Southern Africa News

Contents: PART I INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY • ANGOLA: AND AGGRESSION • MEMBERS OF THE SOUTHERN AFRICA NEWS COLLECTIVE • ANGOLA: Revolutionary Lessons on International Solidarity • Emergence of Sovereign Angola • CUBA's Relationship to Angola and African Struggles • International Solidarity • The Anti-Colonial Struggle • Political Character of the Three Movements • U.S. Views on the Angolan Situation • IMPORTANT READING! Mozambique Speaks: Samora Machel • Lessons from the Angolan Experience • Important film in the making_ _ _ _ - The Wilmington Ten _ • OTRAG: NUCLEAR PENETRATION OF SOUTHERN AFRICA • OTRAG and IMPERIALIST POLICIES • background notes: OTRAG • background note: ANGOLA • POLITICAL ACTION FOLLOW-UP • POLITICAL ACTION: COMBAT COVERT INTELLIGENCE ACTIVITIES • The newsletter says this issue is PART I of a two part series on ANGOLA. The newsletter says this issue focuses on two major articles which analyze: the lessons learned from U.S. interpretations of Cuba's role in Angola; and OTRAG- U.S. and western imperialists latest attempt to utilize Zaire to penetrate southern Africa with nuclear and advanced weaponry. The newsletter says when Portugal announced in 1974 that Angola would become independent in November 1975, it was with the condition that power would not be ceded to one party; on that basis, the Organization of African Unity (OAU) began a series of meetings with FNLA/UNITA/MPLA to help them form a coalition government. The newsletter says in September 1974, a meeting took place between UNITA, FNLA and Daniel Chipenda with Augosto Spinola to plan a strategy for isolating and destroying the MPLA; soon after that meeting, the U.S. stepped-up its military assistance and sent military and material support to the FNLA/UNITA forces; on August 5, regiments of South Africa's regular army first invaded Angola under the pretext of protecting the hydro-electric dam at Ruacana Caluaqua. The newsletter says by late September MPLA controlled the capital Luanda, all the major ports, both ends of the strategic Benguela railway, 12 of the country's 16 provinces; meanwhile the imperialist forces began to amass military strength by airlifting U.S., French Belgian and German arms to South Africa/UNITA/FNLA forces. The newsletter says in October, the leadership of FRELIMO Mozambique's President, Samora Machel; and of PAIGC- Louis Cabral of Guinea-Bissau met with MPLA - Agostinho Neto in Mozambique for strategic discussions on the situation in Angola. The newsletter says the progressive nations of Guinea-Bissau and Mozambique declared MPLA as the sole and sovereign government in Angola. The newsletter says a mechanized brigade of South African troops crossed into Angola from Namibia; on November 3, 1975, the South African/UNITA/mercenary brigade advanced to attack the Benguela railway; on November 5, 1975, Cuba made the decision to sent troops, conventional warfare capability and technical assistance to the People's Republic of Angola. The newsletter says Zaire has turned over one-tenth of its territory to a West German research company called OTRAG (Orbital Launch and Rocket Corporation). The newsletter discusses the U.S. State Department, Cuban troops, the Soviet Union, Amilcar Cabral, FNLA (National Front for the Liberation of Angola), Holden Roberto, Jonas Savimbi, the CIA, filmmaker Haile Gerema, uranium, copper, Shaba Province, Mobutu Sese Seko, the Patriotic Front, SWAPO, the frontline states, Elisio de Figueiredo, the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Citibank, Charles Diggs, Dick Clark, the Black Caucus, the military situation.