Angola - OFDA-01: 4 November 1996

 
U.S. AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
 
 BUREAU FOR HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE (BHR)
 OFFICE OF U.S. FOREIGN DISASTER ASSISTANCE (OFDA)
 
ANGOLA - Complex Emergency

Situation Report #1, Fiscal Year (FY) 1997November 4, 1996

Note:  The last Situation Report was issued July 1, 1996.


OVERVIEW

The Government of the Republic of Angola (GRA) and representatives of the
National Union for Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) signed the Lusaka
Protocol, a comprehensive peace agreement, on November 20, 1994.  The
protocol called for a cease-fire, the quartering and disarming of UNITA
troops, and the formation of a unified national army.  In return for its
demilitarization, UNITA would take part in a government of national
reconciliation.  On February 9, 1995, the United Nations (U.N.) Security
Council authorized the establishment of a 7,500-member peacekeeping
operation, the U.N. Angola Verification Mission III (UNAVEM III), to help
oversee the peace agreement.  On September 25-26, 1995, President dos
Santos and UNITA leader Jonas Savimbi attended the U.N.-sponsored Angolan
Roundtable Conference, held in Brussels, Belgium.  During the conference,
more than $1 billion was pledged by international donors toward a
multi-year reconstruction program that included demobilization, mine
clearance and awareness, rehabilitation of basic infrastructure,
reintegration of war-displaced persons, community development, and a
reduced humanitarian assistance program to aid the transition from
emergency to development.  On July 15, 1996, Under-Secretary of State for
African Affairs George Moose underscored the United States Government's
(USG's) commitment to development in Angola by formally opening the USAID
office in Luanda. 

The success of Angolans' efforts to move from prostration to
reconstruction depends on the reintegration of soldiers and their families
into civilian life.  Enduring tension between UNITA and GRA forces
threatens to keep large parts of the country isolated.  Demobilization,
involving the transformation of soldiers to civilians, has nevertheless
begun.  After continual delays, more than 63,000 men and boys from UNITA,
accompanied by almost 100,000 civilian dependents, were processed at 15
U.N.-supervised quartering areas (QAs) as of September 22, 1996. 
Twenty-five metric tons (MT) of munitions and 32,000 arms were also
surrendered to UNAVEM.  Demobilization, the next step to ending the
GRA-UNITA division in Angola, began September 24 when child soldiers were
prepared for civilian life at the Vila Nova QA.  In contrast to this
progress, other UNITA troops and modern weaponry are believed to be held
in reserve in Zaire and in the two Lunda provinces.  On August 27,
following the UNITA party congress, Savimbi rejected the GRA's offer to
make him Vice-President, and he failed to attend the October meeting in
Luanda of the South African Development Community, an occasion that would
have allowed him to meet dos Santos for the first time since March.  Nine
of UNITA's 59 generals are in Luanda to join the Angolan army, in a move
meant to herald the integration of 26,500 ex-UNITA troops into the GRA
army.  On October 7, U.N. Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali
criticized both sides, particularly UNITA, for not complying with the
successive timetables of the protocol.  He recommended that the mandate
for UNAVEM, the largest and most expensive U.N. peacekeeping force in the
world, be extended until December 11,1996, to pressure UNITA and the GRA
to hasten the pace of demilitarization and social integration.  On October
13, Secretary of State Warren Christopher visited Luanda, where he met
with President dos Santos. 


NUMBERS AFFECTED

The U.N. estimates that the 3.2 million Angolans can be classified as
displaced and war-affected.  Of this total, 1.2 million are internally
displaced persons (IDPs), 1.8 million are war-affected, and approximately
300,000 are refugees. 

Total U.S. Government (USG) Humanitarian Assistance FY 1996 & FY 1997 (to
date) -- $88,064,780


CURRENT SITUATION

The opening of roads for peacekeeping and humanitarian purposes has been
hindered by thousands of unexploded mines, numerous destroyed bridges, and
a lack of security in many parts of the countryside.  Nonetheless, access
throughout the country has gradually increased, and new pockets of needy
populations continue to be identified.  IDPs in some provinces have slowly
begun to return home, and targeted assistance programs have been shifted
to help them rebuild their lives.  Banditry, land mines, and general
insecurity have nevertheless deterred many IDPs from returning home. 

