UNITA attacks condemned.

• Author: Rutsch, Horst
• Position: PeaceWatch: Angola - National Union for the Total Independence of Angola; attacks on civilians - Brief Article

The Security Council on 20 September condemned "in the strongest terms" the terrorist attacks by UNITA forces on the civilian population of Angola, and said it would maintain sanctions against them until they met the conditions laid out in its resolutions. The Council President said that "such attacks are unacceptable and cannot be justified by any political goals. Such acts are in violation of international law and may have further implications." The primary responsibility for the continued fighting in Angola, he said, lay with the armed faction of UNITA, headed by Joseph Savimbi. Reiterating its call on all States to implement the sanctions, the Council called on Mr. Savimbi to cease all military action and to enter into a dialogue with the Government of Angola on how to conclude the implementation of the Lusaka Protocol.

The Council said it supported the Government's intention to hold elections in 2002 as part of the ongoing democratization process, and stressed the need for the elections to be free and fair. Stating that it was "seriously concerned" with the humanitarian plight of the Angolan people, particularly the internally displaced, the Council called on all parties concerned to facilitate the delivery of relief aid.

The Council on 19 October extended the mandate of the monitoring mechanism on sanctions imposed against UNITA until 19 April 2002. On 29 October, Secretary-General Kofi Annan appointed four experts to serve on the monitoring mechanism, chaired by Juan Larrain of Chile who will continue to monitor sanctions...