Human Rights: Lusaka Protocol
Implementations
Human Rights – 1994
The Lusaka Protocol called for substantial human rights monitoring, investigations of human rights violations, and human rights training and education programs. These programs were not initiated in 1994.
Human Rights – 1995
In 1995, a Human Rights Unit was established with a mandate to verify and monitor the Angolan National Police (ANP), the demobilization of the Rapid Reaction Police, and perform criminal investigations of human rights violations.1
UNAVEM-3 launched a nationwide human rights education program. “The first such seminar, held in Luanda on 23 November, focused on the role of the Lusaka Protocol in the protection of human rights and on UNAVEM III’s plan of action in this area for the period up to February 1997. At the same time, the human rights unit of UNAVEM III has formulated an orientation program for the Mission’s own military and police observers, with a view to facilitating their monitoring activities.”2
- “Report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Angola Verification Mission (UNAVEM III),” U.N. Security Council (S/1995/1012), December 7, 1995.
- Ibid.
Human Rights – 1996
UNAVEM was engaged in several projects in 1996 intended to improve human rights conditions in Angola. The civilian police component investigated numerous complaints of human rights violations in 1996. The number of reported allegations had increased from the previous year. UNAVEM focused much of its training resources on the treatment of prisoners in detention centers and on human rights training associated with the military integration process. A plan was also approved in 1996 by the Government to reform the judicial system.
Human Rights – 1997
UNAVEM continued a multifaceted approach to human rights training and education projects to consolidate the rule of law and reform the judicial system and criminal codes. The Joint Commission held eight meetings in which approximately 60 cases of human rights abuses were examined.1
- “Progress Report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Angola Verification Mission (UNAVEM III),” U.N. Security Council (S/1997/438), June 5, 1997.
Human Rights – 1998
The Human Rights Division and the Ministry of Justice established local human rights committees in 4 provinces. MONUA reported that many human rights abuses were committed by the ANP, including “extrajudicial executions, torture, rape, arbitrary arrest and detention”. A dysfunctional judicial system failed, in almost every respect, at bringing perpetrators of gross human rights violations to justice. The prisons were reported as suffering from “gross violations of detaineesÕ rights.”1
The verification process broke down in light of the increased violence and the sanctions that were placed on UNITA. MONUA reported that “there have been no contacts between the Government and Mr. Jonas Savimbi and his group, and the joint mechanisms established for the implementation of the peace process at the national and local levels, including the Joint Commission, have been paralyzed.”2
In the last issuance of 1998, MONUA reported that the Angolan government and UNITA forces had continued to perform extensive military operations and that MONUA personnel, under phase IV of their security plan, were withdrawn from all provinces.3
The Uppsala Conflict Data Program coded the conflict between the Angolan government and UNITA as reaching the threshold of “war” in 1998 with over 1000 total deaths in the year. Coding for this case stops December 31 1998.