The U.N., non-governmental organizations (NGOs), the GRA and UNITA are all
working to reopen the country by improving roads and implementing
mine-clearing programs.  The Central Mine Action Office of the U.N. (CMAO)
estimates that there are 10 to 12 million land mines in Angola, which has
an estimated 12 million inhabitants.  The country suffers from one of the
world's highest rates of mine accidents, which have left an estimated
70,000 civilian and soldier amputees.  CMAO works closely with the GRA's
Mine Action Institute (INAROE) as well as with international NGOs to
conduct de-mining and mine-awareness activities.  To date 80,000 mines
have been cleared, according the U.N. Department of Humanitarian Affairs
(UNDHA).  No comprehensive mine survey has been undertaken.  USAID
supports the mine-awareness and de-mining activities of four NGOs and
provides technical assistance to CMAO.  Some commerce, free movement of
people, and reconstruction have resumed.  In September, a GRA-sponsored
project began to rebuild the railroad between Luanda and Dondo, Cuanza
Norte province. 

Pockets of disease and malnutrition continue to appear.  Overall,
meningitis cases are declining, but the disease remains epidemic in parts
of the country.  Irregular supplies of potable water have led to outbreaks
of typhoid in the capital. 

Despite official efforts, lack of investment and political uncertainty
have contributed to an economy that continues to disintegrate.  Angola is
among the ten poorest nations in the world, with an annual inflation rate
of approximately 4,000% and an unemployment rate of 60%. 


POLITICAL/MILITARY SITUATION

Although fighting officially ceased with the signing of the Lusaka
Protocol, decades of accumulated hostility and mistrust set the stage for
subsequent cease-fire violations.  More than 500 U.N. observers are
currently stationed in 50 sites throughout the country to monitor such
violations, and an additional 6,600 UNAVEM III troops are acting as a
further buffer to deter skirmishes. 

The two sides have formally agreed to military integration provisions,
including methods for merging UNITA forces with the FAA, and for
demobilizing excess manpower from both sides to create a unified army of
64,000 former GRA soldiers and 26,000 former UNITA fighters. 
Demobilization benefits include a resettlement kit of clothing and
agricultural items, job training, three months of food for each soldier's
family, and a cash payment to offset the costs of basic construction
materials.  Upon relocation to his selected home area, soldiers are
eligible to receive a further nine months of food, and access to limited
credit. 

Under the Lusaka Protocol, 62,500 UNITA troops were to have been quartered
at 15 QAs.  The total quartered falls about 1,000 short.  Of the
ex-combatants now quartered, 26,000 are to be integrated into the GRA
armed forces (FAA), but to date few have shown any willingness to join an
army in which few are paid. The Protocol also provided for the
incorporation of 5,500 UNITA members into the national GRA police force.
The provision has not been complied with.  There are reports of illegal
road blocks, once manned by UNITA soldiers, that are now manned by UNITA
police.  As of September 22, the International Committee of the Red Cross
(ICRC) supervised the release of 535 prisoners, of whom 369 were released
by the GRA and 166 by UNITA. 


SECURITY

Although UNITA has delivered the required number of soldiers to the QAs,
the enduring presence of military checkpoints and unrecovered land mines
have prevented thousands of IDPs from returning to their homes. 
Lawlessness, exacerbated by severe economic conditions, prevails in most
of the country.  Crime is particularly severe in Luanda, where robberies,
carjackings, and other violent crimes are a day-to-day reality.  On
September 5, the UNAVEM Chief Security Officer reported an increase in
cease-fire violations throughout Angola during August.  On July 27, two
U.N. peacekeepers were killed on the road between Saurimo and Luena, in
Lunda Sul province, when their vehicle ran over a land mine.  On August
10, 25 UNITA soldiers, women, and children were injured when a vehicle in
a UN convoy that was transporting them detonated an artillery round.  The
road had been declared swept of explosive devices and the Joint Cease-fire
Commission has undertaken an investigation of the incident. 


RELIEF EFFORTS

--Bengo Province
Save the Children Federation (SCF/US) continues to expand its
comprehensive resettlement program throughout the province.  This program
includes the provision of seeds, tools, agricultural extension, food as
seed protection, resettlement kits, vaccinations, mine awareness, and
demining activities. 

