Demobilisation moves into final stage

Angola's demobilisation process, which moves into its final stage this week, is propelled by a will to succeed, an analyst told IRIN. According to the Angolan news agency ANGOP, the integration of 5,000 UNITA soldiers into the Angolan Armed Forces (FAA) began on Monday in accordance with the 4 April ceasefire agreement. "There is truly a considerable political will at central government level to make this work. I spoke to government and UNITA and they are very serious about the process," Joao Porto, senior researcher at South Africa's Institute for Security Studies said on his return from the war-torn country. "The chances of returning to war are very remote. Perhaps there will be incidents of local crime among hungry people but there is a high level of discipline in the quartering areas and UNITA maintains a high degree of control over their people." However, Porto said the wrecked infrastructure in the country would pose extreme difficulties for the social reintegration of the troops, which would follow the completion of the demobilisation process on 20 July, as well as for the return of a large number of internally displaced persons (IDPs). "It took us 13 hours to do 450 km. It was very difficult terrain and you need to go with the best 4X4 you can find. On one road a convoy was held up for hours because the front car broke down and there was no space to pass. The road network is completely dilapidated." ANGOP reported that 30 UNITA generals would be integrated, confirming Porto's observation that the integration process would include political appointments. In addition to joining the FAA, a small number of UNITA soldiers would join the police. Reports estimate there are about 85,000 soldiers with about 260,000 family members, and about 650 foreign troops with 250 of their family members, in at least 36 quartering areas throughout the country. Aid agencies have battled difficult conditions to reach the quartering areas to provide vital food and health care for the soldiers and their families. They have also appealed for urgent help for remote areas where malnutrition rates were extremely high. Although the latest phase of integration only provided for about 5,000 soldiers, Porto said it had to be remembered that many UNITA soldiers had previously been absorbed into the FAA under the 1996 the Lusaka Protocol. "Officers of various ranks will be integrated according to structural vacancies," he said. Porto said the government had prioritised the resettlement of 1.5 million people, which included UNITA troops and displaced people in very critical need. Porto said the immediate goal was to have people settled in time for the critical September planting season.