_WORLD WATCH______________________________
____________________ ANGOLA ________________

A time for peace
After death of rebel chieftain
After the government of Angola reported the death of rebel leader Jonas Savimbi in a skirmish late in February, a Catholic bishop urged the arrangement of a cease-fire and negotiations to end the country’s long civil war.

Bishop Eugenio Dal Corso of Saurimo told the Fides news service: “Although the death of a man is always a sad event, I hope it will lead to peace.” The bishop hoped that “the government will declare a cease-fire and an amnesty for rebels who surrender.”

Savimbi, the head of the UNITA rebel movement, was killed on February 22 in a clash with government troops. The bishop reminded Fides that the government had said “one of the conditions for peace was the capture of Savimbi.”

Bishop Dal Corso emphasized the importance of reaching a peace agreement quickly, before the UNITA rebel groups broke down into marauding bands. He told Fides that the country had suffered enough, in a civil war that has lasted since independence from Portugal was gained in 1975. There have been at least 500,000 people killed in the fighting, and the bishop reported that 4 million Angolans—roughly one-third of the country’s population—have been driven from their homes.