DATE=3/9/99
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-42799
TITLE=ANGOLA WAR (PART ONE)
BYLINE=ALEX BELIDA
DATELINE=CUITO, ANGOLA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
///// ED'S: THE FIRST OF A SERIES OF REPORTS FROM BELIDA'S
RECENT TRIP TO ANGOLA /////
///// PORTUGUESE ACTUALITY SENT TO BUBBLE /////
INTRO: RENEWED CIVIL WAR IN ANGOLA HAS AGAIN BROUGHT DEATH AND
DESTRUCTION TO CITIES ALREADY DEVASTATED BY FIGHTING.
CORRESPONDENT ALEX BELIDA RECENTLY TRAVELLED TO ONE SUCH
PROVINCIAL CITY, CUITO, A KEY RAIL AND ROAD JUNCTION ABOUT 550
KILOMETERS FROM THE ANGOLAN CAPITAL, LUANDA. HE FILED THIS
REPORT.
TEXT:
/// AMBIENT STREET SOUND - FADE UNDER ///
IF THERE IS ANY ONE CITY THAT SYMBOLIZES THE MISERY OF ANGOLA'S
LONG AND PAINFUL CIVIL WAR, IT IS CUITO.
ONCE A PICTURESQUE EXAMPLE OF ANGOLA'S COLONIAL-ERA CHARMS, CUITO
IS NOW AFRICA'S DRESDEN -- THE GERMAN CITY RAZED DURING BRUTAL
WORLD WAR TWO BOMBING RAIDS. MOST OF CUITO WAS DESTROYED BETWEEN
1992 AND 1994 IN AN EARLIER PHASE OF ANGOLA'S CIVIL WAR. BUT
WHEN FIGHTING BETWEEN GOVERNMENT TROOPS AND UNITA REBELS RESUMED
LAST DECEMBER AFTER AN ABORTIVE PEACE EFFORT, CUITO SUSTAINED
EVEN FURTHER DAMAGE IN SHELLING ATTACKS THAT LEFT MORE THAN 150
PEOPLE DEAD AND MORE THAN 500 INJURED.
IN A YEAR-END MESSAGE TO THE NATION, ANGOLAN PRESIDENT JOSE
EDUARDO DOS SANTOS PAID TRIBUTE TO WHAT HE CALLED THE HEROIC
RESIDENTS OF CUITO.
BUT THE LONG-SUFFERING RESIDENTS OF CUITO DO NOT FEEL HEROIC.
ALTHOUGH GOVERNMENT TROOPS HAVE FORCED THE REBELS BACK OUT OF
SHELLING RANGE, THEY REMAIN SCARED AND DISPIRITED.
ANTONIO GOMES IS THE VICE GOVERNOR FOR SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC
AFFAIRS FOR BIE PROVINCE, WHERE CUITO IS LOCATED. IN A DARK ROOM
OF THE BATTLE-SCARRED GOVERNMENT OFFICE BUILDING WHERE HE WORKS,
HE SPOKE THROUGH AN INTERPRETER ABOUT THE CITY'S RECURRING
TRAUMAS AND THEIR IMPACT ON THE PEOPLE.
/// GOMES - IN PORTUGUESE - FOLLOWED BY INTERPRETER ACT ///
THERE WAS SUCH A HORRENDOUS TRAUMA -- THE PEOPLE
SUFFERED IN '92 -- THE WHOLE WORLD SAW IT AND THEN AFTER
THAT PEOPLE BEGAN LITTLE BY LITTLE KIND OF BUILDING UP
SOME HOPE. AND THE FACT THAT NOW THEY WERE ONCE MORE
FROM ONE DAY TO THE NEXT BOMBARDED AGAIN, PEOPLE BEING
KILLED AGAIN, IT WAS A MAJOR SHOCK TO THE POINT THAT A
LOT OF THE PEOPLE THAT FLED TO LUANDA, THEY STILL
HAVEN'T COME BACK. THEY'RE STILL RELUCTANT TO START
BUILDING AGAIN FOR FEAR THE WHOLE THING WILL HAPPEN
AGAIN.
