Alvor agreement "Reviews”

Course: Diplomacy

Academic year: 2015/2016

Stationary

Full Name: Paixão António José

Before starting the concise dissertation about Alvor agreement, is our interest give a few information about Angola, or mean the country that we will talk about.

Angola is a country situated at southern Africa, under equator line, with a latitude of 12º 30' S and longitude of 18º 30' E, with a dimension of 1.246.700 km², with a border of 6.487 which of 4.837 km terrestrial and 1.650 maritime. The country has got 18 provinces, Luanda is the capital according the constitution (article 20 Angola constitution 2010), other important city are Lobito, Benguela, Lubango, Huambo, Namibe, Malange and Cabinda. The country is limited by RDC at North, RC (Republic of Congo) at northeast, Zambia east, Namibia at south and at west is bathed by the Atlantic ocean.

Angolan politic history, dates back from XIII century, by the way, the actual Angola was divided by Kingdoms, the most important were Kingdom Congo, Ndongo, Matala, Bailundo, Kwanhama. This, before the European presence the margin of the Zaire River (north of Angola) at 1482.

From that time, the relation between the natives and portuguese was friendly, until the portuguese take the land from the natives and started the colonization process, situation that took too long long time, nearly 50 decades of colonization and slavery (read Boubakar Keita, Black Africa History 2010).

Therefore, the fight against colonizations had gotten start at 4th February 1961, when a group around of 200 angolans connected with independents moviments, attacked the house of military confinment in Luanda, 7th police station, the headquarters of the CTT and the national broadcaster of Angola, taking in account the inhuman treatment that the population was submitted. Is important to emphasise that a mounth early, has happened the slaughter of baixa de cassange in Malange (read Low of Cassange the catalyst that led to the correction of a mistake-Military magazine,by the Professor John P. Cann 2011) This fight is know by “armed struggle of national liberation” (Luta armada de Libertacao Nacional), started by the three moviments of libertation of Angola FNLA (Frente Nacional de Libertação de Angola), MPLA (Movimento Popular de Libertação de Angola) and UNITA (União Nacional para a Independência Total de Angola) just  in 1966. On the other hand, portuguese governanment strengthened the military guard of all angolan soil, as well hunter of the leaders of the libertation moviments.

In the meantime, the decisoin of potuguese government had not start the income of the population, and more revolution murders were constated, in contrary, for many angolan intelectual, the situation has took worst, taking look the social reality after the revolution.

However, after long battles between the colonized and the colonizers, finally the the revolution 25th April 1974 in Portugal, that culminated with the stroke of state of Salazar, as consequence the end of dictatorial regime in Portugal, as well as the pressure of Internacional Comunity, Angola and Portugal signed the agreement of independece, know by Alvor agreement, what is the chief topic of this article.

1.      Alvor Agreement

 Is document history, that explain the end of the portuguese colonization in Angola. The agreement was signed in Portugal, at Alvor Algarve region in Potimão council.

The conversation lasted five days, or mean from 10th to 15th January 1975, the agreement was between FNLA (Frente Nacional de Libertação de Angola), MPLA (Movimento Popular de Libertação de Angola) and UNITA (União Nacional para a Independência Total de Angola) from Angola side, and at another side portuguese authority.

The oficial document, contain 8 pages, 60 articles and is divided by eleven chapters. However, our home work is to analize and extract the sensitives points of the agreement. Below, we describe our critical view point chapter by chapter of this internacional document.

1.1-            Chapter I Independence of Angola

 Article 1. Was a mistake by the Portuguese side recognize the three moviments of the libertation of Angola, as the unique and legal representatives of Angola, once they faithed toghether for the independence of Angola as one, and based at the roots of these moviments, or mean each moviment was born inside of a group ethnic, FNLA (Bakngo), MPLA (Umbundu) and UNITA (Ovimbundu), according the first territorial organizations of the country (kingdoms).

My humble view point is that agreement should be signed by a coligation between the three moviments by the fact that is one nation, there was not necessity to be represeted by three differents parties, what shows that the independence or the peace of angolan people was temporary, until the conflitct of the leadership of the country start. For exapmle, the portuguese admiral Rosa Coutinho, High Commissioner for the territory, at one of his trip in Angola in 26th July 1974 he has said “when I arrived in Angola, MPLA was not properly  a organizated party, I can say that I knew more than five MPLA, was something completly divided, but, I avaliated other moviments and I realized that MPLA was the only party with cultural roots, politic sense, although inside division ( read Sergio Vieira da Silva Power and Politic in Austral Africa 1974-1989. Pag. 76-77 Lisbon 2013) The majority leaders of MPLA studied in Portugal had portuguese friends and lived the portuguese situation, Agostinho is one of the most example (militant comunist party as well the first president of Angola), this argument of Coutinho, created a new relation between the angolan parties at the time that the country was preparing for the independence.   

