Fear over military call-up

"Once you join the army, that's forever," Pedro says. "You die there." Pedro, 26, is one of the many young Angolan men who are worried by a fresh initiative by the Angolan Armed Forces (FAA) to recruit new soldiers. In the last few weeks, radio announcements have been instructing young men aged between 18 and 20 to report to military bases around the country to register for military service, as is normal at this time of year. But the FAA also have the legal right to conscript men up to the age of 30 who have not previously served for two years. Many young men fear that even those who have served their time could still be forced to put on uniforms. The army has recently stepped up its operations in the eastern province of Moxico, saying that the aim is to capture Jonas Savimbi and to destroy the last UNITA forces in a region where the rebels are well established. Young men who hear this worry that it will be a signal for the military to make a particular effort this year – after 26 years of war - to get more of them into the army. Whether or not this is actually happening remains unclear. The conscription laws in Angola are never applied consistently. Women arriving in highland cities such as Kuito, after fighting has forced them to flee their villages, have frequently made the journey with children but no men. They tell how as soon as the FAA recapture a village from UNITA, the men are seen as fair game for recruitment, however old they may be. UNITA are also known to forcibly conscript, and have also seized children for military service. But in Angola, as you move up the social hierarchy, things change. Pedro, who works for a humanitarian organisation, is also doing a part-time university course, and says this is a legitimate way to avoid the call-up – at least for as long as his studies continue. But others avoid conscription without the bother of attending lectures. "In this country it's very rare to see the son of a government minister or a director general or a provincial governor in the army," said Miguel, 27, who works in a lawyer's office. "The son of a peasant simply goes to the front and dies." Even if you don't have the right social connections, money can buy young men their freedom. Miguel recalled an incident in Malanje, the northern provincial city where he comes from, when he was among a group of youths apprehended by the troops. He was able to get away because he had enough cash in his pocket, but the others "went to their deaths," he alleged. "Corruption is an institution in this country," Miguel continued. "For 100 or 150 kwanzas (about $5), if you give that to the soldiers you can get out - it's because soldiers earn so little, for a soldier to earn 100 kwanzas in this country is difficult." Army pay may be meagre, but for the many Angolans who are unemployed, the army may seem like an attractive option. Not so much for the wages, as for the opportunities that arise from having a gun in one's hand and being effectively above the law. "There are no jobs in Angola so the only way for them to survive is to join the army. They can get what they want and they make disturbances when they come into the city, robbing people," Pedro claimed. But for those who already have enough to get by in civilian life, a call-up can leave families with more worries about money. Pedro is supporting his wife, her sisters and two young daughters. "If I went to the army, my wife would have to arrange something. My children would suffer," he said. Pedro may be fearful of the consequences of being called up, but his determination not to join the army has a philosophical dimension as well. He believes that Angola's young men are being forced to fight a war that is not in their own interests. "I don't think this is necessary," he explained. "The only thing we want is peace - the government and UNITA should negotiate."