Group urges UNITA be declared 'Terrorist Organization'

LUANDA, December 20 --Defense and foreign ministers from the 14-member
Southern African Development Community (SADC) have called on the world
community to declare the Angolan rebel movement UNITA a terrorist
organization.

The SADC ministers ended a meeting Tuesday in the Angolan capital by
supporting Luanda's position that Jonas Savimbi and his UNITA rebels should
be declared terrorists.

In a communique, the ministers said despite U.N. sanctions imposed on
UNITA, the group continues to receive assistance from various sources from
within and outside of southern Africa. The SADC ministers pledged to never
allow their countries to be used for activities that would violate U.N.
sanctions.

Luanda has tried unsuccessfully to convince the international community to
adopt its view that Mr. Savimbi is a terrorist because he has refused to
end Angola's 26-year civil war. The government severed all formal contact
with UNITA shortly after a peace accord broke down in 1998.

In an Angolan radio interview Monday, the new U.S. Ambassador to Luanda,
Christopher Dell, said it does not help to brand Mr. Savimbi a terrorist.
He urged Luanda to resume contacts with Mr. Savimbi, saying it is
unrealistic not to broker a deal with him.

The United Nations brokered the 1994 Lusaka peace accord, which helped pave
the way for multi-party elections. But the peace process faltered after the
rebels refused to recognize their loss in the election. - VOA

©2000 africast.com

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