News and Views from Southern Africa BAOBAB Volume 5 Number 1 February/March 1996 UNITA attacks reported in Namibia Primary school ordered to accept black Angola's ambassador in Namibia has warned that there have students been several incidents ofassaults by UNITA on Namibians. On February 16th, in the first class-action ruling since South Ambassador Garcia Bires said on 2 December that there had Africa's transition from apartheid that addresses the issue ofschool been a "wave ofassaults" along the border, where UNITA desegregation, a Supreme Court judge ordered an all-white public were attacking Namibians, stealing their cattle and other school in a conservative rural community located 160 miles north belongings. UNITA troops were crossing the border by the ofJohannesburg to admit black children that it had tried to prevent Cuango River, and the activities were mainly between Kuando from enrolling. Kubango and Rundu in Namibia. (Angola Peace Monitor, Governrnent officials said they may deploy police or soldiers 12118195) to ensure the safety of the three new students. The children range in 8 to 13 years ofage. Their application to enroll was denied by SA and Mozambican defense deal the school's white governing body, and their family's home was South African Defense Minister Joe Modise spoke at a recent vandalized and sprayed with graffiti. The judge also ordered the signing ceremony with his Mozambican counterpart, Aguiar Potgietersrus Primary School to admit at least 18 other children Mazula. They signed a letter ofintent to lift landmines in who had been turned away, and to pay the legal costs of the black Mozambique. The defense agreement signed also covers mili­ parents. All but 30 of the 600 white children have been removed tary training, combined exercises, military intelligence and by their parents from the school to protest the enrolment ofblack coop~ration in military medical services. (Reuters, 216196) children. (Boston Globe, 2110-17-27196) Beloved Leader Jean Sindab Dies In this issue: See tribute on page 10 Angola Peace Monitor 2 & 3 Anti-Apartheid Scholar and Activist Apartheid army tied to poaching 4 SA. government land reforms 4 Harold Wolpe Dies Panel on War Effects on Children 5 The Mozambique Solidarity Omce extends its Angolafrom the Ground Up 6 deepest sympathy and regards to the family and UNESCO: Mozambique needs human rights culture 6 friends ofHarry Wolpe. We wish it to be noted that Land to Stay with the State 6 BookReview 7 & 9 many in the US anti-apartheid movement and the Blurbs & Quotes 9 general anti-racism movement were his students and colleagues. Renowned anti-apartheid activist and scholar Harold Wolpe died Friday, January 19, 1996 after a short illness. Wolpe, famous for his 1963 escape from Pretoria's maxi­ mum security prison, wrote one ofthe definitive analyses of USAID threatens food aid to apartheid in 1972 entitled "Capitalism and Cheap Labor: Mozambique from Segregation to Apartheid." In 1989 he authored the The United States Agency for International Development even more comprehensive work, Race, Class and The (USAID) asserted in mid-January that 1,407 tons of American­ Apartheid State. At his death he was involved in the nation­ purchased yellow maize had been stolen during the year from al commission for restructuring higher education and had Maputo's port Mozambican port authorities disputed the figure co-authored with Elaine Unterhalter and Thomzamile Botha saying that around 500 tons were missing. In response, USAID, a pivotal collection ofessays, Education in a Future South Mozambique's biggest food aid honor, said that unless concrete Africa: Policy Issues for Transformation." (Southscan, steps were taken to reduce theft at the Mozambican ports, it would & 1126196 Guardian Weekly, 1128196) no longer finance commercial food deliveries through the Mozambican port system. (Southscan, 1126196) Angola Peace Monitor· Vol. II, Issue 4, 12/18/95 UN Secretary-General warns of slow UNAVEM face opposition progress The Secretary-General of the United Nations reported to the Security Council (S/1995/1012) that "a propaganda campaign Even before UNITA withdrew from quartering its troops the was launched against UNAVEM ill in the Provinces ofUige and Secretary-General of the UN in his report (S/1995/1012) had Benguela, apparently with the encouragement, or at least the stated his concern that "for both political and logistical reasons, connivance, of both parties. Hostile demonstrations were held at this process is almost one year later than intended and is pro­ the UNAVEM ill regional headquarters in Uige and, in a ceeding at a very slow pace; on 1 December 1995, those who had Government-controlled radio programme, the population of the reported for cantonment of Vila Nova numbered only 363 and province was urged to 'prepare for war' against UNAVEM ill. In the Government complained that they were 'boy soldiers' with separate incidents on 24 and 25 October, UNAVEM ill and unserviceable weapons". UCAR convoys were detained and subject to harassment by ANGOP, the official Angolan News Agency, reported that UNITA". the