Use opportunity for peace, UN urges

The United Nations has welcomed the Angolan government's declaration of a truce with rebel movement UNITA, saying it hopes all leaders will use the opportunity to end the 27-year-old civil war which spawned a monumental humanitarian crisis.

Speaking to reporters after the Wednesday announcement, Mussagy Jeichande, Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations to Angola, said: "It is imperative that this opportunity not be wasted. We hope that the cessation of hostilities will in the short term lead to a definitive ceasefire."

He said he was satisfied that President Jose Eduardo dos Santos' announcement "contemplates fundamental themes like the cessation of hostilities, amnesty, elections and all the other tasks stipulated in the Lusaka Protocol (signed but never fully implemented in 1994)".

"It is a conciliatory plan, and above all it has the great merit of envisioning the contribution by all living forces of Angolan society, that is, it does not only talk about the two parties involved in the armed conflict, but also the contribution by the civil society, churches and the international community," he said.

Dos Santos issued a 15-point plan with his announcement of a cessation of hostilities from midnight on Wednesday, saying it was aimed at giving UNITA rebels still in the bush time to decide on a new leadership to represent the haemorrhaging movement in a new round of negotiations.

"Under the terms of the Lusaka Protocol, and the resolutions of the Security Council, and in accordance with the responsibilities emanated in the Charter, the United Nations will not spare efforts to help the Angolan people to conquer peace, well-being and democracy," he said.

Meanwhile, Radio Ecclesia has reported that General Paulo Lukamba "Gato", whom many suspected to be dead, had issued a communiqué to all UNITA positions saying that he had appointed a management commission to head UNITA until the movement's next congress. RTP-Africa reported on Wednesday that the commission was made up of leaders such as generals Gato, Kamorteiro, Samy, Dachala, Sakala, Chitombi, Black Power, Kissanga, and Chiwale, and commanders Antoninho, Calias, Samakuva and Mulato.

According to the report, Gato's communiqué said the management commission was looking at ways of suspending all hostilities to create an "environment of confidence that will lead to a total, general and definitive ceasefire".

"The phase of the armed struggle is over. Now we shall head towards the confrontation of political ideas," RTP-Africa quoted the communiqué as saying.

News reports on Thursday indicated that Angolan Armed Forces (FAA) leaders and UNITA chiefs were expected to make contact in Moxico, where Savimbi was cornered and finally killed on 22 February.