DATE=3/10/99
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-42811
TITLE=ANGOLA WAR (PART TWO)
BYLINE=ALEX BELIDA
DATELINE=CAALA, ANGOLA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
/// EDS: THIS IS THE SECOND IN A SERIES OF REPORTS BASED ON
ALEX BELIDA'S RECENT TRIP TO ANGOLA ///
/// PORTUGUESE ACTUALITY SENT TO BUBBLE ///
INTRO: RENEWED FIGHTING IN ANGOLA HAS AGAIN BROUGHT SUFFERING TO
HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF CIVILIANS FORCED TO FLEE THE LATEST
CLASHES BETWEEN GOVERNMENT TROOPS AND REBELS OF THE UNITA
MOVEMENT. V-O-A SOUTHERN AFRICA CORRESPONDENT ALEX BELIDA
VISITED WITH SOME OF THE MOST RECENT DISPLACED VICTIMS OF
ANGOLA'S CIVIL WAR DURING A TRIP TO THE TOWN OF CAALA IN THE
COUNTRY'S EMBATTLED CENTRAL HIGHLANDS REGION, AND HE FILED THIS
REPORT.
TEXT:
/// SOUNDS FROM RAIL YARD IN CAALA - FADE UNDER ///
BECAUSE OF THE WAR, TRAINS DO NOT RUN THROUGH CAALA ANYMORE.
SO THE EMPTY RAIL YARD WITH ITS ABANDONED FREIGHT STORAGE
BUILDINGS AND OPEN TRACK AREAS MAKES A CONVENIENT PLACE FOR AID
WORKERS TO DISTRIBUTE RELIEF SUPPLIES.
/// SOUNDS FROM RAIL YARD UP BRIEFLY AGAIN - FADE UNDER ///
SEVERAL THOUSAND PEOPLE ARE GATHERED HERE, PATIENTLY WAITING TO
GET THEIR HANDOUTS OF MAIZE, BEANS, SALT, AND COOKING OIL. FOR
MANY, IT WILL BE THE FIRST FOOD THEY HAVE HAD IN DAYS AFTER
FLEEING HOMES AND FIELDS IN THE SURROUNDING COUNTRYSIDE. THAT IS
WHERE GOVERNMENT TROOPS AND FORCES OF THE UNITA REBEL MOVEMENT
HAVE BEEN BATTLING IT OUT SINCE LATE LAST YEAR FOLLOWING THE
BREAKDOWN OF ANGOLA'S PEACE PROCESS.
/// SOUNDS FROM INSIDE BUILDING OCCUPIED BY DISPLACED VILLAGERS
- FADE UNDER ///
NOT FAR FROM THE RAIL YARD IS A BATTERED, DUSTY FOUR-STORY
APARTMENT BUILDING WHERE HUNDREDS OF THESE DISPLACED ANGOLANS
HAVE TAKEN TEMPORARY SHELTER. IT IS LITTLE MORE THAN AN
UNFINISHED CONCRETE SHELL. BUT EACH ROOM IS SMOKY AND PACKED --
MAINLY WITH WOMEN AND CHILDREN HUDDLED AROUND OPEN COOKING FIRES.
/// WOMAN'S VOICE ACT ///
THEY SAY THEY ARE HUNGRY.
UP A DIRTY STAIRWELL, ONE ROOMFUL OF WOMEN AND BABIES GREETS A
GROUP OF VISITORS EAGERLY, HOPING THAT MAYBE THEY HAVE SOME FOOD.
SPEAKING THROUGH AN INTERPRETER, ONE OF THE WOMEN SAYS THEY HAD
TO FLEE THEIR VILLAGE 50 KILOMETERS TO THE SOUTH IN JANUARY AS
UNITA REBELS MOVED IN.
/// WOMAN - IN PORTUGUESE / INTERPRETER ACTUALITY ///
SHE SAYS WE HAD TO RUN WITH NOTHING, NO CLOTHES. WE
HAVE ABSOLUTELY NOTHING BECAUSE THEY TOOK IT AWAY FROM
US.
/// END ACTUALITY ///
PERHAPS MORE CRITICALLY, THESE PEOPLE HAD TO ABANDON THEIR CROPS
AT HARVEST TIME. ANOTHER WOMAN SAYS IT IS NOT SAFE TO RETURN
TO THEIR FIELDS TO TAKE IN THE HARVEST BECAUSE THEY MIGHT BE
KIDNAPPED BY THE REBELS.
/// WOMAN - IN PORTUGUESE / INTERPRETER ACTUALITY ///
YOU CANNOT GO AFTER THE HARVEST BECAUSE THEY COME AFTER
YOU AND THEY WILL GRAB YOU SO THEY ARE AFRAID TO GO BACK
TO GET THE HARVEST...
/// END ACTUALITY ///
IT IS NOT ONLY THE REBELS WHO THEY FEAR. ANOTHER WOMAN IN THE
BUILDING SAYS SHE FLED GOVERNMENT TROOPS WHO MOVED INTO THE AREA
TO BLOCK ANY UNITA ADVANCE ON CAALA OR NEARBY HUAMBO, THE
PROVINCIAL CAPITAL 30 KILOMETERS AWAY.
SOLDIERS OF THE NATIONAL ARMY OFTEN HAVE BEEN ACCUSED OF HELPING
THEMSELVES TO FOOD, CROPS, AND OTHER POSSESSIONS OF RURAL
ANGOLANS. BOTH SIDES HAVE ALSO BEEN ACCUSED OF PRESSING MEN,
WOMEN, AND CHILDREN INTO MILITARY SERVICE INVOLUNTARILY.
BECAUSE OF THE UNSETTLED CONDITIONS IN THE COUNTRYSIDE, THESE
PEOPLE ARE NOT GOING BACK. THAT IS PUTTING PRESSURE ON AID
WORKERS AND RELIEF AGENCIES LIKE THE U-N WORLD FOOD PROGRAM, WHO
HAVE STAYED ON TO WORK IN ANGOLA DESPITE THE RECENT DECISION TO
SHUT DOWN THE UNSUCCESSFUL UNITED NATIONS PEACEKEEPING MISSION.
THEIR JOB HAS BEEN COMPLICATED BY THE CUTTING OF MOST KEY ROADS
IN THE CENTRAL HIGHLANDS. BAGGED MAIZE AND OTHER RELIEF SUPPLIES
NOW HAVE TO BE FLOWN IN -- A COSTLY PROCESS THAT ALSO LIMITS THE
AMOUNT OF AID THAT CAN BE DELIVERED AT ANY ONE TIME.
THE AID IS ESSENTIAL. ALREADY CASES OF MALNUTRITION ARE
EMERGING. IN HUAMBO PROVINCE, AID WORKERS ESTIMATE SEVEN PERCENT
OF THE REGISTERED DISPLACED ARE CONSIDERED TO BE SEVERELY
MALNOURISHED. ANOTHER 14 PERCENT ARE "MODERATELY" MALNOURISHED.
WORLD FOOD PROGRAM OFFICIALS SAY THE MALNOURISHED HAVE BECOME
VERY VULNERABLE TO DISEASE, WITH INCIDENTS OF TUBERCULOSIS,
MALARIA, AND MENINGITIS ON THE RISE.
FOREIGN RELIEF OFFICIALS ARE ALREADY PREDICTING A HUMANITARIAN
CATASTROPHE UNLESS DONOR COUNTRIES RESPOND QUICKLY TO THEIR
LATEST APPEALS FOR MORE AID. (SIGNED)
NEB/BEL/JWH
10-Mar-99 5:07 AM EST (1007 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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