Angola Peace Monitor no.2 vol.VII
Published by ACTSA
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UN Sanctions Mechanism under pressure to deliver
The United Nations Monitoring Mechanism created to crack down on violations
of sanctions against the UNITA rebel-movement of Jonas Savimbi has warned
“it is clear that international dealers are still prepared to flout
sanctions and buy diamonds from UNITA”. However, it states that “it is
generally accepted that the sanctions, combined with military factors on the
ground, are seriously hampering UNITA’s capacity”.
The Monitoring Mechanism presented an interim report to the President of the
UN Security Council on 24 October, but diplomatic sources have criticised
the report for lacking clarity over its information gathering strategy,
warning that the report focuses too much on diplomatic efforts. It is now
facing strong pressure to gather more information and evidence linking
governments and individuals to sanctions busting to deliver in its full
report, due in mid-December.
In March 2000 the United Nations published a groundbreaking report by the
then Canadian Ambassador to the UN, Robert Fowler, on how UNITA had built up
a formidable arsenal in return for rough diamonds. The report was the result
of a six-month in-depth study by a Panel of Experts, and made far-reaching
recommendations on action which should be taken against sanctions violators.
The report named two serving presidents and a vice-president who were said
to have actively supported sanctions busting.
However, in April the UN effectively decided to defer the action called for
by the report (except work on conflict diamonds, taking place through
separate channels), and in its place set up a mechanism for monitoring and
enforcing sanctions. Behind the scenes at the United Nations there were
strong denials by countries named in the report, backed by powerful
interests – including France – who argued that there was insufficient
evidence to back up its claims. There are fears that there will be pressure
on the Mechanism to avoid controversy in its own report.
This led to the Security Council making the compromise of setting up the
Monitoring Mechanism on Angola Sanctions, which was to report by 18 October,
following which the Security Council would review the implementation of
sanctions on UNITA, including considering new sanctions on UNITA and on
third parties involved in smuggling.
However, the panel was not appointed until July, and August is a notoriously
unproductive month in the northern hemisphere. The deadline for the final
report has now been set for 10 December, cutting the group’s research down
to five months instead of the planned six.
The interim report warns that UNITA is still illegally mining diamonds
inside Angola, and that it is still able to sell these diamonds on the
international market. It is understood that not only African intermediaries
countries, but Tel Aviv and Antwerp will come under the spotlight of its
investigations in coming weeks.
The report also warns that several countries may have recently violated
sanctions, although it does not name them. The Mechanism has met with
government representatives in South Africa, Togo, Burkina Faso, Cote
d’Ivoire, Rwanda, Uganda, Namibia, Botswana, Russia, Ukraine, Bulgaria and
Romania. Amongst a range of visits to other countries is a particularly
significant one to Zambia – still a key centre for sanctions-busting which
got off lightly in the Fowler Report.
The report states that it has sought the cooperation of INTERPOL, the
international police network, in identifying UNITA’s links with organised
crime. It is also engaging experts to look at UNITA’s financial holdings.
The report warns that Rwanda, Uganda and Burkina Faso have not implemented
any diamond control mechanism but that Togo had issued an executive order
banning the diamond trade with UNITA.
The Mechanism has investigated arms shipments to UNITA, and states that
Bulgaria, Ukraine, and Romania have strengthened their arms embargo.
However, by looking at information received by countries importing arms and
comparing it with information from exporting countries, the Mechanism has
spotted “very serious discrepancies” on shipments from 1996 to 1999. In
other words, large arms shipments were not reaching their formal
destination, but were being diverted to UNITA.
The Monitoring Mechanism is developing profiles of arms dealers, air
transport companies and insurance firms underwriting planes suspected of
violating sanctions.
It is also investigating how the ban on UNITA offices and travel of its
senior personnel is being bypassed. The report states that “the report of
the Panel of Experts underlines the very close links between the different
aspects of UNITA’s military and strategic procurement, its diamond dealings
and financial operations and the ability of UNITA personnel to travel and
conduct business abroad. The Mechanism cannot over-emphasise the importance
it attaches to this analysis and to the implementation of the sanctions
against UNITA representation and the travel of UNITA personnel. The
Mechanism would argue that these sanctions are even more important today,
due to the present situation in Angola”.
In particular, the Mechanism raises the issue of the “Commissao de Justica,
Paz e Reconciliacao em Angola” which is a suspected UNITA front with offices
in Portugal, Italy and Ireland, and has Joffre Justino, Adalberto da Costa
Junior and Leon Dias as its representatives.
The interim report highlights the fact that, according to a former UNITA
member, 56 officials and their families said to have been expelled from Togo
have in fact only been moved to the outskirts of the capital Lome during the
summit of the Organisation of African Unity.
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International campaign against blood diamonds gathers pace
The international campaign by diamond producers, polishers and traders,
governments and non-governmental organisations has been broadening its base
in the run-up to the creation of an international treaty requiring a full
audit trail from the diamond mines to the jewellers.
