Kavango wants Angolan troops out

Under local pressure for action, Namibia’s northern regional council has ordered the withdrawal of Angolan armed forces (FAA) from Kavango in a bid to end attacks on villagers by armed groups. The eight regional councillors, all members of the ruling SWAPO party of President Sam Nujoma, this week resolved to restrict the movement of the FAA in the border region to the loading and off-loading of supplies at Rundu airport, the capital of Kavango. The region’s acting governor, Johannes Thiguru, told IRIN the council wants all other FAA troops to return across the Kavango river into Angola. The FAA have been deployed in northern Namibia since last December at the invitation of Nujoma’s government to pursue UNITA rebels. Thiguru said although the council supports the government’s granting of logistical support to FAA in its war against UNITA, it wants Namibian security forces to take charge of the situation in the region. “Logistical support means that supplies for FAA forces in the south of Angola will be off-loaded at Rundu airport from where they will be transported to Calai and other centres in Angola,” Thiguru said. He added that no movement of FAA forces in the region, whether in uniform or civilian clothing, will be allowed unless they are authorised to do so. Thiguru claimed that people wearing FAA uniforms have been looting homes, killing villagers and conducting illegal business activities in the region. “The council has instructed the Namibian police in the region to arrest all the people roaming around wearing uniforms other than those of Namibian forces,” he said. Thiguru claimed the council had the power to enforce the resolutions by instructing the regional commanders of the security forces to carry them out. He said the council holds regular meetings with the commanders to review the security situation in the region. “We expect to see the results of these resolutions by next week,” he said. However, Zen Mnakapa of Namibia’s Society for Human Rights (NSHR) said the council only has administrative and limited legislative authority. “The region’s resolutions will be difficult to implement,” Mnakapa told IRIN. He said it was unlikely that Nujoma’s government would order the Angolan soldiers home: “SWAPO is in alliance with Angola’s ruling MPLA party, and for as long as the war in Angola continues, FAA forces will remain in Kavango.”