Angola's Woes - Part XIII

Continued from Part XII

The Turbulent 90s

A year of negotiations held under the auspices of the Portuguese government, with the United States and the former USSR as observers, ended in the signing of the Estoril peace agreement in May 1991. The agreement provided for a cease-fire to be monitored by a joint political and military committee comprising representatives from the MPLA-PT, UNITA, the UN, Portugal, the USA and the USSR. Following the cease-fire a new national army was to be established composed of equal numbers of FAPLA and UNITA soldiers, the end of outside military assistance to the two parties, the restoration of government administration in rebel-controlled areas, the release of political prisoners and POWs and free and fair multi-party elections to be held by the end of 1992.

The MPLA promulgated laws guaranteeing freedom of expression, assembly, demonstration and association. Under the press law, private newspapers and magazines were published for the first time since independence. By law, the state would protect foreign investment and foreign property. The cease-fire took effect, according to plan, on 15 May, despite an intensification of FAPLA and UNITA activities before that date. On 31 May, the government and UNITA formally ratified the Estoril peace agreement. Numerous small parties emerged in the wake of the reforms. Among the most influential of these were the Assoção Cívica Angolana, which was expected to deflect votes from the MPLA-PT and the Fórum Democrático Angolano, which was viewed particularly as a rival to UNITA for electoral support. In early 1991, UNITA began the process of obtaining registration as a legal political movement.

Legislation approved by the national people's assembly in May stipulated that political parties must enjoy support in at least 14 of Angola's 18 provinces, in order to discourage the emergence of ethnically-based political movements. This measure operated to the disadvantage of the Frente de Libertação do Enclave de Cabinda (FLEC), a secessionist movement seeking independence for the Cabinda province. At the end of September Savimbi returned to Luanda for the first time since the civil war began in 1975; UNITA headquarters were transferred to the capital from Jamba in October 1991. In November 1991, dos Santos announced a provisional date for general elections.

To be continued...