African nations have been leading the campaign to secure a formal world-wide
binding inter-governmental agreement to crack down on the trade in conflict
diamonds through a global certification scheme, and this has come to be
known as the Kimberley process (see APM no.1, vol.VII).
On 25 October an inter-governmental conference took place in London with the
aim of broadening support for the certification scheme to countries that
were not already part of the Kimberley process. The meeting brought in
Russia, Venezuela, Brazil, Australia which were not previously involved.
The meeting did, however, show cracks in the coalition, with South Africa
only sending a representative from its High Commission. This was not a
matter of disagreement over substance, but reflected the annoyance of a
number of Southern African countries over what they perceived to be
arrogance in the British Foreign Office. In their view, it had been agreed
at the previous meeting in Pretoria that the next inter-governmental meeting
should follow a South-African-sponsored resolution at the UN General
Assembly endorsing a global certification scheme. The South Africans
considered that the British were, not for the first time, trying to hijack
what was an African initiative.
The General Assembly is due to meet on 13/14 November and it is expected
that a resolution will be adopted at a later date. There will be a technical
level meeting in January or February in Windhoek to carry the process
forward.
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Action against blood diamonds makes mark
There are indications that the international campaign is starting to limit
UNITA’s ability to sell diamonds, at the same time as the Angolan army is
making it difficult for UNITA to continue mining the gems; though
significant sales still continue.
In a sign that the embargo is beginning to hit UNITA, the rebel organisation
has broken its silence to deny the effectiveness of international efforts to
stop them reaching the market.
In the Portuguese newspaper “Publico” on 27 October UNITA’s
Secretary-General, Lukamba Paulo “Gato” said that UNITA controls half of
Angola’s diamond production.
This was in response to an Angolan government assertion that UNITA had been
driven out of all diamond producing areas. On 24 October an Angolan
government source told the official news agency, ANGOP, that Angola no
longer produces and exports conflict diamonds.
Gato’s statement also marks a stepping-up of public relations efforts by
UNITA. Gato’s interview by satellite telephone was the second of the week,
having previously been interviewed by Associated Press. During that
interview he stated that UN sanctions were ineffective and that “we are
selling as many diamonds as we want”.
However, this is at odds with statements by UNITA’s representative in
Lisbon, Adalberto da Costa Junior who on 6 September told a press conference
that the rebels only had control of a “tiny part” of the diamond business.
In a country as large and diamondiferous as Angola, it is nigh on impossible
to completely regulate diamond mining. In its report to the UN Security
Council, the Monitoring Mechanism on Angola Sanctions warned of reports from
the Angolan government itself that UNITA continued to mine. There have also
been reports of significant sales by UNITA via Zambia on to South Africa.
UNITA is also thought to have a large stockpile of diamonds, most of which
are said to be with Jonas Savimbi at all times.
The Angolan government is currently licencing artisanal diamond miners to
strengthen the audit trail. Diamonds produced outside of this licensing
system will not have access to the sole diamond buyer in Angola, ASCORP.
This creates another barrier to UNITA to overcome if it wishes to sell
diamonds inside Angola.
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UNITA retreats over Zambian and DRC borders
The Angolan army, FAA, has made further advances against troops loyal to
Jonas Savimbi. The offensive along the border with Zambia seems to have been
almost completed, and attention is now being diverted to the border with the
Democratic Republic of Congo, DRC.
On 25 October Zambia’s Defence Minister, Chitalu Sampa, told Reuters that
Angolan troops appeared to have displaced UNITA fighters from their
positions close to the west and north-west of Zambia.
The United Nations Commission for Refugees, UNHCR, has opened a new refugee
centre in Zambia for the 264 UNITA fighters who have fled Angola. The camp
is located away from the border to make it harder for the troops to rejoin
the fighting.
Meanwhile, further fighting has been reported along the Angolan border with
DRC. In mid-October FAA took control of the border town of Lubalo and a
string of other villages, in Kuilo district, Lunda Norte province.
On 31 October the UNHCR warned that 18,000 refugees were massed on the
border with DRC following heavy fighting. According to the UNHCR the
refugees were mostly civilians but also included UNITA fighters.
The inclusion of UNITA fighters in the fleeing group suggests that UNITA is
being pushed out of its few remaining areas of control in the province.
Whilst UNITA is failing to hold onto territory under its control, it
continues to kill civilians in an attempt to make the country ungovernable.
On 18 October gunmen attacked two buses and a car, killing dozens of people.
According to Radio Ecclesia one of the buses was burnt with the passengers
inside. The attack took place at Andurie, about 120km east of Luanda on a
convoy travelling from Luanda to N’Dalantando, Kwanza Norte province.
This attack followed another on a truck carrying thirty people in Dongo,
Huila province. During the attack seven were killed and 20 injured.
Air crash enquiry
Investigators are also looking into the air crash on 31 October in which 48
people were killed. An Antonov 26 aircraft burst into flames just after
taking off from the town of Saurimo, in the north-east of the country.
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IMF reviews economic reform
A mission from the International Monetary Fund visited Angola from 9 – 19
October to undertake a mid-term review of the implementation of the Angolan
government’s “Staff Monitored Programme” (see APM no1, vol.VII).