--Benguela Province
Medecins Sans Frontieres/France (MSF/F) manages therapeutic and
supplementary feeding centers in the cities of Benguela and Cubal, and
supports health posts to benefit the displaced and war-affected
populations in and around Cubal.  Catholic Relief Services (CRS) continues
to provide a monthly general food distribution to more than 28,000
families (about 113,000 people), the majority of whom are displaced
families who are unable to resettle due to security concerns, and supports
wet feeding centers for the most vulnerable members of the population.  In
preparation for the upcoming planting season, CRS is distributing seeds
and tools to beneficiaries with access to arable land, and is supporting a
number of food-for-work projects in accessible areas throughout the
province.  CRS continues to provide humanitarian assistance at the QA of
Chicuma.  The GRA, citing poor security, suspended a plan to resettle
15,000 people from Huila and Cuando Cubango provinces to their villages of
origin during August. 

--Bie Province
CARE continues to support the resettlement of IDPs, principally along the
main corridor between Cunhinga, Kuito, and Camacupa, providing seeds,
tools, and food-for-work to rebuild agricultural-based communities.  An
estimated 16,000 IDPs continue to receive CARE general free food
distributions in outlying areas of Kuito municipality.  ICRC established a
prosthetics workshop in Kuito to address the orthopedic needs of land mine
victims.  Africare regularly conducts vaccination campaigns against the
five major childhood diseases in both UNITA and GRA-controlled areas of
the province, and is providing seeds and tools to war-affected families
living in newly accessible areas for the upcoming planting season. 
Africare also continues to provide humanitarian support to the QA of
Andulo. 

--Cuando Cubango Province
CARE continues to support the IDPs who have resettled in home or interim
areas where they have access to land by providing seeds, tools, and
food-for-work programs.  CARE also provides a general food distribution to
an estimated 43,000 IDPs and war-affected beneficiaries who remain in the
area of Menongue.  In October, Action Contre la Faim (ACF) opened an
emergency feeding center in Menongue after recent nutritional surveys
indicated a global malnutrition rate of 9% for children under five years
of age.  Preliminary studies suggest the cause of the malnutrition is due
to an absence of basic health care in the area, and not food availability. 

The World Health Organization (WHO) announced in late September that an
epidemic of meningococcal meningitis had broken out among the 122,068
people in the Caiundo QA.  Nuova Frontera, the NGO responsible for
humanitarian assistance at the QA, began treatment for the victims and
vaccinations of the QA population. 

--Huambo Province
International Medical Corps (IMC) manages two training-of-trainer programs
in both UNITA and GRA-controlled areas of the province, one is to improve
the skills of traditional birth attendants to reduce infant mortality, and
the second trains vaccinators to provide immunizations against five major
childhood diseases.  Over the next few months, IMC plans to rehabilitate
the provincial health training center to increase the scope and
availability of basic health training programs in the region.  ICRC
provides prosthetics and orthopedic rehabilitation in Huambo, focusing on
victims of land mines. 

--Huila Province
Security conditions in northern Huila remain problematic, principally due
to increased tensions stemming from cattle theft.  CARE provides a monthly
general free food distribution to an estimated 63,000 beneficiaries in the
areas of Quilengues, Catala, Cacula, Quipungo, and Matala.  CARE also
supports seeds, tools, and food-for-work projects in resettlement areas,
particularly around Quipungo.  Most of CARE's beneficiaries are IDPs from
areas of origin currently controlled by UNITA who resist resettling due to
security concerns and a general lack of freedom of movement throughout
much of the province. 

--Kwanza Norte Province
World Vision Relief and Development (WVRD) continues to support the
resettlement of IDPs to accessible areas throughout the province, focusing
on seeds, tools, and agricultural extension to families with access to
arable land.  WVRD also conducts vaccination and mine awareness campaigns,
supports health posts, and manages food-for-work activities throughout the
province to complement its agricultural programs.  In areas where
malnutrition requires emergency intervention, WVRD targets the most
vulnerable members of the population with therapeutic and supplementary
feeding while working to improve the overall condition of health and food
security of the population.  Presently, WVRD operates emergency feeding
centers N'dalatando, Golungo Alto, and Samba Caju. 

