KWACHA UNITA PRESS KWACHA UNITA PRESSNATIONAL UNION FOR THE TOTAL INDEPENDENCE OF ANGOLA
UNITA
1999- YEAR OF GENERALISED POPULAR RESISTANCE
PRESS RELEASE
The importance of the " Regional Power".
The head of the so-called " Regional Power" and President of the Luanda Government has convened his " provincial governors "meeting with Sam Nunjoma of Namibia ,Laurent Desire Kabila of Congo Kinshnsa as well as Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe. The meeting was held in Luanda under the pretext of studying regional policy and strategy.
It is worth pointing out that by declaring his war on Angola, Jose Eduardo dos Santos had given a period of one week for the destruction of UNITA and its Leadership.
Four months later, however, the Generalised Popular Resistance is at the doors of Luanda, a city which is without water and electric power and where epidemic disease are on the increase because of the non- existence of minimum or basic sanitation. But if the internal situation is difficult for Jose Eduardo dos Santos, the two wars abroad are going from bad to worse in the two Congos where the opposition forces are gaining ground.
Jose Eduardo dos Santos will surely face a negative balance and will have to reflect on the impotence and failures of the " Regional Power", and not the "study of strategies aimed at inverting the present situation in its favour".
Jose Eduardo dos Santos is unable to invert the present situation because, on one hand he is fighting for oil and on the other hand obscure interests. The African people of Angola in the Generalised Popular Resistance are fighting for their own survival as people and culture.The coming days are going to be even more difficult for the Jose Eduardo dos Santos regime.
Bailundo, 7th April 1999
The Secretariat of Information
COMMUNIQUE OF THE PERMANENT COMMITEE OF UNITA'S POLÍTICAL COMMISSION
The Permanent Committee of UNITA's Political Commission met under The chairmanship of Dr. Jonas Malheiro Savimbi to analyse The political and military situation in The country and reached The following conclusions :
1. The current situation in The country is a direct consequence of The war declared by José Eduardo dos Santos on 5th December 1998, whose armed forces continue to use civilian population as a human shield especially in The cities of Malange, Kuito and Huambo.
The UNITA leadership hopes that The International Community will pressure The Luanda Government to allow The civilian population to return to their areas of origin where they have their houses and agricultural fields, thus avoiding unnecessary starvation.
It is The UNITA leadership's conviction that The current humanitarian situation in Angola will only be finally resolved when José Eduardo dos Santos puts on end to The war which he himself begun. However, it is contradictory and inhuman that at The same time it qualifies catastrophic The humanitarian situation, The angolan Government approves a war budget attributing more than half of The state budget to The armed forces and The police at The expense of The social and The humanitarian sectors, in particular.
2. The UNITA leadership is in possession of reliable and credible information according to The which The Luanda government is recruiting mercenaries of various nationalities, especially in countries of The former eastern block and South Africa. Once more, UNITA affirms before The eyes of The world that it does not have mercenaries in it's ranks. If The MPLA captured a mercenary on The side of UNITA it should do whatever it like with him.
In The meantime, UNITA reiterates its position according to which any mercenary captured on The battlefield will be summarily judged by The unit of The Generalised Popular Resistance that captures him.
3. It was with justified surprise that The UNITA leadership followed The latest statements by The Chairman of The United Nation Security Council and The Secretary General of The OUA blaming UNITA for The prevailing situation in Angola Both The UN and The OUA know that it is José Eduardo dos Santos who is responsible for The war situation in The country as he is The one who started it and such irresponsible and emotional statements by officials of this International organisations do not worry UNITA because they simply try to cover up The real problems of The current crisis in Angola.
4. UNITA has never opposed dialogue as a way of resolving problems. In The meantime, it is worth recalling that it was José Eduardo dos Santos who closed The door to dialogue
with UNITA preferring violence. Until José Eduardo dos Santos decides to resume The way of peace, UNITA will defend itself with all means at its disposal.
Bailundo, 30th March 1999
The Permanent Committee
COMUNIQUE OF THE PERMANET COMMITEE
OF
UNITA'S POLITICAL COMMISSION
1. José Eduardo dos Santos's irresponsible decision to plunge once more our country into war with particularly devastating characteristic is causing sacrifices to the angolans that could have been avoided if the Luanda regime was willing to have genuine national reconciliation.
