Angolans demobilise after 27-year conflict

by: Sam Mwgani

Angola: In recent weeks the Angolan government announced that it has resettled over 370,000 families to their areas of origin, of whom 90,000 were former rebel soldiers - demobilised after 27 years of civil war, which has devastated the country.

The Commission for Social and Productive Reintegration of Demobilised and War displaced people has revealed that 103,689 former Unita soldiers and their families have been resettled in the Huambo province - a region they choose as their homeland.

Former soldiers are being offered basic training in agriculture, building and construction by the government through the United Nations, in an attempt to integrate them back into the community. They are also offered a resettlement kit of food and seed rations, farm tools and US$100.

After the assassination of the Unita leader, Jonas Savimbi, last year by government troops, president Dos Santos has taken great strides to demobilise soldiers and demilitarise . Angola has a population of 13.6 million people and is rich in resources.

However lack of transport has hampered delivery of demobilisation kits that are lying in a warehouse in Kuito to Andulo and other Districts. The some of ex-soldiers has been employed as plumber electricians and in commercial farms after completing a five-week training.

Sources for this story include:

The Angola Peace Monitor, produced every month by ACTSA - Action for Southern Africa.
ACTSA, 28 Penton Street, London N1 9SA, UK
(+44 20 7833 3133; fax 7837 300; email actsa@actsa.org).

Source: Angola Peace Monitor