Unita unites behind new leader

Savimbi's death has changed Angola's politics

Deputy ministers in Angola's Government are among a group of 24 Unita figures who have signed a statement acknowledging the leadership of the rebel group's secretary general, General Paulo Lukamaba "Gato".

This comes after a separate group of Unita MPs also fell in behind General Gato, who is currently leading Unita's delegation at peace talks in the eastern town of Luena.

General Gato seems to have reunited the rebels

Hopes have been rising that Angola's 27-year war may soon come to an end following the death last month of Unita's long-time leader, Jonas Savimbi.

However sporadic attacks continue and on Thursday 15 people were killed near the coastal town of Benguela, a church-run radio station reported.

The deputy ministers were previously part of the Unita-Renovada faction, which in 1998 distanced itself from Savimbi's leadership.

Dead leaders

"[We] stand by and encourage the efforts which are being made, patriotically, by the Angolan Government and by Unita's military forces, towards putting a definite end to the war in Angola," said a statement signed by the five deputy ministers and other Unita sympathisers.

"[The signatories] affirm their complete willingness to work with the management committee headed by the secretary general, General Paulo Lukamaba 'Gato', with the aim of making possible the reunification of the party, which is necessary in order to build national unity and reconciliation," it said.

The Angolan Government recognises Unita-Renovada's leader, Eugenio Manuvakola, as the legitimate leader of the Unita movement.

On Tuesday a group of Unita parliamentarians not aligned with Unita-Renovada said they had decided to acknowledge General Gato's leadership.

Following Savimbi's death, Unita's Vice-President Antonio Dembo was next in line but the BBC's Justin Pearce in Luanda says it is now widely believed that he is dead, as the government had earlier claimed.

Not signed

The attack near Benguela has been blamed on Unita guerrillas but our correspondent says that bandits are known to operate in the area.

The government has said it is hopeful that a ceasefire will be signed soon with General Gato.

There have not been any contradictions on major issues

Georges Chicoti
Deputy foreign minister

However, the Luena talks have already been extended by a week.

On Thursday, Angola's Deputy Foreign Minister Georges Chicoti said that negotiations between government military commanders and their Unita counterparts were on the verge of concluding with a deal that would lead to a ceasefire.

"The negotiations are going well. There have not been any contradictions on major issues. They seem to be agreeing on all elements," he told journalists in Geneva.

Our correspondent says the government has been making equally positive statements for a week and nothing has yet been signed.