For this very reason , it is a fundamental task of genuine angolan patriots to join forces in order to find the best ways of bringing together the belligerent parties to dialogue which is the only rational way of ending contradictions.
2. In this context, the UNITA Leadership appreciates in due value and feeling statements made by the archbishop of Luanda, cardial D. Alexandre do Nascimento, in a portuguese daily newspaper on 29th March 1999, on the possibility of the catholic church mediating the angolan conflict.
It is worth pointing out, in the meantime, that a peace initiative by the church is welcome as long as it is not based on the logic of the mass by D. Zacarias Kamuenho, on 14th March 1999 in which he assumed himself as an active MPLA militant.
Bailundo, 31st March 1999
The Permanent Committee
COMUNIQUE OF THE PERMANENT COMMITEE OF UNITA'S POLÍTICAL COMMISSION
In its defensive actions against José Eduardo dos Santos's aggression, The Generalised Popular Resistance carried out The following actions in diverse areas of The country in The period between 20th March to 30th March 1999.
In The light of this, The Permanent Committee of UNITA'S Political Commission makes
public the most relevant data of this operations :
1 - Zaire province:
-On 26th March, a detachment of Government forces was attacked and destroyed at Manga Grande, 55 kms north of N'Zeto municipality. On the same day, a military vehicle was attacked and destroyed 21 kms east of the oil municipality of Soyo.
2 - Bengo Province:
-On 21st March, the town of Zenza do Itombe, situated 110 kms east of Luanda city, was liberated. The action resulted in destruction of four military lorries.
-On 30th March, the town of Kassualala and Tonha Chiri farm, 130 and 76 kms east of the city of Luanda respectively were simultaneously liberated. A military truck was also attacked and destroyed 30 kms east of the city of Caxito.
3 - Malange Province:
-On 24th March, the town of Kamatende, 4 kms South-west of Malange city was liberated and the 73rd which was deployed 17 kms east of the same city dispersed. Notable among those killed was the regiment's commander Lieutenant colonel Filipe Bernardo Saumba.
-On 26th March, the 4th tactical grouping of 73rd regiment stationed at Kalandula municipality, destroyed the bridge over the Lukala river, 9 kms east of the same municipality with the aim of impeding the advance of the Generalised Popular Resistance forces. On the same date, the Generalised Popular Resistance forces attacked and destroyed a military truck transporting war material to José Eduardo dos Santos's forces was attacked and destroyed.
-On 29th March, Lutete Commune, situated along the Malange/Kakuso road was liberated.
-On 26th and 29th March, José Eduardo dos Santos's detachments in Malange city, namely the police station in Maxinde suburb, the military barracks of the operational command in the Kanambue compound and the 15th regiment stationed at SONANGOL.
4 - Lunda Norte Province:
-On 25th March, in an attempt to impede the advance of the Generalised Popular Resistance forces, José Eduardo dos Santos's forces destroyed the bridge on the Lui river on the Malange/kuango road.
5 - Bié Province:
-On 21st March, the town of Kangala, 44 kms west of Kuito city.
-On 23rd March, a detachment of the 2nd Grouping was dispersed 1,5 kms south-west of Vouga/Kunhinga city, as well as the 1st from Partido Dose, Partido Treze 5 kms and 10 kms respectively west of Kunge (Gare), respectively. The town of Chipeta, 24 kms east of Kuito city was also liberated.
-On 24th March, the 10th grouping deployed at Trumba town, 14 kms Northeast of Kunge (Gare) municipality was dispersed.
-On 25th March, Generalised Popular Resistance forces anti-aircraft hit a Mig-23 fighter jet while it was trying to bomb its forces on the outskirts of Kuito city.
-On 26th March, a military convoy travelling from Huambo to Bié was attacked and destroyed on the Kangala/Chinguar road resulting in the destruction of a T-62 battle Tank and 2 kamaz military transport trucks.
-On 30TH March, the municipality of Chinguar and Seilunga commune situated 8 kms Northeast of Kunje (Gare) municipality were liberated.
6- Huambo province:
-On 20th March, the Generalised Popular Resistance penetrated CUCA industrial center 5 kms from Huambo city centre resulting in destruction of a military truck and 2 battle Tanks.