--Kwanza Sul Province
SCF/US manages a comprehensive resettlement program throughout the
province which includes the provision of seeds, tools, agricultural
extension, food as seed protection, resettlement kits, vaccinations, mine
awareness and demining.  Africare is in the process of distributing seeds
and tools for the upcoming planting season, in addition to vaccinations,
focusing on newly accessible areas in the southeast region of the
province.  IMC manages training-of-training programs in both UNITA and
GRA-controlled areas to improve the skills of traditional birth attendants
and vaccination teams to reduce infant mortality.  From its base in
Kwanza Norte Province, WVRD supports beneficiaries in the area of Calaulo
with resettlement activities. 

--Lunda Sul
On August 30, the first commercial convoy in the province since 1992
arrived in Saurimo from Luanda.  Escorted by UNAVEM troops, the convoy
bore 700 MT of cooking oil, food, soap, and building materials.  Overland
transport should reduce the need for expensive airlifts of relief
commodities and populations resettlement in and around Luena. 

--Malanje Province
WVRD supports the resettlement of IDPs to accessible areas throughout the
province, focusing on seeds, tools, and agricultural extension to families
with access to arable land.  WVRD also conducts vaccination and mine
awareness campaigns, supports health posts, and manages food-for-work
activities throughout the province to complement its agricultural program. 
In the city of Malange, WVRD continues to provide a basic food ration to
an estimated 14,500 members of vulnerable groups.  WVRD also supports
humanitarian operations at Catala QA. 

--Moxico Province
SCF/US continues to support an estimated 63,000 IDPs living in the city of
Luena with a general food distribution.  During the last month, IDPs
finally began to spontaneously resettle in their home areas, with an
estimated 10,000 returning to date.  The resettlement of IDPS from Luena
is being supported by humanitarian organizations working in the region
with the provision of seeds, tools, resettlement kits, and mine
awareness/demining activities.  It is hoped that more IDPs will resettle
to take advantage of the current planting season. 

--Uige Province
Since late October 1995, the U.N.'s World Food Program (WFP) convoys have
been able to transport food and non-food assistance to Uige and Negage by
road from Luanda.  In August 1996 UNAVEM escorted two GRA convoys bearing
food and non-food items to Uige city. 

--Zaire Province
Africare continues to provide humanitarian support at the QA of N'Tuco. 


USG HUMANITARIAN  ASSISTANCE 

In light of the continuing humanitarian needs in Angola, U.S. Ambassador
Donald K. Steinberg re-declared a disaster for FY 1997 on October 3, 1996. 
As the largest provider of humanitarian assistance to Angola, the USG has
granted more than $380 million to assist war-affected and displaced
persons there since 1989.  In 1991, BHR/OFDA began funding an Emergency
Disaster Relief Coordinator (EDRC) to oversee the USG's growing
humanitarian programs and assist in the transitional efforts now underway
in Angola.  Since the quartering process began in 1995, BHR/OFDA has
provided 783,458 square meters of plastic sheeting to be used as temporary
shelters by the dependents of demobilized UNITA soldiers.  It has also
provided a $1 million grant to the International Organization for
Migration (IOM) to provide transportation and assistance to soldiers and
dependents being resettled from the QAs. 

With the signing of the Lusaka Protocol, the role of USAID's Office of
Transition Initiatives (BHR/OTI) has increased.  In keeping with the
coordinated U.S. Department of State and USAID Strategy for Angola,
BHR/OTI plays an integral part in the transition from emergency relief to
rehabilitation, reconstruction, and development of the country.  BHR/OTI
provides funding for rapid community-revitalization projects and technical
assistance support to UCAH and CMAO.  Assistance has also been given to
Voice of America in Angola for expansion of comprehensive news reports
about events in both government and UNITA-held areas, for
conflict-resolution programming, and to train Angolan journalists.  In
addition, BHR/OTI supports several NGO demobilization and reintegration
activities, as well as land mine awareness, survey, and removal programs. 

Since 1985, USAID's Office of Food For Peace (BHR/FFP) has provided
emergency food assistance worth more than $255 million to more than two
million Angolans directly through NGO partners, such as CARE, CRS, and
SCF/US, as well as to WFP and ICRC.  This assistance exceeded $45 million
in FY 1996.  Food aid programs are now beginning to be redesigned to
transition from relief to development, although the transition is
contingent on the success of the peace progress.  The food programs
currently assisted by BHR/FFP improve household food security and
agricultural rehabilitation, through distributions of seeds and tools. 
Due to the magnitude and complexity of its food program in Angola, a
strategic objective monitor has been hired with funding from BHR/FFP and
BHR/OTI. 

