On 25 May 1987, in the SAMBO district of HUAMBO province, Angola, 14 scho lars were jailed and 26 wounded in an aerial attack by Cuban air force jets. The school was completely destroyed.

On 10 June 1987, Cuban troops killed the school principal, Domingos Wahotir, in BAILUNDO district of HUAMBO province.

On 4 June 1987, in the KASSONGUE district, of CUANZA SUL province, after intensive aerial bombardment by Soviet Migs of the Cuban Air Force using napalm, 6 schools were destroyed and 3 teachers killed, with an unknown number of scholars wounded or killed.​

​​A Frontline Mission team recently returned from a successful 3 month mission trip to war-torn Angola. At one point their boat sprang a leak and nearly sank in the river. They then had to carry all their equipment through waist high swamp - infested by snakes and crocodiles - for nearly a kilometre.

​​On other occasions our workers had to shoot poisonous snakes to safeguard other team members. By dug-out canoe, rubber dingy, truck and by foot they travelled from village to village proclaiming the Gospel.

They encouraged the Christians and distributed Bibles, Gospel literature, some relief aid, school materials and medical supplies to desperately needy churches, schools and hospitals in remote areas of that vast country. They report:

As we crossed the river by dugout canoes most of the village had assembled to welcome us with singing. Word had spread of our arrival and all the 6 churches in the district united for the Sunday service. In the roofless church building George's message was translated through three interpreters into Portuguese, Chokwe and Luchazi. Later all the pastors and elders of the district gathered for discussions and planning with us.

One of the pastors expressed their appreciation in these words: "We have heard over the radio that Christians are praying for us here in Angola, but today we meet Christians who are concerned enough to come and see what our problems are. Thank you. It is a great day for us."

The people in these remote areas are cut-off and isolated from any assistance. Their needs are endless. The towns are devastated and in ruins. Building after building has no roof. Many of the lands have no crops. The shops are empty. The clinics have no medicines. The schools have no books.

In the hospitals we found many patients crippled, whose limbs had been blown off by landmines. One man with severe brain damage had been in the same hospital since 1986. He was a survivor of a Soviet chemical warfare attack.

As we travelled across one river our rubber dingy sprang a leak and began to sink. Frantically we bailed out water as we attempted to make an emergency landing - but there was no land, only swamps! We just had to jump off into the swamp and carry as much of our belongings and literature as possible. The water was waist deep and the long reeds cut sharply into our legs.

At that time of the year the crocodiles tend to stay more in the swamps amidst the reeds so we were very alert throughout our one kilometre marsh marathon. The swamp was also snake infested so that inspired our prayer lives to new heights. Once safely out of the swamp there still remained a 3 hour walk to our camp. It was an appropriate introduction to Angola for our new team members, Robert and Fanie, who had just joined us.

The schools received our teams with much enthusiasm. They were delighted to receive our gifts of books, pens, pencils, rulers and chalk. The Bible lessons presented by our team were eagerly received. Gospel Recordings tapes and flipcharts also made a great impact. Most of the teachers also attended our lessons and were just as eager to learn. When we tested the children we were pleased to find that even the youngest were usually able to repeat the basic principles. Often we would hear the children singing the Gospel songs which we had taught them in these lessons.

Sometimes when we needed to cross rivers our boatsman was missing. Delays were normal. Buzzing and biting mosquitoes were everywhere. Before we crossed the rivers some boatsmen would fire a shot into the river to scare away the hippos and crocodiles. Some river crossings had to be made at midnight. These crossings were invariably followed by long hikes through stinking mud and mosquito ridden marshes. The days often began with hours of walking through thick sand to reach the next village for school meetings or church services.

At one village we were received by the queen of the tribe and the leaders of the local Roman Catholic congregation. After the traditional rituals, George was invited to present the message. George preached on John 14:6 - that Jesus Christ is the only Way, the Truth and the Life. One lady was particularly upset and angrily presented her baptism and membership cards to "prove" her salvation.

The queen presented our team with a goat and a chicken as a token of their gratitude for the visit. On the long trek in the mid-day heat back to base the goat passed out and Fanie ended up carrying the tired goat on his shoulders for most of the journey. After further ministry to this area, word quickly spread about the 4 Protestant missionaries who were prepared to walk to the different churches and not wait for transport like the Catholics!