/// END ACTUALITY ///
IT IS PRECISELY THAT KIND OF TERROR THAT ANALYSTS FEEL UNITA IS
TRYING TO CREATE WITH ITS ATTACKS ON KEY PROVINCIAL CITIES. NO
ONE THINKS THE REBELS ACTUALLY INTEND TO TAKE AND HOLD THEM. BUT
THE RAIDS COULD BE AIMED PSYCHOLOGICALLY AT STIRRING POPULAR
RESENTMENT AGAINST THE DOS SANTOS GOVERNMENT, MILITARILY AT
PINNING DOWN GOVERNMENT TROOPS IN DEFENDING POPULATION CENTERS,
AND POLITICALLY AT GIVING UNITA A STRONGER BARGAINING POSITION
SHOULD PEACE TALKS EVER START AGAIN.
THE GOVERNMENT SIDE WAS TAKEN BY SURPRISE LATE LAST YEAR WHEN THE
WELL-ARMED REBELS RESPONDED QUICKLY AND AGGRESSIVELY TO AN
ATTEMPT BY ANGOLAN TROOPS TO SEIZE UNITA'S CENTRAL HIGHLANDS
STRONGHOLDS NOT FAR FROM CUITO. GOVERNMENT SOLDIERS WERE
FORCED INTO RETREAT BY THE ADVANCING REBELS WHO, BESIDES CUITO,
ALSO BESEIGED THE NEARBY CITY OF HUAMBO.
SINCE THEN, THE TIDE APPEARS TO HAVE SHIFTED IN THE GOVERNMENT'S
FAVOR. THE REBELS HAVE REPORTEDLY RUN SHORT OF FUEL FOR THEIR
TANKS AND OTHER HEAVY EQUIPMENT.
BY PRESSING A CONVENTIONAL-STYLE WAR, ANALYSTS LIKE RICHARD
CORNWELL OF SOUTH AFRICA'S INSTITUTE FOR SECURITY STUDIES SAY
UNITA QUICKLY BECAME OVEREXTENDED. BUT MR. CORNWELL PREDICTS THE
REBELS WILL EVENTUALLY REVERT TO TRADITIONAL, GUERRILLA-STYLE
WARFARE -- SOMETHING HE SAYS THEY CAN WAGE INDEFINITELY.
/// OPT // CORNWELL ACTUALITY ///
AT THE MOMENT, THEIR (UNITA'S) SUPPLIES ARE OVEREXTENDED
TO A DEGREE BECAUSE OF THE CONVENTIONAL WARFARE THEY'VE
BEEN WAGING. BUT WHEN THEY FALL BACK INTO A GUERRILLA
MODE, AS THEY MUST DO IF THEY WANT TO FIGHT A PROTRACTED
WAR BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT INTERESTED IN TAKING MAJOR
CITIES, MAJOR CENTERS OF POPULATION, WHAT THEY'RE
INTERESTED IN IS BRINGING THE GOVERNMENT TO ITS KNEES OR
AT LEAST TO HAVE IT CRAWL ON ITS KNEES TO THE
NEGOTIATING TABLE, IF THEY GO BACK TO A GUERRILLA WAR,
THEY CAN SUSTAIN IT INDEFINITELY.
/// END OPT ACTUALITY ///
DESPITE THIS, THE GOVERNMENT SAYS IT IS INTENT ON DESTROYING WHAT
OFFICIALS CALL UNITA'S "WAR MACHINE." THEY SAY REBEL LEADER
JONAS SAVIMBI DECEIVED THE ANGOLAN PEOPLE AND THE INTERNATIONAL
COMMUNITY BY USING THE PEACE PROCESS TO REARM. THEY SAY HE
DOESN'T DESERVES A SECOND CHANCE TO SIT AT THE BARGAINING TABLE.
PRESIDENT DOS SANTOS CALLS IT "THE FINAL BATTLE FOR PEACE." A
TOP AIDE PREDICTS IT WILL NOT BE TOO LONG BEFORE THE WAR IS
OVER. IN THE MEANTIME, PEOPLE LIVING ON THE FRONT LINES IN
PLACES LIKE CUITO ARE JUST HOPING TO SURVIVE. (SIGNED)
NEB/BEL/JWH
09-Mar-99 7:35 AM EST (1235 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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