By Catherine Sasman
WINDHOEK
The fourth of April marked the end of the civil war that had raged on for 27 years in Angola, ripping asunder the resource-rich post-colonial country.
On that day in 2002, the warring factions signed a memorandum for peace and national reconciliation, following various accords between the main parties, MPLA and UNITA forces.
The country attained its independence from Portugal on 11 November 1975, after 500 years of colonisation.
Since then, the various liberation movements went head-to-head in a bloody battle to control the country’s immense diamond and oil riches, with an assortment of foreign interests fuelling the conflict that lasted until 2002.
The protracted peace process locked in place when UNITA leader, Jonas Savimbi, was ambushed and killed on 22 February 2002.
On 28 February of that year, the first contacts between the military leaders of FAA (Angola Armed Forces) and UNITA were made. On 13 May, the official process began with the Declaration of Peace. Later, all parties declared a ceasefire that ended the armed conflict.
This meant a permanent and total cessation of military actions in all the territories of the country.
“Angola is the only country that was able to resolve its own problems,” asserted the Angolan Ambassador to Namibia, Manuel Rodriques. “Foreign countries only acted as observers,” he added, but admitted assistance from other countries, particularly Cuba.
“The war in our country brought ill-fated consequences for the Angolan population, destroying the economic and social infrastructure, causing social instability not allowing Angolans to live a normal life and beneficiate from the natural resources paired up with human potential that would allow the edification of a prosperous country whereby each citizen would feel free to dominate the destiny of the country,” said Brigadier Manuel da Conceicao, Defense Attach??????’??