Were SA Troops Trapped Inside Angola? Inside * * * * *
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r-'"' ,]I ~ * * * * * Were SA troops trapped inside Angola? Inside * * * * * NOWAK GSHOTS One of seven injured in curfew shooting says no warning shots were fired TWO DIFFERENT versions of a 'curfew shooting' in northern Namibia emerged yesterday. While the headquarters of the SW A Territory Force issued a statement to say that in an inci dent at about 20hOO on Tuesday night, seven people had been injured near Nkongo in the far forth, when they failed to heed warning shots by security forces; Mr Oswald Shivute, Secretary to the Chairman of the Ovambo Administration, said he had spoken to the driver of the vehicle, who denied these charges. The SWATF said in their statement that about 3km west of Nkongo at about 20hOO, security forces had approached a vehicle from the front, and a member of the security forces had jumped into the road to stop the vehicle, but the driver continued. Warning shots had been fired and ignored, and then securi· ty forces had opened fire. They said the· seven occupants of the vehicle had been injured, and taken by military plane to the Ondangua Air Force base where they were being treated. The SWATF added that tlie curfew regula tion in the Sector 10 area was in force from a half an hour before sunset, to half an hour before sunrise, a,nd that it was doing "everything in its power to warn people" of this fact. Mr Shivute told me he had spoken to the driver of the vehicle, Mr Simon Sheiyange, who had told him he and six others were returning from a teachers meeting at Ohangwena, when the shooting occurred. With him in the vehicle was his wife, Hedwig, a school principal; Mr Johannes Shanyangana, a prin cipal of Eenhana Combined School and his wife, Johanna, a teacher; as well as another teacher, Ms Lelia Nghisekwa; and two young students, James Timoteus Ndaameshemwe and Jonas Nghenainye. Mr Sheiyange, driving a new bakkie, said that the time was about 19hOO, when security forces, without warning, he claims, opened fire on their vehi cle from behind. Two of the seven, namely 1\;Ir Shanyangana and the scholar, Jonas Nghenainye, are reported to be in a serious condItion. The driver told Mr Shivute that when the vehicle came to a standstill, everyone had looked at their watches, and the time wag J:9hOO. He added that the s.ecurity forces were even arguing among themselves on the necessity of opening fire on their vehicle. Mr Shivute said that once the injured were discharged, he would take statements from them; and the army statement also confirmed that the police were investigating the incident. (REPORTS from various parts of the world say that South Africa had a number of troops trapped inside Angola behind Fapla and Cuban lines and that this is what motivated it to negotiate for a cease witJ:t Angola Call for vigilance by Swapo and Cuba. South Africa denies the charges. Full report inside today). N A. MIBIANShave been asked not south-western region of Africa." to become too optimistic about The statement listed these as being South Africa's agreement with the ceasefire in Angola; the agreement Cuba and Angola to implement UN to set November 1 as the definite date Resolution 435 here, and to remain for the arri val in Namibia of UNTAG; Unita-D exposes 'terrorist' vigilant at this "crucial stage" of the agreement for South African developments. troops to withdraw peacefully from Making the request wasSwapo, in a ... Angola and the invitation to the UN statement issued from its national Secretary General by the South activities of Savimbi-Unita headquarters in Windhoek. African government to discuss the im· The statement, released yesterday, plementation of Resolution 435. said that developments during the However, Swapo said there were ----------AFRICA NEWS ORGANISATION------____ next 11 weeks would be crucial in pav obstacles whichcouldjeopardise the ing the way for a UN presence inside implementation of the peace plan. SEVERAL former Unita men, who formed the Unita-D (Democratic Unita) movement, Namibia. These were: have exposed the "terrorist nature" of the Angolan anti-government group. A state "During this time, the UN Secretary a) "South Africa could renege on the ment circulated in the Portuguese capital Lisbon this week deals with numerous crimes General will consult with the Securi agreed plans after having withdrawn by ~nita and on the links of its leader, Jonas Savimbi, with South Africa. ty Council and the countries providing her army, still in Angola, to safety the UNTAGpersonnel on deployment south of the AngolalNamibia border; Formed in Lisbon about three Unit a leader of being a dictator \that it has seen the of UNTAG," said the statement. b) Renewed South African military months ago amidst increasing dis and of running a secret organisa "senselessness" of the Angolan It said that members ofSwapo's Polit aggression after September 1, sent within the ranks ofthe ban tion, within the rebel movement, war after the Angolan Govern buro "on the home front" met in Win especially in view of the increased ditmovement, Unita-Discurrent: called 'National Brigade for the ment decided to take part in the dhoek to discuss the latest military build-up underway along the ly led by a former Unit a member, Defence of the State'. developments surrounding the possi AngolalNamibia border; quadripartite talks on peace in ble implementation ofUNSC Resolu Antonia Yamba-Yamba, who was This organisation is charged Angola and independence for c) South Africa frustrating the ef sent by Unita to Portugal earlier tion 435. forts of the United Nations to put into with the task of neutralising all Namibia, and tabled proposals on "It is clear that very important and effect the groundwork required in this year to study at Coimbra Unita members opposed to the internal settlement. encouraging milestones have been Namibia to implement Resolution University. leadership of Savimbi. agreed upon to ensure peace in this 435." 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Pretoria won't renege on the settle become necessary now more than ever Reactions have ranged fromjubila tion of hostilities would extend for the There is some speculation as to ment agreement once iths managed to before to protect group or cultural tion to virtual panic. duration of the period leading to a for whether Mr Pienaar was implying get its men out under a ceasefire." rights, or the rights of the First World . Cabinet ministers in the South mal ceasefire between Swapo and that elections in terms of Resolution However, a spokesman for the SADF community, in the light ofthe possible African-appointed interim govern South Africa in October this year. 435 would not be democratic- although in Pretoria said this week that it was strong Ovambo support for Swapo." ment appeared to 'have divided opi However; the Administrator the resolution provides for free and fair "ludicroJ.ls" to allege that SA troops "Compared to Ovambo, all the other nions -particulady with regard to the General in Windhoek, Mr Louis were trapped in Angola. elections, under UN supervision, on a Pienaar, has warned Swapo that it population groups are minorities," he implementation of UN Resolution 435 Meanwhile, in war-torn northern said. one-man one-vote basis. on November 1 this year. "could expect action taken against it" Namibia, word about the agreement This date was agreed upon by South Mr Pienaar said he would continue Mr Pienaar's desire for ethnic elec ifitcontinues with its "aggression and was slowly filtering through. Africa, Cuba and Angola at the to push for the holding of second-tier tions, however, will probably not be violence against ·the inhabitants of A spokesman for the Ovambo Ad recently-ended round of talks in SWA". (ethnic) elections before implementa realised as the preparation of voters ministration said early this week that Geneva. On that day, the UN Transi This veiled threat against the tion of Resolution 435. rolls alone'would take longer than the most people had not heard about the tion Assistance Group (UNTAG) will organisation surprised observers, who "Local elections can be a demonstra 11 weeks left to November 1 (the date announcement in Pretoria. arrive in Namibia. felt that Mr Pienaar was aiming for a tion that before the implementation of set for the arrival of UNTAG troops). From the moment South African banning order on Swapo. "Something like this takes time. Not F.oreign Minister Pik Botha announc everybody has access to a radio 0, Mr Hamutenya said on Monday that newspaper, especially those thousands ed the agreement in Pretoria at 5pm to prevent incidents of military hostili living in the more remote areas." on Monday, there was an immediate ty, Cuba, Angola and South Africa He added that even those who knew HOPES FOR SOLUTION .ceasefire in Angola.