Mounting pressure for early election date

Civil rights activists and opposition parties in Angola have called for the suspension of constitutional reform until after the country's first post-war general elections are held. Meeting this week in the capital, Luanda, pro-democracy groups under the banner of the recently formed "Campaign for a Democratic Angola" again called for an early election date to be set, preferably in 2005. The government has declined to fix a date for the upcoming presidential and legislative polls, arguing that several conditions needed to be met, including revamping of the constitution, carrying out an electoral census and the preparation of new election laws. But rights groups have said the vote should not depend on revision of the constitution and accuse the authorities of using stalling tactics. "The constitutional drafting process belongs to the people of Angola. Therefore, any constitutional revisions need to be carried out by a legitimately elected legislature, in close consultation with the people," the coordinator of the Campaign for a Democratic Angola, Rafael Marques, told IRIN. Marques noted that the last election in Angola had been held in 1992 and the government's four-year mandate had expired. The 1992 elections were deemed generally free and fair by the international community, but the then rebel group, UNITA, contested the results and returned to war. The conflict ended in April 2002 shortly after UNITA leader Jonas Savimbi was killed. Civic groups have also called for an immediate ceasefire between government troops and separatists in the northern Cabinda enclave, saying that peace in the oil-rich province was a necessary pre-condition for holding elections. The widespread availability of small arms among Angolan civilians remained a central concern and it was feared that this could pose a threat to peaceful campaigning and national elections. "We would hope the MPLA would heed our recommendations, as we intend to continue to pressure the government to respect human rights and move towards a greater respect for democracy," said Marques.