The next Lord's Day we travelled by rubber dingy to minister at an Evangelical Church. The Pastor there had been wounded and crippled by Cubans who had shot him during a church service. Yet despite his handicap, Pastor Daniel was radiant with joy and his whole conduct and attitude was one of commitment and zeal.

At the church services the offerings always consisted of food. As money was very scarce most offerings consisted of mealies (maize). This food was then kept for widows and orphans in the community. It was something of a full-time job to keep the ducks and chickens from consuming the offerings!

Some of our meetings required a half day's walk in the thick sand to reach them. One day we walked 6 hours to minister in a village. Due to the often poor interpreting, I had pain-stakingly translated Robert's sermon into Portuguese to assist the interpreter. The interpreter then eagerly read out all of Robert's written message to the congregation. Then he announced: "And now Pastor Rob will preach!"

The joy with which the Angolans received Bibles and Gospel literature was overwhelming. Pastors would often make great ceremony over each member coming forward, one by one, to receive their own copy of a tract - one at a time.

After one particularly blessed service we returned with 6 women bearing gifts of chickens, pumpkins, watermelons and sugar cane on their heads. They insisted on escorting us singing all the way "home". Sometimes whole congregations walked for hours to join us.

Although the circumstances were extremely primitive, we were amazed at the resolute way in which the people continued their lives despite these difficulties. Within the different communities a sense of unity, loyalty, discipline and order was evident as everybody tried to work together in maintaining stability - as far as possible, under the circumstances. We found schools, clinics, hospitals, orphanages and churches functioning with the minimum facilities and materials available. Yet, they continued their work with a strong will to serve. We were touched by the striking words of a hospital superintendent: "We lack medicine, we lack food, we lack diesel, but we continue because we have the will to help our people."

This was the general attitude which we found amongst the Angolans especially in UNITA controlled "Free Angola". The teachers continue teaching with, or without, buildings and writing materials. The hospitals and clinics care for patients with, or without, medicine and diesel to make their equipment function. The women's organisations continue to run orphanages and programmes to help orphans, widows, disabled soldiers and the needy with, or without, the necessary material and facilities. The pastors continue to minister even without buildings, Bibles or hymnbooks.

Everybody seemed to be fully committed to the struggle for freedom. Everyone has his contribution to make. As one Angolan put it: "We are all involved in the war. Everybody has his weapon: The soldier has his gun; the teacher - his books; the doctors and nurses - their medicine; the pastor - his Bible."

Despite this positive attitude the people in the Unita-controlled areas are in tremendous need. They are terribly isolated as international sanctions have been imposed on them after the elections. The needs are endless. Hospitals and clinics have to function with limited facilities and almost no medicine. Sicknesses, such as malaria, have become epidemic and little can be done to keep the people from dying as a result of it. If their crops fail, they are unable to obtain other supplies. Teaching in schools is often done without materials or any other equipment. The little relief aid we gave was received with great joy: "Although it looks little to you, for us who have nothing, it is much," they said.

Despite the overwhelming physical needs, the first need that was constantly put before us, was that of Bibles and hymnbooks. As one pastor described this need: "You could fill this room with Bibles and literature and it would still not be enough."

If you would like to channel gifts towards the suffering Christians in Angola please designate your support for Angola to Frontline Fellowship. We are trusting the Lord for enough to fill two trucks with Bibles, hymnbooks, Gospel literature, medicines, relief aid, school materials and Boxes with Love - when our team returns to that needy country.

​The border with UNITA-controlled "Free Angola" was firmly closed. The border area was crawling with Namibian Defence Force (NDF) soldiers. Roadblocks and checkpoints controlled access to the border areas. According to the local people anyone trying to cross the border would be shot on sight. Several Angolan women had already been shot and thrown to the crocodiles in the river for attempting to obtain food, salt or cooking oil on the Namibian side of the border.

