Separatists appeal to govt to start talks over Cabinda

Separatists in Angola's oil-rich Cabinda enclave on Wednesday claimed the government was waging a propaganda war to dispirit rebels seeking independence for the region.

A spokesman for the rebel group, FLEC-FAC told IRIN that recent news reports that the government had captured two of its leaders and that most of its supporters were "down and out", were false.

On Tuesday, Angolan Defence Minister Kundi Payham said 70 percent of FLEC-FAC troops were "down and out", Angolan news agency Angop reported.

Payham added that the government "never opted to resolve the Cabinda problem through the military route, but rather through dialogue".

But Xavier Builo, a representative of FLEC-FAC in the Netherlands refuted these claims.

"Reports that our leaders have been captured and that our soldiers are no longer active are all false. Just last Sunday, I spoke to both of the leaders over the telephone. Yes, the FAA [government army] was in the area where our base is located but they did not capture anyone. All of these reports are part of the government's strategy to demoralise Cabindans who want independence from Angola," Builo said.

In October, Angolan army radio said the FLEC-FAC chief-of-staff, General Francisco Luemba and its "minister of defence", Estanislau Boma had been detained.

Observers have said the protracted struggle between the separatists and the government was over the region's substantial oil, which accounts for about 60 percent of the country's oil revenues.

Meanwhile, Builo told IRIN that reports from Cabinda continued to highlight ongoing human rights abuses.

"The government is burning maize fields so people have to flee their homes. There are stories of women being raped and people being tortured in front of their children. Once again we want dialogue with the government. We will not negotiate our identity but we are prepared to talk about who controls the oil," Builo added.

Earlier this month, a report by local NGOs revealed allegations of widespread human rights abuses in Cabinda ranging from summary executions to torture, rape and looting.

Although the report covered alleged abuses both by the Angolan security forces and by FLEC-FAC, the overwhelming number of accusations were made against government forces.

Builo once again appealed for international mediation.