Angolans celebrate peace dividend

The war left thousands of people homeless

By Justin Pearce BBC correspondent in Luanda

Youth groups and women's organisations paraded past President Jose Eduardo dos Santos at Angola's Independence Day celebrations on Monday.

It was the first time that this celebration has been held in peace time, since the country gained independence from Portugal 27 years ago and the messages over the PA system are about peace and reconciliation.

MPLA flags were far more numerous than national flags

In his address to the nation, the president said that this year, 11 November was not only a celebration of independence, but of a new era of history which was brought about by peace.

At the celebrations, one of the T-shirt slogans was "Dos Santos - architect of peace", and the whole occasion looked more like a rally of the ruling MPLA party than anything else.

The official trade unions were there, not the independent unions that have organised strikes against state-owned enterprises. MPLA flags were far more numerous than national flags.

One young man, called Geraldo Joao, was carrying an MPLA flag although his friends were wearing T-shirts from the opposition Social Renewal Party. I asked him if he was an MPLA member.

"No, unfortunately I'm from the Social Renewal Party," he said, adding that he was carrying the MPLA flag to represent Angola.

When I pointed out that it was a party flag and not a national flag, he said: "The MPLA is the party that has the means to provide for more supporters".

No Jobs

That conversation seemed to sum up the contradictions that Angolans are facing at the moment. Everyone is talking of reconciliation, but one party remains very much in control.

That state of affairs is likely to become even more deeply entrenched in 10 days' time with the closure of the Joint Commission, the body chaired by the United Nations which has been overseeing the peace process.

Some critics say the process has been conducted much too fast, and that now the government alone will be making critical decisions regarding the country's future.

Last week, the UN representative, Ibrahim Gambari, started consultations for the first time with non-political organisations in Angola. But the meetings were wrapped up within a few days, with some significant organisations complaining that they never got a chance to have their say.

And there is still no clarity about what is to happen to the former Unita soldiers and their families - 300,000 people in total, who are still living in camps around the country.

Some local authorities have been talking of closing the camps - but many of the former combatants left their home areas decades ago, and at the moment, there is simply nowhere for them to go.

They will also need jobs, which are already hard to come by, as a man at the parade reminded me.

"I'm unemployed, I'm suffering from unemployment, there's no job for me - that's why I'm talking to you," he said.

Once the holiday celebrations are over, just a lucky few will be heading back to jobs.

The day's euphoria cannot hide the fact that peace in Angola is only the start of a process that still has a long way to go.