In FY 1996, USAID's Bureau for Africa (AFR) provided $13,750,000 to fund
programs in the areas of rehabilitation and resettlement.  This funding
was used for programs targeting the rehabilitation of communities,
quartering and demobilization of soldiers, assisting war victims and the
disabled, for management and development, and Luanda water privatization. 
In addition, AFR also provided $5,748,000 for projects in the areas of
democracy and governance.  These programs focused on the sectors of civil
society, governance, and conflict resolution.  Due to the development
nature of these projects, this funding is not included in the total USG
humanitarian funding for Angola. 

The State Department's Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration (PRM)
provided a $471,471 grant to the IMC for a health care program in Uige. 
PRM also assists Angolan refugees and IDPs, as well as Zairian refugees in
Angola, through contributions to the Annual Appeals of the Office of the
U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the ICRC, and the
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC),
portions of which cover Angola.  In FY 1996 these contributions have been,
respectively, $32.9 million, $41.7 million, and $13 million.  PRM also
provided $4 million to UNHCR, towards the 1996 costs of Angolan
repatriation. 


USAID/BHR/OFDA ASSISTANCE
Africare vaccinations, seeds & tools, and ag-packs . . $1,479,153
ACF/F feeding centers/nutritional surveillance
(N'Dalatando, Cafunfu) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $194,478
CARE food/seed distribution, food for work. . . . . .  $1,864,651
CRS Health care, assistance to quartering areas . . .  $1,532,387
ICRC prosthesis/orthopedic workshops in Huambo
and Kuito . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  $996,000
IMC Angola Emergency activities in Huambo . . . . . .  $2,590,324
IOM Quartering Area assistance  . . . . . . . . . . .  $1,000,000
MSF/F feeding centers in Benguela Province
(Benguela Town and Cubal) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  $821,300
Program Support and Administration  . . . . . . . . . .  $179,435
SCF/US distribution of food and seeds and tools
in Bengo, Moxico, Kwanza Sul, Luena . . . . . . . . .  $1,013,067
UNDHA/UCAH Director's position in Luanda . . . . . . . . $360,229
WVRD Seeds and tools distribution in 
Kwanza Norte, Kwanza Sul, Luena . . . . . . . . . . . .$1,967,667
WFP Support for light aircraft and transportation
of non-food items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$1,500,000
708,843 square meters of plastic sheeting for 
dependents of quartered UNITA troop dependents
and other humanitarian programs . . . . . . . . . . . .  $283,064

Total OFDA FY 96 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$15,781,525


BHR/OTI ASSISTANCE
Africare de-mining activities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . $807,581
Creative Associates Community Revitalization
projects in Huambo and Luanda Interim Office  . . . .  $2,399,000
Mines Awareness Group de-mining activities  . . . . .  $2,095,656
Save the Children de-mining activities  . . . . . . .  $2,485,562
Search for Common Ground: Conflict Resolution
Programming, "Rivers of Fear-Borders of Trust" . . . . .  $13,804 
Voice of America, Conflict Resolution Programming. . . . $707,489
Program Support and Administration . . . . . . . . . . . $207,992
Total USAID/OTI FY 96  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $8,717,084

BHR/FFP ASSISTANCE
8,240 MT to CARE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $5,112,100
16,860 MT to SC/US . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$10,204,000
17,760 MT to CRS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $6,602,600
23,160 MT to WFP/CRIE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$13,124,700
10,000 MT to WFP/PRO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $3,950,000
11,420 MT to WVRD. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $6,101,300
Emergency Operations Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $250,000
Total BHR/FFP FY 96  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$45,344,700

AFR ASSISTANCE
Rehabilitating communities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $6,811,000
Quartering/demobilization. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $3,767,000
War victims/disabled . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1,922,000
Management/development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $500,000
Luanda water privatization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $750,000
Total AFR FY 96. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$13,750,000

PRM ASSISTANCE
Assistance for repatriation - UNHCR. . . . . . . . . . $4,000,000
IMC: Uige health care. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $471,471
Total DOS/PRM FY 96. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $4,471,471

TOTAL USG HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE FY 1996  . . . . . .$88,064,780