ANC condemn UNITA

ANC condemn UNITA

By Frank Noakes

JOHANNESBURG — The African National Congress national executive has launched a national campaign of solidarity and support for Angola, and is calling on the international community to take all necessary action to oblige UNITA to desist from its actions, which are designed to impose itself on the Angolan people by force of arms.

The Angolan people and their government were thanked for years of solidarity, often at great cost, with the struggle for democracy in South Africa. The ANC went on to condemn the South African government for its continued role in supporting Jonas Savimbi's UNITA forces.

The ANC has pledged that South Africa's first democratically elected government will reduce defence spending and sharply cut back on the size of the armed forces. It will also end threats to the sovereignty of other African nations, its foreign affairs spokesperson, Aziz Pahad, said.

The national executive statement, which was endorsed by an international solidarity conference meeting here February 19-21, says in part: "We condemn in the strongest terms the criminal war being waged by UNITA, against the people of Angola and their democratically elected government.

"We also demand that UNITA respect the outcome of the democratic elections, which the United Nations and other international observers certified as being free and fair."

From GLW issue 93