From NCN News-Wednesday Nov 18, 1998
By Ed Marek
The UN, Organization of African Unity (OAU), and the foreign ministers from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) will meet in Gaborone, Botswana on November 20 to attempt to secure a cease-fire in Africa War I. The plan is that these meetings will precede a summit scheduled for South Africa on December 8. The November 20 meeting has been called by Zambian President Chiluba, who is tasked by the SADC to mediate. He has reportedly invited the foreign ministers from Mozambique, Tanzania, South Africa, and Zambia and the DR Congo rebel leader, Wamba dia Wamba, to the Gaborone meetings. There will reportedly be no representation from the DR Congo, whose ministers instead will attend another ministerial meeting planned for Lusaka on December 6. The Botswana talks will be the first time the DR Congo rebels have been formally invited to attend a regional ministerial meeting. Their presence at this venue will be a formal regional acknowledgement that they must be part of the peace process.
In the case of Zimbabwe, the situation is very serious. Following through on their threat, Zimbabwe's trade unions went on strike around the nation today, the second week in a row in what they promise to be a series of weekly strikes to protest economic decline, poor governance, and the war in the DR Congo. Reuters said Harare's city center was barely functioning, most public transportation was shut down, and soldiers were on patrol in those townships where many workers stayed home. Cris Chinaka reported for Reuters that Zimbabwe's President Mugabe is now under extraordinary pressure to withdraw from the DR Congo and concentrate on his domestic political problems. Chinaka said that Mugabe has wanted to ignore the domestic problem, but the trade unions in the country have spotted a real vulnerability and have successfully exploited it. Zimbabwean political commentator John Makumbe was quoted saying "(Mr. Mugabe) always wants to pretend that everything is okay, abrogating his duties. But today his main problem is the Congo. The unions have brought it to the fore and may see him out of there (the Congo)." Chinaka talked with unnamed government sources who have come to the conclusion Zimbabwe will have to withdraw from the DR Congo. One source was quoted saying "we know we just cannot afford more unrest." There is said to be division within the Zimbabwean cabinet which means there is increasing pressure on Mr. Mugabe to act.
Angola, of course, is coming under increasing pressure from rebel military forces of Jonas Savimbi, who arguably control over 50% of the country and are advancing. Millions of Angolans are being displaced. Angola cannot afford to keep any of its combat forces in the Congo for much longer. |