-On 23rd March, a military truck was destroyed on the Bela Vista/Vila Nova road.
-On 26th March, a military convoy travelling from Huambo to Bié was attacked resulting in the destruction of 3 Kamaz military transport trucks and 3 T-62 battle Tanks.
-On 30th March, José Eduardo dos Santos's destroyed all the bridge across the Kutato river which give access to the town of Bela Vista in a bid to impede the advance of the Generalised Popular Resistance forces.
7 - Benguela province:
-On 21st March a detachment and company of José Eduardo dos Santos's forces deployed in the Chikandula suburb 2 kms south-west of Ganda municipality were dispersed.
-On 23rd March, 12 trucks carrying military logistics from Huambo to Benguela were attacked and destroyed on the Chimboa/Kalondende road. In another operation carried out on the same day, military convoy attacked on the Benguela/Huambo road, on the same stretch, resulting in the destruction of ten military vehicles.
-On 26th March, seven military trucks transporting troops was attacked and destroyed on the Lobito/Kanjala road.
-On 29th March, 21 military trucks were attacked and destroyed on the same stretch of road.
8 - Kwanza Sul Province:
- On 21st March, Generalised Popular Resistance forces attacked and destroyed detachment of José Eduardo dos Santos's forces in the Kassenje suburb on the outskirts of Ebo municipality.
During the period referred above, Jose Eduardo dos Santos's forces suffered the following losses :
- 424 soldiers killed
Destruction :
6 t - 62 battle tanks
7 SAU-100 tanks equipped with self-propelled 122 mm canons
9 BMP-2 armoured assault vehicles
6 BM21 multiple rocket launchers
3 vehicles equipped with 23 mm anti-aerial canons
69 military trucks
1 MIG-23 fighter jet
Material captured
5 T-62 tanks
14 BMP-2 assault vehicles
3 SAU-100 tanks
8 kamaz troop transport trucks
4 23 mm canons
A large quantity of lethal material including ammunition and shells of various calibre.
Bailundo, 1st April 1999
The Permanent Committee
COMUNIQUE OF THE PERMANET COMMITEE
OF
UNITA'S POLITICAL COMMISSION
The humanitarian situation in Angola can only be considered as catastrophic and dramatic
by the Eduardo dos Santos regime since it is using the civilian population which it concentrates in the population centres under its control against it will as a human shield.
1 - José Eduardo dos Santos, would like, through this strong campaign over the humanitarian issue, to sensibilize the donor community to give him food assistance which is consequently deviated to his armed forces and police who are experiencing extreme hunger. Proof of this are the various attacks which there forces systematically carry out on the various road in the country on vehicles transporting foodstuffs.
2 - By reiterating its vehement appeal to the civilian population to return to their areas - municipalities and communes - origin, the UNITA leadership is encouraging and supporting this return as is already happening in Bié, Huambo and Malange were an average of 5.000 people era daily with drawing. With this patriotic attitude the population is courageously showing its rejection of the inhuman condition under which José Eduardo dos Santos regime submits it. UNITA has set up structures to readily welcome and house then besides food security which the countryside provides, since cereals and other plants which are the basic food crops of the population are now mature and ready for harvest.
Bailundo, 1st April 1999
The Permanent Committee
COMUNIQUE OF THE PERMANET COMMITEE
OF
UNITA'S POLITICAL COMMISSION
In the course of their defensive actions, the General Popular Resistance Forces liberated on 1st April the strategic town of Pungo Andongo, 82 km west of Malange and 13 km North of Kapanda Hydroelectric project. In their flight, José Eduardo dos Santos's forces left behind 36 soldiers killed.
Two T-55 tanks were destroyed and three lorries used for the transporting of troops and several war materiel were captured.
On the same occasion, the following material was captured :
- 0185 mm cannon
- 02 B-10 cannons
- 07 RPG-7 rocket propelled grenade launchers
- 11 Castor rifles
- 35 AKM machine guns
- Lots of grenades and ammunitions of various calibre.
As long as Eduardo dos Santos does not return to reason and cease his actions that sacrifice the genuine people of Angola, the Generalised Popular Resistance Forces will improve their Organisation and fortify their combative capability.
Bailundo, 2nd March 1999
The Permanent Committee