Jonas Savimbi

Full-scale war resumed in 1998. Human Rights Watch documented forced civilian displacement, mining of rural areas, indiscriminate bombardment and abduction of children and adults by UNITA for military and logistical service. Estimates cited refer to several thousand children bearing arms for UNITA during the final phase.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Command responsibility

The UN Panel of Experts concluded that diamonds were UNITA's main source of wealth and described Savimbi as personally controlling some of the rough-diamond assets used to purchase weapons, fuel and political support. The Council was informed that he had established supply systems and networks of facilitators designed to circumvent sanctions.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Directly implicated

As government forces approached Chinguar, Human Rights Watch reported that approximately 140 soldiers and civilians were killed by UNITA. Other executions, punitive mutilations and forced recruitment were reported in several localities during the year.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Command responsibility

In January 2000, the Security Council received video evidence from former UNITA military officials alleging that Savimbi had personally ordered the downing of two United Nations aircraft in Angola, incidents in which twenty-two people died.

Attribution

Personally implicated

After the Lusaka Protocol, UNITA's disarmament and integration remained incomplete. Human Rights Watch documents continued arms acquisitions in violation of agreements and UN resolutions, while UNITA retained substantial military capabilities and rearmed.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Political responsibility

Human Rights Watch describes abductions of civilians, forced porterage, use of certain foreigners as hostages or human shields, restrictions on movement, confiscation of food and unpaid labour in UNITA-controlled areas.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Command responsibility

Human Rights Watch found that UNITA's forced recruitment of children and adolescents was widespread and increasing. Children were used as fighters, auxiliaries or workers connected with diamond-producing areas.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Command responsibility

Human Rights Watch documents prolonged sieges and indiscriminate shelling of urban areas by UNITA. The report estimates approximately 10,000 deaths during the battle of Huambo and 20,000 to 30,000 during the siege of Kuito, with up to a thousand shells fired daily at certain points.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Command responsibility

UNITA attacked relief operations, mined roads and fields, sabotaged transport and prevented civilians from reaching crops. Human Rights Watch considers that these practices were intended to starve populations in besieged towns.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Command responsibility

After an election in which José Eduardo dos Santos led without an absolute majority and a presidential run-off should have been held, UNITA rejected the results despite observers' generally positive assessment and remobilised its forces. War resumed less than a month after the vote.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Political responsibility

Former UNITA officials accused Jonas Savimbi of ordering extrajudicial executions of rivals and internal dissidents. The 1999 US human rights report states that several former UNITA leaders claimed he personally ordered certain killings.

Tito Chingunji, a former UNITA representative in Washington, and Wilson dos Santos were recalled to Jamba, accused of high treason, confined and subsequently disappeared. Savimbi had publicly assured others that they were still alive before UNITA acknowledged their deaths.

Attribution

Directly implicated

UNITA's internal investigation acknowledged that Chingunji, dos Santos, their wives, children and guards had been shot and their bodies thrown into a river. Savimbi denied ordering the executions and attributed them to Puna, while declaring that he accepted full responsibility as leader of the movement.