Parties cooperate to curb rising political violence

Angola's main political parties have agreed to work together to address ongoing incidents of politically motivated violence in the country's provinces, a senior opposition party member confirmed on Friday. At a meeting between the ruling MPLA and UNITA, the main opposition party, senior politicians decided on Thursday that an inter-party delegation would travel to the affected provinces to investigate the claims. UNITA has raised concerns since last year over increased incidents of intimidation of its members by individuals allegedly belonging to MPLA militia groups. In August 2003 opposition party members claimed they were prevented from establishing offices in the central province of Huambo. "This is a very positive step towards ensuring that peace prevails before the elections. For months we have called on the government to look into this issue of political violence, but our calls have been ignored. We are concerned that if nothing is done to quell the violence, it may affect the current peace process," UNITA's secretary for public administration, Alcides Sakala, told IRIN. As Angola moves towards its first post-war general election, opposition parties have expressed their concern over what they believe is a rising level of political violence. Two weeks ago an opposition parliamentarian was killed in the capital, Luanda. State media said he had been murdered by thugs, but his party, the Democratic Party for Progress-Angolan National Alliance, alleged the MPLA had ordered his killing. "The death of Mfulupinga Victor is the latest indication of the prevailing intolerance for the opposition. Without immediate action we could see further killings and, eventually, a return to political instability," Sakala warned. Meanwhile, the Council of the Republic, an advisory body to President Jose Eduardo dos Santos, has recommended that the national poll be conducted "no later than September 2006". The council began discussions on possible dates for the national poll in early June, and although their recommendation is non-binding, the council is said to influence government policy. "We would have preferred if the council recommended the holding of elections in 2005, but eventually it is up to the president to decide when the elections will take place," Sakala said. UNITA has called for elections by mid-2005, but the MPLA has laid out 14 tasks to be completed before the country can hold its first ballot since 1992.