According to a report by ANGOP the IMF team and the government reviewed key
measures adopted to stabilise and stimulate the national economy as well as
to progressively eradicate poverty.
The Angolan government stressed its intention to continue the reforms
regarding the reduction of inflation and stabilising the exchange rate.
A new round of talks is due to take place in November.
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UN extends UNOA mandate for further six months
The UN Security Council on 16 October voted to extend the UN Office in
Angola, UNOA, for a further six months until 15 April 2001. The decision
follows the recommendation of the UN Secretary-General in a report to the
Security Council on 10 October (S/2000/977).
In that report Kofi Annan warns that since January 1998 the total number of
internally displaced persons, IDPs, has risen by 2.7 million. Many thousands
of other people have fled to neighbouring countries.
The burden on humanitarian organisations has continued to rise, with
approximately 1.1 million of the IDPs registered to receive assistance. The
Secretary-General states that over the previous three months 59,000 people
have been uprooted in 13 provinces, the largest movements occurring in
Benguela, Bie, Lunda Sul, Huambo, Moxico and Uige.
The report points out that “in a positive development, the Government of
Angola continued to relocate populations living in unsustainable camps and
transit centres to new resettlement sites. The introduction by the
Government of minimum operational standards for resettlement and return,
specifying both preconditions and targets, was a major step forward,
establishing a clear and principled framework for future relocations”.
The Secretary-General reported that the WFP food pipeline has improved, and
that food requirements were covered until the end of November. Subsequent
reports state that the European Union has donated 14,000 tonnes of maize and
1,300 tonnes of oil, valued at $10.5 million and this has ensured supplies
up until January. However, the WFP warns that it is only able to deliver
13,000 tonnes of food per month compared with its own target or 17,000
tonnes.
In another positive development, the Secretary-General states that over the
last three months “significant actions were taken by the Government to
improve the human rights situation. Salaries for magistrates were increased
in an attempt to provide a dignified and appropriate remuneration. Two of
nine municipal courts in Luanda began rehabilitation work with the support
of the municipal administrator”.
The judicial system continues to be perilously weak, and “a recent study by
a Church group with support from the Human Rights Division in one of the
largest shanty towns in Luanda confirmed that citizens turned to private
vigilante justice more frequently than to accepted forms of conflict
resolution such as the use of a community elder or religious authority and
least frequently to the justice system. A survey of public opinion done by
an Angola research institute in cooperation with the Prosecutor General’s
Office and a local non-governmental organisation with the support of the
Human Rights Division indicated that well over 65 per cent the population
surveyed knew their rights but indicated a lack of confidence in the ability
of government institutions to respect such rights”.
The report warns that “less than 5 per cent of Angola’s municipalities have
a fully functioning justice system including a municipal court”.
On the question of human rights abuses, the report points out that UNITA
attacks on civilian targets have been systematic, and highlights UNITA’s
attack on an orphanage in Huambo province on 10 July in which one child was
murdered and 21 abducted.
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UNITA doctor defects
Jonas Savimbi’s personal surgeon, Aurelio Joaquim Tchissoca, surrendered to
government authorities on 11 October. According to Tchissoca, he had been a
lieutenant in Savimbi’s army until a few years ago.
He is the latest in a long line of people close to Savimbi who have been
welcomed by the government. Most of Savimbi’s closest military, political
and medical aides have now either left him or have been killed by their
former leader.
At the beginning of October television showed a former UNITA soldier, Manuel
Tito, allege that on 25 April the senior military figure in UNITA, General
Altino Sapalalo “Bock”, was hanged at Tchanjo in Malange province.
Bock had been UNITA’s army chief-of-staff and was considered a hardline
militarist within the movement. However, his downfall came when he failed to
lead the capture of Kuito in 1998, when government forces managed to destroy
UNITA tanks on the road towards the city.
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Funds promised to combat sleeping sickness
The Angolan government has announced that it is to release $3 million to
combat trypanosomiasis, sleeping sickness (APM no.12, vol.VI).
The Institute for Trypanosomiasis Control is set to launch a National
Strategy for the Eradication of Sleeping Sickness, and two teams have been
set up. There is one group who will work in hospitals and a mobile team that
will tour the regions to curb the spread of the disease.
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Brussels conference looks at sanctions busting
Namibia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Tuliameni Kalomoh spoke of his
“indignation and frustration when we recall the complete lack of political
resolution by the international community to implement sanctions against
UNITA”, at a Comite d’Afrique Australe conference in Brussels on 28 October.
Former Angolan foreign minister Paulo Jorge supported his call also for
African countries to “look inward” to expose those collaborating with
sanctions-breaking. Kalomoh outlined recent measures by his government to
stop trade with UNITA across Namibia’s northern border.
But senior Belgian officials defended their government’s recent record on
measures against conflict diamonds for the key international market in
Antwerp.
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The Angola Peace Monitor is produced every month by ACTSA – Action for
Southern Africa.