Opposition parties demand immediate ceasefire

Six opposition parties in Angola on Tuesday called for the dissolution of government institutions and an immediate ceasefire between government forces and the UNITA rebel movement so that general elections can be held next year. According to media reports, the six opposition parties also said the government and the national assembly should be dissolved, and a provisional government and interim assembly put in place. The ruling MPLA party of President Jose Eduardo dos Santos and the opposition have been in talks since the start of the year on the possible drafting of a new constitution. Dos Santos has said he would organise elections in 2001, but the opposition has demanded that a new constitution be ratified before any elections. Observers have expressed doubts that elections could be free and fair in the country, which has been wracked by civil war almost without interruption since independence from Portugal in 1975.