For many intelectuals, Portugal never really wanted give the independence to Angola, once for them Angola was gold colony, Coutinho used these strategic words to make jealous other parties and sink to country into  a civil war, unfortinetly the tragic event took place four years after the independence, and the death of Agostinho Neto.

Article 3. Angolan map is not uniform, instead of portion of land of Cabinda that is localizeted at the north of the country. Cabinda is like almost another country according his geografic position, well, during colonization time, the portuguese annexed the territory as a part of Angola, in order to satisfy his interest by the simulambuko treaty, signed between Cabinda and Portuguese authority at 1st February 1885.

Alvor agreement at his 3rd article estabilishes Cabinda as part of Angolan territory, what is well being for the Angolan people, because is a strategic and very rich region, but at another hand, was a source of ethnic conflict during decade of  80 and national descrimination, or mean most of people from Cabinda don’t feel themselves as Angolan, however corrently the situations is just controled by governament. So, this shows how problemetic was the independence process in Angola.

Article 4. If we take look to the process of independence of Angola, we will understand that was one of the most bloody in all African continent, in contrary of some countries that had the indepence peacefully, based in conversation between the colonized and colonizator, for example the British’s colonies and some of France’s colonies.

In Angola the reality was totaly diferent, as we refed prevoiusly Portugal never had any intention to leave Angola, this make me think that was to much audacity by the portuguese side and very peacefull for the Angola side, allow that the portuguese proclaimed the independence of Angola, while the Angola could just self proclaim

Article 9. “Amnisty of crimes war during colonization process”

The amnisty for the crimes war, human rights violence, murders and other forms of crime during the time of colonization, is something that succinct a heated debate between Angolan intellectual layer and in Africa in general. For many of them, those crimes should be reported publicly and the authors could be held accountable.

Murders, crimes, violence, descrimination, self rejection, poverty, misery, slavery, war and other social atrocities are the principles european actions in Africa continent, sequels that are brought until the present moment. Then the amnisty of those kind of crimes is ridiculous and inadmissible. Europe has eternal doubt with Africa, some day, african people will ask for that (read Joseph Kizerbo Le Monde Africain noir 1964)

1.2-            Chapter III – Transitional government

 Articles 14, 15,18,20,21 und 22. These articles speakes about the constitution of the transational government, formed by presidencial college were each leader of  the three parties should have a place FNLA, MPLA and UNITA, together  could support that until the proclamation of the independece. The transational government contain the following ministries:

• Interior, Information, Labour and Social Security, Economy, Planning and Finance,  Justice, Transport and Comunications, Health and Social affairs, Public Works, Housing und urbanism, Education and Culture and Agriculture and Natural Resources.

Nevertheless, the three moviments should divided the politics bags between them in equal. The question is! Until when this type of government could take long?

Sure that the answer is until the proclamation of  the independence, once we are talking about transational government. The second and central question is: after 11 november, who could be the president of the Republic? Well! there is question that this agreement did not answer, and the small political experience of angolan’s leaders did not care about that. As consequence of  this mistake, the independence of Angola was proclaimed unilateral.

While Agostinho Neto (leader of MPLA and first president of Angola) proclaim the independence in Luanda  (wide 1st may) RPA (Republica  Popular of Angola), at the seme time, Holder Robert, leader of  FNLA proclaim the independence of the RDA (Republic Democratic of Angola) in Ambriz as well Jonas Savimbi leader of UNITA proclaim the independence of Angola in Huambo.  

Although the unilateralism of independence proclamation, Angola became a independent country, instead of that the only independence recognized by the portuguese government was proclaimed in Luanda and in the following year African Union, and by United Nations in 1980.

1.3-            Chapter IV National defense commission

 Article 31, 32,34.  The criation of Unified Staff in colaboration between the angolan’s moviments and portuguese government, as well as tbe way of integration of the militaries, was one way to keep the portuguese supremacy, as we can observate here “FNLA fighters 8000, , 8000 MPLA fighters 8000 of UNITA fighters, Portuguese armed forces military 24000.

 From February to may will be integrated into a month 500 fighters from each of the movements. Liberation and 1500 Portuguese military; from June to September inclusive will be integrated by month 1500 fighters from each of the liberation movements and 4500 Portuguese military.

1.4- Chapter VII Angolan nationality

 Article 48. This article protect the portuguese citazen that was born in Angola during the colonization period and who did not want to go back to Portugal. So, at the first years of independence, the social reality was marked by racial deslike, what brought the violence at streets and the racial segregation. Several moviments had been created, what the principal income was the expulsion of ortuguese people that were still in Angola soil and didn’t want to turn back to their country for differents reasons. Nevertheless, the apartheid regime that settled at South Africa, South Rodesia (Zimbabwe) and Namibia, played a big role into angolan reality. In order to avoid this, should more inteligent if  the leaders of  both parts, agreed to deport all white population to Portugal and come back for couples years, or mean when the situation became better.

