OWN CORRESPONDENT, Luanda | Monday 6.30pm.
ANGOLAN rebel movement Unita on Monday announced that it is to sever all contact with the United States, Russian and Portugese observers monitoring the crumbling peace process under the auspices of the United Nations.
In a written statement issued from Unita’s central highland stronghold Bailundo, the movement said the observer nations have “disqualified themselves totally [from the UN-brokered 1994 peace accord] by not abiding by the criteria of neutrality … and impartiality”.
The observer countries, chosen because of their historic involvement with Angola, participate in meetings of the Luanda-based Joint Commission. Unita accused all three counties of acting in their own interests and displaying bias towards the Angolan government.
It described as “simply ridiculous and unwise” the US’s decision last week to impose new economic sanctions on Unita, including a freeze on their bank accounts, to force the rebels to fulfill all terms of the peace accord.
The statement also accused Russia of flouting the so-called “triple-zero option” of the peace accord under which the three observer nations pledged not to sell arms to either side. The Angolan government recently signed a military co-operation deal, including weapons maintenance, with Russia. The statement, however, said that Unita remains committed to the peace process.