regional commander ofUNAVEM ill warned in late October In a further incident, on 12 December, a dozen Zimbabwean that the quartering process in Uige Province could be delayed blue helmets had their weapons and vehicles stolen from them by owing to the poor participation ofUNITA. Apparently UNITA UNITA elements. There have also been reports of UNITA had agreed at a meeting of the Joint Commission to provide 500 besieging Brazilian soldiers in Andulo in Bie Province. men to pitch tents, but only 80 had turned up. According to the Brazilian Ambassador in Angola, one of the The United Nations Humanitarian Assistance Co-ordination complaints by UNITA which led to UNITA taking action against Unit in Luanda (DCAR) has reported that "it is important that the Brazilian troops was that during a religious service a UNITA starts being fully involved in the self-construction pro­ Brazilian had repeatedly referred to Judas, which UNITA saw as grammes for the families in the quartering areas as planned for a direct reference to Savimbi. the commencement of the quartering phase". Washington visit marks closer relationship The fIrst official visit to the United States by a Head of State of the Republic of Angola took place in early December, marking an enormous improvement in relations between the two coun­ ~ tries. Previous US administrations had given large scale support _.-._.,,>: ....---- to the anti-government UNITA organisation. President Jose Eduardo dos Santos arrived on 7 December, and met with congressmen and senators. On 8 December he met with President Clinton for three hours. Policy makers, investors and other interested parties also turned out in large numbers to hear the Angolan leader at the influential Centre for Strategic and International Studies. However, the visit to the United States UNITA restarts quartering troops as was not without controversy. The Secretary-General of the UN deadline approaches United Nations, Dr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali canceled a planned On 19 January UNITA leader, Jonas Savimbi, pledged to confIne meeting with President dos Santos in New York because of the 16,500 troops by 8 February, which also marks the anniversary Secretary-General's "schedule". ofthe creation ofUNAVEM ill. UNITA's conference increased the pledge to 20,000, as long as UNAVEM could provide the necessary logistics. The Baobab Notes is a bi-montlzly publication oftlze UNITA had suspended the confInement of troops on 4 MOZJlmbique Solidarity Office (MSO). We started December 1995 following military clashes between Government publishing in 1988 and continue to provide relevant infor­ and UNITA troops around the town of Sumba in the northern mation on Southern Africa. For more information please province ofZaire. contact us at: The confmement of troops restarted on 17 January at the 6 Goodrich Rd. #2, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130, USA. Tchikala-Tcholohanga assembly areas (formerly Vila Nova) in tel. (617) 983 2239 orfax (617) 983 2240. the central Huambo province. The South African Press email: [email protected] Association (SAPA) reported on 25 January that a total of 693 soldiers had been quartered. Estimates of the total number of Editorial Staff: Karin Candelaria, Jenny Dalzlstein, Heeten UNITA troops vary widely. SAPA reports that UNITA have Kalan, Janet MacLean, Prexy Nesbitt. 63,000 troops. One unconfIrmed source in Luanda reported to ACTSA that Feedback and donations are always welcome and appreci­ UNITA officers have received orders to demobilise a whole ated. Please see the subscription form in this issue for sub­ brigade, including heavy armour. scription rates. Baobab Notes, February/March 1996, Page 2 Angola Peace Monitor · Vol. II, Issue 5, 1/29/96 UNITA annual conference agrees to UN Committee on UNITA arms continue with peace process admits failure UNITA has confmned that it will continue with the implementa­ The UN Committee established to oversee the implementation of tion of the peace process, but with new conditions for its contin­ the arms embargo against UNITA has admitted that its effective­ ued participation. UNITA decided that it will participate in the ness is dependent upon the cooperation of the states concerned. Government structures agreed under the Lusaka Protocol, which The Committee was set up to monitor the mandatory sanc­ gives it the following positions: tions against UNITA relating to the sale or supply of arms and 4 cabinet ministers, 7 deputy ministers, 6 ambassadors, 3 related material, as well as of petroleum and petroleum products. provincial governors, 6 deputy provincial governors, 20 munici­ It ~so had the task ofreporting violations to the Security Council pal administrator, 25 deputy municipal administrators, 45 com­ and to make observations and recommendations. In its report, munal administrators. dated 17 January, the committee stated that its activities had been UNITA has stated that it will only join the Government ifa to: common platform to deal with the social and economic crisis can - send letters on 15 November 1993 to Botswana, Congo, be agreed.