1.5  -Chapter VIII- Economic and financial nature

Article 55. The FNLA, UNITA and the MPLA undertake to respect the legitimate interests of the Portuguese goods and domiciled in Angola. Is important to say that after independence, the economic situation in Angola was critical, the native population was very poor without many resources, jobs, and the principles source of  job had been blocked by the portuguese.

Then, taking look to this point,  make us understand that the only people that should benefit of this decision could be the portuguese because they had the control of the economy, lands, farms, etc. It mean that the Angola should have politic independence but not economic, miss of  partiality dominated this article. It is quite the seme what happen in (RAS) South Africa, when in 1910 the english’s father had given the independence to the young english, take ownership to the native’s land and control the majority black, what caused the appartheid.

1.6. Chapter IX- The cooperation between Angola and Portugal

 Article 55. The cooperation both of the country should be suspended while the portuguese do not comply with the obligation that they have with Angola, to restore de demage caused during the colonization, the main protagonists of these common, financial compensation for the demage caused. Criation of a comission to avaliat assess the damage.

To complete, the agreement of Alvor was something not well planned according the interest of angolan people. The subjectivitity, impartiality, lack of transparency determinated the curs angolan history, and as could not be, these sequels until now are notable at angolan society, however the effort of the leaders to get better, imperiosly, we have to admit that was not ideal agreement for Angola aspirations.

The onseted of the fratricide is a clear heritage of wrongest project of independece, conflict that costed almost three decedes, marked by differents phases:

Gbadolite Agreement: signed at 1989 at Kinshasa Republic Democratic of Congo, between MPLA, FNLA and UNITA under the aegis of Mobutu. (was broken)

Bicesse agreement: signed 31.05.1991, in Portugal between MPLA and UNITA, under the aegis of portuguese authorities. (was broken)

Namibe agreement: 1992 in south Angola, as well between MPLA and UNITA, under the aegis of United Nation (was broken)

Lusaka agreement: 1993-1994 in Zambia, between MPLA and UNITA (was broken) ...read Francisco da Mata Mourisca Scandal of peace.

Luena agreement: 22 February 2002: after the dirth of Jonas Savimbi, finaly Angola got the peace, process that was finished at 4th april 2002 with the signature of peace agreement.

Acronyms

 RC Republica do Congo ( Congo Republic)

RDC Republica Democratica do Congo (Republic Democratic of Congo)

CTT Correios Telegrafo e telefone (Postal Telegraph and telephone)

FNLA Frente Nacional de Libertação de Angola (National Front for the liberation of Angola)

MPLA Movimento Popular de Libertação de Angola (Movimento Popular de Libertação de Angola)

UNITA União Nacional para a Independência Total de Angola (National Union for the Total Independence of Angola)

RPA Republlica Popular de Angola (Republic Popular of Angola)

RDA Republica Democratica de Angola (Republic Democratic of Angola)

RAS Republica da Africa dos Sul (Republic of South Africa)

SADC Comunidade Economica Para o Desenvolvimento da Africa Austral (Economic Community For the development of southern Africa)

Glossary

Dissertation: presentation, description  of a document

Southern: Austral or meridional

Equator: line that divide the world in two parts north and south

Agreement: is that references a common set of ideas or goals on the part of two or more countries

Margin: border, riverside

Confinment: reserveted areas for especific group of people

Headquarters: the main institution place for military army

Inhuman: violetion of the human rights

Slaughter: is the social practice in which a human being takes ownership rights to another designated for slave, which imposed such a condition by means of force.

Strengthen: act to reforce something or a contigent

Stoke of State: is a constitutionally legitimate Government illegally topple

Recognize: acept something or somebody

Gold colony: the most precious colony, at this context, we can understand as the favourite colony.

Portion: geographically is a parte separeted of the coutry

Annex: fix something to another, or a part of land to another land

Treaty: is an agreement resulting from the convergence of wills of two or more subjects of international law, formalized in a written text, with the goal of producing legal effects at international level.

Bloody: something very violent and danger

Peacefully: calm, sere, passivity,free of violence

Amnisty: Act of the legislature to forgive a fact punishable by suspension the persecutions and nullifies convictions

Transational government: is kind or government formed by two or more politics groups, in order to colaborate at governation of a country, region or organization during a determinated time.

Presidencial college: formation of the government by two or more grupo, sharing ideas in making the decision

Undertake: comprimise, comply

Fratricide: military conflict between parties from the seme country

Bibliographic reference

 Angola constitution  ( Angola government 2010 )

Scandal of peace (Mourisca, Francisco  2001-Uije)

Prevention and management of elections conflicts in members States of  SADC electoral ( Friedrich Ebert Stiftung and Catholic University of Angola-Social Science Faculty-Angola)

Angolan Public right (Feijo, Carlos 1st edition 2001-Luanda)

Power and Politic in Austral Africa 1974-1989 (Silva, Sergio Escolar Editora 2013- Lisbon)

Text of the agreement Between The Portuguese Government And liberation movements 15.11.1975- Luanda-Lisbon

Joseph Kizerbo (Le mond Africain noire 1964-Ouagadougou-Paris)