UNAVEM II mandate extended; UNITA condemned for endangering peace process.

UNITA condemned for endangering peace process

The Security Council on 1 June extended until 15 July 1993 the mandate of the UN Angola Verification Mission (UNAVEM II) on a reduced basis and in a manner which would respond to the evolution of the military and political situation.

It condemned the National Union for the Total independence of Angola (UNITA) for increasing hostilities and endangering the peace process in the country. In resolution 823 (1993), the Council on 30 April had extended the Mission's existing mandate until 31 May

In unanimously adopting resolution 834 (1993), the Council reiterated its readiness to act promptly, at any time within the 45-day mandate extension authorized on 1 June, to expand substantially the UN presence in Angola in the event of significant progress in the peace process. Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghaii was asked submit before 15 July his recommendation on a further UN role in the Angolan peace process.

The Council strongly appealed to the Angolan Government and in particular to UNITA to re-initiate as soon as possible the interrupted peace talks under UN auspices, with a view to the earliest possible establishment of a cease-fire throughout the country and the full implementation of the 31 May 1991 Peace Accords, signed in Bicesse, Portugal, near Lisbon. The Government's disposition to reach a peaceful settlement in conformity with the Accords and pertinent Council resolutions was welcomed.

The most recent round of direct peace talks between the two parties began on 12 April and ended on 21 May in Abidian, Cote d'Ivoire. On 25 May, the Secretary-General had reported (S/25840) that the breakdown of the talks "marked a major and tragic setback to the peace process" in Angola.

Accept the results

The Council, in resolution 834, reiterated its demand that UNITA accept unreservedly the results of the 1992 democratic elections and abide fully by the Accords. it deeply regretted UNITA's refusal at the Abidian talks to agree to its troop withdrawal from occupied locations and demanded that it do so.

Holding UNITA responsible for the breakdown of the talks thus jeopardizing the peace process, the Council reaffirmed that it would consider all appropriate measures under the UN Charter to advance the Accords' implementation. States were urged to refrain from providing any form of military assistance or other support to UNITA.

Welcoming steps taken by the Secretary-General to strengthen UN humanitarian activities in Angola, the Council reiterated its appeal to both parties to abide strictly by international humanitarian law, including the guarantee of unimpeded access for humanitarian assistance to the civilian population in need. it also reiterated its appeal for measures to ensure the security and safety of personnel involved in humanitarian relief operations.

Elections in Angola were held on 29 and 30 September 1992. UNAVEM, originally established by the Council in December 1988 to oversee withdrawal of Cuban troops from Angola, monitored the four-month electoral process. The UN had certified the elections as "generally free and fair".

In the elections, Angolan President Jose Eduardo dos Santos, who heads the governing Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA), received 49.57 per cent of the votes, while UNITA President Jonas Savimbi obtained 40.07 per cent. The remainder was divided among nine other candidates. (Angolan electoral law requires a 50 per cent majority for victory. Messrs. dos Santos and Savimbi, the two leading contenders, should, under those rules, a runoff.) In the parliamentary elections, the MPLA received 53.74 per cent of the total vote and UNITA, 34.1 per cent.

Hopes |lie in tatters'

In his 25 May report and a 27 May addendum (S/25840 and Add.1), the Secretary-General stated that the reduced Mission would be made up of 50 military observers, 18 police observers, 11 medical personnel, 40 international civilian staff and 75 local staff.

The prospect that faced Angola was more grave than ever, the Secretary-General said in his report. The hopes that followed the Accords' signing "lie in tatters". War again engulfed almost the whole country and had penetrated many towns that had survived unscathed during the earlier years of fighting. Angolan, who had suffered from continuous war for over three decades, had to contend with even more intensified conflict.

UNITA's insistence on absolute parity in the simultaneous movement and quartering of government and UNITA troops - rather than just those of UNITA - was the main obstacle to progress in the negotiations, he reported. Despite strenuous last-minute efforts to resolve the problem, the talks were suspended.

A further intensification of the suffering of the Angolan people seemed tragically inevitable as the war continued, he said. The two sides must agree to an emergency plan for the delivery of humanitarian aid, involving land and air corridors.

Given increasing reports and mutual accusations of massive human rights violations, both parties must respect their responsibilities under international humanitarian law. He also expressed deep concern at the level of physical and verbal attacks on UNAVEM II personnel.

Stating that it would be unthinkable for the UN to abandon Angola at this critical juncture, the Secretary-General called for concerted efforts by the international community to bring the Angolan tragedy to an end.

