WHY I CHOSE THIS TOPIC...

I chose this topic for several reasons; I have always been interested in Africa and politics, I wanted a topic that was not mainstream, I also wanted a topic that very few people knew about. Ever since I was little I have wanted to visit Africa, I have heard stories about this beautiful country, and someday I would like to travel to Africa and help in communities in Africa. Several years ago, My aunt went to Ghana through her work: she is a nurse. With her team, my aunt delivered medical supplies and helped build an addition to the small clinic that served as a hospital for the community in Ghana. Since my aunt went on this trip I have been very interested in African affairs, and have wanted to travel there to do work similar to the work my aunt did. I wanted a topic that was not mainstream, and that was not very well known. Mainstream topics are usually slandered with political, religious and other opinions, and it is hard to understand the actual events that led, up to this topic. Finally this topic really interested me, and I wanted to learn more about the Angolan Civil War....................

SOME INTERESTING FACTS...

1975

November 11; Angola wins independence from Portugal. UNITA and MPLA begin civil war for independence and power.

1979

Sept 20: Jose Eduardo dos Santos succeeds president Agostinho Neto.

1984

Feb 16: Angola and South Africa sign a deal calling for a South African withdrawal to be completed in 1988.

1988

Aug 8: South Africa, Cuba and Angola agree to ceasefire in Angola and in Namibia as part of a regional peace pact.

Dec 22: The largely US-brokered New York among South Africa, Cuba and Angola opens the way for Namibian independence, and declares the withdrawal of Cuba's 50,000 troops in Angola.

1989

July: Fighting resumes, despite a June 22 ceasefire between the government and UNITA.

1991

March 26-30: New laws introduce multi-party politics and guarantee civil liberties.

May 30: The UN Verification Mission (UNAVEM), in Angola since late 1988, is extended to monitor the ceasefire and organize general elections.

May 31: The government of Dos Santos and the rebels of UNITA leader Jonas Savimbi sign peace accords to end the civil war.

1992

Sept 29-30: General and presidential elections take place under UN supervision and are carried by the MPLA.

Dos Santos fails to carry the presidential poll in the first round. Savimbi refuses to admit defeat at the polls and renewed war breaks out.

1993

March 6: UNITA takes control of Angola's second city Huambo, after battling since January in a campaign that left 12,000 dead.

May 19: The United States, which backed UNITA between 1975 and 1991, recognises Dos Santos' regime.

Oct 6: UNITA recognises the 1991 peace deal and the elections' outcome.

Nov 15: Direct negotiations between government and UNITA begin.

1994

March 31: UNITA agrees to a second round of presidential elections as fighting continues.

Nov 20: Government and UNITA representatives in Lusaka sign another ceasefire agreement.

1995

Feb 8: UN Security Council agrees to send a 7,000-strong peacekeeping force to Angola.

May 6: First summit between Dos Santos and Savimbi in Gabon.

May 18: Savimbi declares that he accepts the September 1992 election results and in June he announces "the end of the war in Angola."

1996

Nov 13: Parliament abolishes the post of vice-president after Savimbi refuses to take it up.

1997

April 11: Formation of a national unity and reconciliation government.

Oct 30: The UN imposes sanctions against UNITA for failing to respect the ceasefire.

1998

March 11: UNITA is officially recognized as a political party.

Sept 2: Influential UNITA members split from Savimbi, prompting the government to end its dialogue with UNITA and to recognize only the splinter group.

Late 1998: All-out warfare resumes.

1999

Jan 29: Dos Santos extends his presidential powers.

Feb 26: United Nations ends its observer mission in Angola due to resumed fighting.

2000

March 10: A UN report accuses some African leaders of fueling the war through diamond and arms trading in violation of sanctions.

Aug 18: Fighting breaks out in eastern Angola.

Oct 2: MPLA calls off elections due in 2001 because of ongoing fighting, angering opposition parties.

