT.
THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY AND THE ANGOLAN GOVERNMENT BLAME
UNITA FOR THE BREAKDOWN, CHARGING THE REBELS FAILED TO HONOR
THEIR COMMITMENTS UNDER A 1994 PEACE AGREEMENT TO DISARM AND
DEMOBILIZE. INSTEAD, THEY APPEAR TO HAVE USED THE LAST
FOUR-YEARS TO REBUILD THEIR FORCES, IMPORTING NEW TANKS, ARMORED
PERSONNEL CARRIERS AND LONG-RANGE ARTILLERY. ALL THIS DESPITE
INTERNATIONAL SANCTIONS AND THE PRESENCE OF U-N PEACE MONITORS.
BUT DIPLOMATS AND ANALYSTS SAY THE FUNDAMENTAL PROBLEM IN ANGOLA
REMAINS THE DEEP MISTRUST BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND UNITA -- AND
AN ABIDING RIVALRY BETWEEN PRESIDENT JOSE EDUARDO DOS SANTOS AND
UNITA LEADER JONAS SAVIMBI.
IT IS A NO WIN SITUATION WHICH SOME ANALYSTS THINK MAY ONLY BE
RESOLVED WHEN THE TWO MEN DIE. UNTIL THEN, THOUGH, THE REAL
LOSERS WILL REMAIN THE FORGOTTEN PEOPLE LIKE THOSE LIVING IN
FORGOTTEN ANGOLAN CITIES LIKE N'DALATANDO. (SIGNED)
NEB/BEL/RAE
26-Jan-99 7:32 AM EST (1232 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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