Source of ‘Savimbi’ letter still unclear - church

Roman Catholic Church leaders in Angola said on Wednesday they could not verify if UNITA leader Jonas Savimbi was the real author of a letter asking them to help restart ceasefire talks with the government, AFP reported. “Up to now, we have not been able to confirm the authenticity of this letter’s origins,” said a statement from the Catholic Conference of Angola, Sao Tome and Principe. “Only a ceasefire, implemented quickly and honestly, can end the spiral of violence. We ask (Mister) Savimbi to work toward this and we repeat the same thing to the government. More decisive and concrete steps should be made towards dialogue,” said the bishops, who also promised to make their “best effort.”

The church’s Radio Ecclesia reported on Monday that Savimbi had sent a letter to Bishop Francisco de Mata Mourisca, in the northern provincial capital of Uige, asking for the church’s help in reopening negotiations with the government.
Angolan Interior Minister Fernando da Piedade Nando dismissed the letter as “nothing new”, saying Savimbi had not yet responded to requests from President Jose Eduardo dos Santos to set a date to end the fighting and to explain how he would put a 1994 ceasefire into effect.

On Monday Bishop Mourisca said the letter could constitute a basis for a ceasefire and dialogue between UNITA and the government. “I think that we should read this letter and then ponder and reflect on it. It can be a platform that will lead us to more practical issues such as a cease-fire and dialogue,” the bishop was quoted as saying. Angolan Radio quoted opposition FNLA (National Front for the Liberation of Angola) secretary-general Ngola Kabango as saying that the letter should be analysed with care to avoid a premature rejection. “If the letter is a contribution to create conditions for dialogue and if it brings concrete hope for peace, then it should be lauded,” he said.