While all eyes of the media were trained on the peace ceremony between the Angolan Government and UNITA, the news that troops from the newly reconciled parties were immediately re-deployed to Cabinda went unreported. On 28 Feburary this year, President Eduardo Dos Santos admitted the possibility of organising a “consulta- tion” of all Angolans on the future status of Cabinda.

Notwithstanding this apparently friendly attitude, it appears Dos Santos wants to physically wipe out all opposition in Cabinda prior to any form of consultation. Given that an estimated 90% of the population is in favour of outright independence, this assumes an elevated body count.
Already, 10 000 government troops and 5000 UNITA troops have been sent to Cabinda and sources from Cabinda report an increase in confrontations.

The aim of the Angolan Government is to destroy the strongholds of the Cabinda Armed Forces (FAC). The latter have been resisting in the forests covering much of the territory for over twenty seven years, ever since “decolonisation”.

Although the FAC is militarily weak in terms of arms and manpower, and are limited in operation to defending their territory, they are strongly motivated and enjoy broad support of the population. Under fire, they have also proved a resilient opponent capable of driving back their better armed opponents.

The consequence is that the frustrated Angolan forces have increasingly taken retribution on the civilian population. On 17 April 2002, 2 men, 4 women and 4 children from the village of Kissungo were added to the list of an estimated 50 civilian casualties, killed by the Angolan army during the current year. The Cabinda liberation movements have appealed for an open dialogue with the government of Angola in order to avert the continued victimisation of the Cabindan population.

It is unlikely the Angolan government will change its current objectives without sustained pressure from the international community.

Cabinda Press Watch

General Themudo Barata, last Portuguese governor of Cabinda has revealed correspondence between himself and Admiral Rosa Coutinho, then governor of Angola, confirming the latter’s alliance with the MPLA (prior to independence).

The document, dating from November 1974 was sent by Rosa Coutinho to allegedly block contacts being made by Barata, under President Spinola´s orders, to convoke a meeting with a FLEC delegation in Lisbon. (SIC News Agency, 26 February 2002)

“Despite earning around US$ 3-5 billion from oil last year (an estimated 87% of state revenue), social and economic development in Angola has continued to deteriorate…Rising oil revenues have been diverted straight into parallel budgets of the shadow state. Information emerging from economists involved in the analysis of Angola’s oil sector suggests that up to US$ 1.4 billion in revenues comprising almost a third of state revenue is unaccounted for the year 2001..

Global Witness’ investigations into the missing revenue culminated in uncovering how top government officials now make money out of a highly over-priced military procurement process and benefit financially from almost every item consumed in the war against UNITA.”

(All the Presidents’ Men. The devastating story of oil and banking in Angola’s privatised war. Global Witness Report, March 2002.)