In view of the deteriorating humanitarian situation, he asked for increased resources in support of the Emergency Humanitarian Programme that was put into effect on 1 May. He stressed the need to ensure the security of relief personnel and urged President dos Santos and Mr. Savimbi to respond positively to humanitarian efforts in various parts of the country.

Deteriorating situation

On 28 June, the Secretary-General told the summit meeting of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) in Cairo that the collapse of the Bicesse Accords following UNITA's refusal to accept its defeat at the polls had plunged Angola back into civil war. The small UN force authorized under the UNAVEM II mandate was wholly unsuited to intervene in the fierce resumption of hostilities.

According to Mr. Boutros-Ghali, the deteriorating political and military situation in Angola, the collapse of the joint monitoring and verification groups provided for under the Accords, and the evacuation of most UNAVEM II sites had drastically reduced the Mission's observation and verification functions, which formed its mandate's main part. UNAVEM II, therefore, was concentrating efforts on liaison activities and on assisting the delivery of humanitarian relief to the civilian population.

The Secretary-General stressed that the humanitarian situation in Angola remained "very grave". Health services, market structures and food production efforts had largely collapsed. It was estimated that more than 2 million Angolans were suffering from hunger, drought and disease. Reports had indicated that over 1,000 people a day were dying from malnutrition and other factors associated with the war.

To address those grave problems, Mr. Boutros-Ghali said, the UN had launched a $226-million consolidated inter-agency appeal for Angola. However, providing humanitarian relief under present conditions remained "a daunting challenge". Humanitarian assistance continued to be delivered to both government- and UNITA-controlled areas, albeit with great difficulty and often at significant risk to UN personnel involved. UN flights had been fired upon by UNITA forces and aid relief workers had been attacked throughout the country. Although the collapse of the Abidian talks left little room for optimism, the UN would continue to provide humanitaria relief while working to achieve a cease-fire and a resumption of the peace process.

On 26 June, the Secretary-General met in Cairo with Angolan Foreign Minister Venancio de Moura. Later that day and on 27 June, he met with President dos Santos to discuss the situation in Angola and UNAVEM II's efforts to bring the parties once more to the negotiating table.

Persistent tension

In a statement by Council President Yuliy Vorontsov of the Russian Federation, the Council also said it should remain seized with the situation and take further appropriate steps to support the peace process in Angola.

On 27 May, the Secretary-General announced (S/25882) he had reluctantly agreed to release Ms. Anstee from her responsibilities. Subsequently, he appointed Alioune Blondin Beye, former Foreign Minister of Mali, as his Special Representative for Angola, effective 28 June.

On 7 April, the Secretary-General had expressed deep concern over the "vicious attacks" against Ms. Anstee's "integrity and personality", aired on the UNITA radio station Vorgan, accompanied by threats against her life. He reiterated his unequivocal support for Ms. Anstee's efforts to restore the peace process and to carry out UNAVEM II's mandate under extremely difficult conditions.

On 12 April, it was reported that UNITA said the editorial comment in the Vorgan broadcast did not represent Mr. Savimbi's views.

Earlier extension

In extending UNAVEM II's mandate under resolution 823 from 30 April until 31 May the Council condemned the attacks against international humanitarian flights operating in Angola and demanded that those attacks cease immediately

On 27 April, the Council said it was deeply concerned by the report on the shooting down the day before by UNITA forces of a World Food Programme Antonov-12 plane which was on a humanitarian mission. Council President Jamsheed K. A. Marker of Pakistan said the Council strongly condemned "this outrageous hostile act against the civilian airplane".

On 8 June, the Council also strongly condemned the attack by UNITA forces on 27 May against train carrying civilians that resulted in the death of 225 pers the wounding of several hundred. in a statement by Council President Juan Antonio Yanez-Barneuvo of Spain, it demanded that UNITA immediately cease its armed attacks and stressed that those responsible must be held accountable.

On 21 May, the Department of Humanitarian Affairs launched the Inter-Agency Programme for Angola, appealing for $226 million in emergency humanitarian assistance. Some $70 million had been pledged to the Programme at a meeting of donors, which was held on 3 June in Geneva.

A UN official said on 22 June that there had been humanitarian flights to Luena, Saurimo and Huambo on 21 June as part of the start of an emergency operation plan which the Government and UNITA had agreed to in principle. Fifteen locations had been targeted for relief, but operational difficulties remained.

On 30 June, Security Council members expressed concern that, as a result of UNITA's failure to cooperate with the full implementation of the UN emergency programme, it had not been possible to continue the delivery of humanitarian assistance to affected population areas.