Savimbi comments dismissed

The Angolan government has dismissed as “nothing new” comments made on Wednesday by rebel leader Jonas Savimbi in a BBC interview. The ruling party’s information secretary Norberto dos Santos told the Portuguese radio station RDP on Thursday that “what Angolans really want to know is when Savimbi is going to end the war”.

Responding to Savimbi’s demand that the Angolan government should stop its attacks on UNITA rebel positions before negotiations could take place, dos Santos said that “a legitimate government doesn’t have to cease hostilities before a group that is rebelling against legitimate power”.

Savimbi told the BBC that his forces had reorganised as a guerrilla army and claimed that he had 40,000 troops active in 15 out of the country’s 18 provinces. Although acknowledging that “something is going on” in terms of peace mediation, he rejected the government’s position on negotiations. It is not possible, he said, to say “’capture the bastards and hang them’ (when) at the same time you’re talking about negotiations for peace.
It does not work that way.” Savimbi said he would welcome a mediation role by some African countries, but said South Africa had not contacted him over an earlier request he had made for Pretoria’s involvement.