In this morning's news:
Angola News Roundup
January 10, 1999
LUANDA - 1. DE BEERS WARNED OF LOSS OF CONTRACT: The Angolan government recently warned of rescinding their
contract with the world's leading diamonds trade multinational "De Beers" if investigations currently in progress confirmed any
involvement of the firm in illegal business with Angola's UNITA rebels of Dr Jonas Savimbi.
A senior official with the state owned "ENDIAMA" diamonds company said the government was seeking the authenticity of a
report released last month by the British human rights organization "Global Witness (GW)" in which De Beers is accused of
buying large quantities of diamonds from UNITA in violation to a UN Security Council sanction banning such transactions.
GW says in the report that between 1992-1998 De Beers bought from UNITA rebels up to US$ 3.7 billion in diamonds in a
business which has clearly helped Savimbi's efforts to organize a new war in Angola.
Officials in Luanda believe that the business has involved even larger amounts of money. It is said that besides controlling most
of the richest mining sites in the traditional northeast part of country, UNITA had also discovered new and huge diamond areas
in the central and southern regions of the country, namely in the provinces of Bie and Kuando-Kubango.
2. MONUA TOLD TO PREPARE FOR DEPARTURE
Clearly disappointed at an apparent UN incapacity to intervene for peace, Angolan government authorities have advised the
United Nations Observer Mission (MONUA) to get ready to leave the country.
A government spokesman announced on January 5 that an official letter had been sent to MONUA asking them to call all their
personnel in different provinces back to Luanda and prepare for the departure.
"We told MONUA to concentrate all their personnel in Luanda for security reasons. This will facilitate their repatriation since the
current mandate of the mission is expiring on February 26", spokesman Higino Carneiro said.
3. UN WRESTLING BIG FOR ACCESS TO PLANE CRASH SITES
With investigations into former UN mediator Alioune Beye's plane crash almost shelved, the United Nations is now struggling for
help from Angolan warring parties to trace the remains and possible survivors of two UN chartered C-130 aircraft recently
wrecked in the central highland Huambo province.
UN under Secretary general for defence and Security affairs, Mr. Sevan Bennon arrived on January 4 for investigations into the
wreckage widely believed to have occurred in UNITA controlled areas.
The first crash occurred on December 26 shortly after the plane took off from Huambo towards Saurimo city, in eastern part,
and the second took place on January 2 also on leaving Huambo.
The UN is looking for a ceasefire to send an inquiry team to the two spots and work on accessing to eventual survivors. Stating
that in both cases the wreckage occurred in battle areas controlled by UNITA forces, the government has promised to provide
all information concerning the findings available on the case".
But spokesman Higino Carneiro however told reporter because it is a military operations zone and there is combat there, a
ceasefire "is unthinkable".
For their part, UNITA's secretary general Mr. Paulo Lukamba "Gato" says that they have not been contacted by anyone from
MONUA in connection with the issue. "He (MONUA chief Issa Diallo) has got all our necessary contacts including phone and fax
numbers, but we have heard nothing", Gato said. Diallo, however, denied that had such addresses.
During the central highland battles, another two Angolan Russian-made Antonov-12 aircraft were also allegedly shot down by
UNITA in an incident which left no survivors. But total silence from all directions has been the single reaction so far.
(The story goes on about other items.)
A point I brought up a while back, that Angola's wealth is being used against it's own people, is also in today's news.
PHIL |