2002

Dr. Jonas Savimbi is killed in battle, pictures of UNITA's leader are sent out to MPLA.

"Angola's 25 Years of Civil War." Global Policy Forum. Web. 12 May 2010. .

WHERE/WHY...

The Angolan civil war began after Angola won its independence in November of 1975. The Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) declared Anlgola's independence from Portugal and soon thereafter took power in 1975. From the beginning of MPLA's takeover, there were many anti-colonial groups like UNITA and the National Front of the Liberation of Angola (FNLA). This controversy between the many political groups of Angola led to the 25 year Angolan Civil War. With the help of several South African Governments the conflict spread to an all out war, involving the UN, the Us, Africa, and many other countries concerned with foreign affairs. Angola is located in Southern Africa, and is bordered by Namibia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Zambia. On the west coast, Angola is bordered by the South Atlantic Ocean. Angola has a total population of 12,799,293 people. Angola's total area is 1,246,700 square kilometers, the capital Luanda is located in the northern part of the Angolan coast.

WHEN...

The civil war in Angola began when Angola gained independence from Portugal in November of 1975. For 25 years war has raged throughout the country, led by UNITA and the leadership of Dr. Jonas Savimbi. On February 22, 2002, Dr. Savimbi was shot and killed. Angolan government, ecstatic about their most relevant victory over UNITA, debated whether to issue a total UNITA surrender, or to conduct peace talks. President Dos Santos, who was in Lisbon at the time of Savimbi's death, flew to Washington to discuss his plans for Angola. On March 2 the government confirmed that UNITA would be contacted and a ceasefire negotiated. After Savimbi's death, initial reports suggested that UNITA would continue fighting, and would deny any ceasefire or talks of peace. Later that month talks of peace began. In Luena, on March 20,2002, a second round of talks began between UNITA and the government of Angola. By the end of the month a document had been drafted. A military agreement signed on the 30th of March, impacted the official signing later in April. In April 4, 2002 the Luena Memorandum was signed which marked the end of the war.

WHAT...

The Angolan Civil War a 25 year dispute between the people of Angola left nearly 500,000 thousand people dead, and many more injured. Angola fought their civil war against Portugal until they won their independence on November 11, 1975. Angola first became a colony in 1576 and during their colonial rule, Portugal sent many Angolans to Brazil as slaves. Angola is also known for their diamond mines, and since 1992 the illegal smuggling of diamonds has occurred. Diamonds were most commonly smuggled from Angola to Zaire and Antwerp. The National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) directed by Dr. Jonas Savimbi helped Angola win the war, UNITA was responsible for nearly 10 to 20 million land mines all over Angola. During the civil war UNITA took over the control of many diamond mines in Angola, the profits from the diamonds supplied UNITA's money, fuel, and arms/weaponry for the civil war. On March 11, 1998 UNITA was recognized officially as a political party, later that same year a splinter party broke off from UNITA and demanded to be recognized. This further fueled the fight, and in late 1998 all out warfare resumed in Angola. Although the UN has involved themselves in the Angolan civil war on March 10, 2000 a UN report accused African leaders of fueling the war through the diamond and arms trading which was a violation of their sanctions. Soon after this report, in August of 2000, intense fighting erupted in Eastern Angola.

WORKS CITED

"The Angolan Civil War and US Foreign Policy." World Socialist Web Site.
Web. 12 May 2010

"Angola's 25 Years of Civil War." Global Policy Forum.
Web. 12 May 2010

"Angola Diamond Mining and War." Welcome to American University, Washington, DC USA. Web. 12 May 2010

"Angola: The End of the War: the Luena Memorandum of Understanding." Conciliation Resources. Web. 12 May 2010

"Africa Internet Usage and Population Statistics." Internet Usage World Stats - Internet and Population Statistics. Web. 13 May 2010

http://eaaf.typepad.com/pdf/2003/Angola.pdf