Angola - OCHA: 30.Sep-05.Aug.98

                     HUMANITARIAN OPERATIONS IN ANGOLA

Period covered: 30 July - 05 August 1998

       The information contained in this report was provided by the
United Nations Humanitarian Assistance Coordination Unit in Luanda (UCAH)


General Situation

The overall political situation in the country remains very tense.
According to the Government, UNITA has by now occupied over 90 localities
throughout the country.  The FAA are actively making military
preparations. Several sources are reporting about new recruitment done
both by the Government and by UNITA.  Reports about newly laid mines,
found in several regions, are regular.  At the same time, the provincial
authorities of Cuando Cubango, Moxico and Malanje have requested the UN
Demining Programme to limit their demining activities in respective areas
without giving any official reasons. 

Recently, the public accusations for the current deterioration are more
and more directed personally to Dr. Savimbi instead of UNITA.  Last week,
the MONUA spokesman was obliged to make a denial on TPA (the national
television) of wrong information which attributed to UNITA the
responsibility of the Bula massacre "as per MONUA reports".  The MONUA
spokesman referred to the need for concrete evidence before making any
official statements.  The Angolan press found the words of the witnesses
plausible enough to be taken as evidence, and were deeply offended as the
MONUA spokesman accused the Angolan media for "hostile propaganda". 

The Special Envoy of the Secretary-General, Lakhdar Brahimi, arrived to
Luanda last Friday, 30 July, in order to evaluate the current situation of
the Angolan peace process.  Mr. Brahimi had a meeting with President Dos
Santos on 3 August, and on 4 August he flew to Andulo to meet with Dr.
Savimbi.  Today, the Special Envoy has held several meetings with the
diplomatic corps.  Contrary to the original plan of five-day visit, Mr.
Brahimi is going to prolong his stay in Angola until the end of the
current week. 


General Humanitarian Situation

"The actual humanitarian situation is disastrous", said the Angolan
Minister of Social Affairs, Albino Malungo in a radio interview last week.
UCAH considers the situation at most critical, but not disastrous as the
humanitarian assistance is still being carried out, though it is getting
more and more difficult.  However, the humanitarian community is deeply
concerned about the constantly increasing number of the people in need of
humanitarian assistance. 

The reduced number of the Blue Helmets is limiting seriously the
possibilities for escorting humanitarian convoys.  The proposed
alternative to use ANP/FAA escorts has been refused, as this could provoke
further attacks due to the government presence. 

As of 5 August, the humanitarian organizations have confirmed over 116,000
new IDPs out of whom 84,513 are being assisted.  Yet, the unconfirmed
reports still estimate the existence of 150,000 new IDPs throughout the
country. 

The widely spread propaganda against UNITA has a tendency to increase the
tension and intensify the fear, which often results with forced movements
of populations in the areas where no attacks can be verified. 


Status of Appeal and Emergency Requirements
The same as reported last time.

This report is available on the internet through RELIEFWEB:
http://www.reliefweb.int

Humanitarian Assistance Coordination Unit (UCAH) - Luanda
Mr. Francesco Strippoli
Tel.: (244 2) 39 77 74/39 35 43
Satellite Fax: (00873) 38 50 50 914

Complex Emergency Response /
Consolidated Appeal Process (CER/CAP) - Geneva
Mr. Ernest Chipman - Chief
Mr. Ayodili Fowler
Tel.: (41 22) 788.1406
Fax: (41 22) 788.6386
Registry E-Mail: Abu.Conteh@dha.unicc.org

Complex Emergencies Division (CED)-New York
Ms. Agnes Asekenye-Oonyu
Tel.: (1 212) 963.1773
Fax: (1 212) 963.1388
E-Mail: buer@un.org

Information Service
Ms. Therese Gastaut - Director
Tel.: (41 22) 917.2300
Fax: (41 22) 917.0030
E-Mail: tgastaut@unog.ch



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