Since 1961 Angola has been at war. First against the Portuguese colonial administration, then since 1975 against the unelected communist dictatorship. When the 50 000 Cuban mercenaries finally left Angola by 1991, Angola enjoyed over a year of rare peace. Until the UN supervised elections of September 1992. The widespread MPLA fraud surrounding that shameful excuse of an election was followed by the worst outbreak of massacres ever seen in Angola. In just 3 days Marxist mobs murdered over 10 000 Bakongo and Ovimbundu tribesman (the primary support base for the anti-communist UNITA movement). The war exploded again with a ferocity never before seen in Angola. More people died in the 2 years following "the election" than in the previous 30 years of war which it was meant to end!

Instead of punishing the Marxist MPLA government for the electorial fraud and cold-blooded massacres of their opponents, Western governments inexplicably imposed total economic sanctions on the victims - those who supported UNITA. This blockade has prevented even food aid and medicines from being delivered to the millions of people living in Free Angola. So while Western governments continued to sell weapons of mass destruction (including napalm fuel-air bombs) to the Marxists, they enforced severe sanctions against humanitarian aid reaching the victims of these attacks.

Throughout 1994 Frontline missionaries made multiple entries into Angola - often under cover of night. This generally involved swimming in with heavy packs held above the water or paddling dug-out canoes across the fast flowing river. On this occasion our teams had 3 truck loads of medicines and Bibles - the largest single consignment we had yet delivered at one time to Angola.

It seemed impossible that our teams could continue to evade the ever tightening noose and breach the blockade. Yet, by God's grace, they were able to get to a quiet section of the border. Two rivers and a swamp had to be crossed so they sent word into Angola and 70 tribesmen and soldiers came over to help. They each balanced a box of Bibles or medicines on their heads and began the long and arduous journey through the crocodile infested rivers and through the snake and insect ridden swamp. The procession had to return several times for new loads before the precious cargo had all been physically carried to the thankful and desperately needy recipients. Some people who were dying of Malaria received the medicines just in time to save their lives.

Amidst the joyful villages one radiant pastor expressed their gratitude: "This shows us that the body of Christ in Southern Africa is sharing in our sufferings. As the Bible says: `If one part of the body suffers, the whole body suffers.' We are very thankful. Not many people want to help us - because they fear death and war."

What has been particularly encouraging to these people is that Frontline missionaries are true to their word and return. As one pastor explained: "At first we did not think you would come back. Other visitors came only once and never returned." It means a lot for these suffering Christians to know that they are not forgotten and that we will return - with more precious Bibles and medicines.

To each one who has contributed medicines, Bibles, relief "boxes with love", finances for petrol and printing and prayer cover - we do not have enough words to express our deep appreciation. If only you could have seen the joyful celebrations of those whom you have blessed in Angola! And the many bodies healed, lives spared, people encouraged and souls saved. May the Lord bless and reward you for your generosity and Christian concern.

Peter Hammond

By God’s grace, Rob and Johan returned from their mission trip to assist Angolan Christians who have been forced to flee from the recent offensive.

Our team met with survivors of bombardments who had fled for their lives. They were told of hundreds of captured civilians killed. Some were shot in the back of the head while their hands were tied behind their backs. Reportedly some suffocated to death while locked in a container truck.

Most of the women, children and old men were rounded up and shipped off to Namibian refugee camps. The young men who survived were transported off to Western Angola where they would be forced into the MPLA army to fight against their own people.

As the offensive was launched during their rainy season planting time, the effect of the attacks has been disastrous. The Angolans in Cuando-Cubango province (South Eastern Angola) have lost everything: their homes, their crops, their livestock, and in many cases, their loved ones. One person described the situation: “This is worse than war!” In most wars you at least have one side that will protect you. But for the Angolan civilians caught up in the scorched earth campaign they have no one to turn to. Under international sanctions, bombarded by the marxist MPLA government, shot on sight by the Namibian security forces and incarcerated in refugee camps by the United Nations, these Christians feel without a friend in the world. ​

​Entry into south-eastern Angola continues to be difficult as the access via Namibia's north-eastern border remains officially closed. The Namibian Defence Force sends out patrols and has guard posts along much of the border. The NDF are under orders to shoot to kill anyone attempting to cross the Kavango River. The blockade continues to cause much suffering for the inhabitants of south-eastern Angola, as they must cross over into Namibia to obtain medical or food supplies. The Field Director of Frontline Fellowship, reports:

More people have been reported killed in the 7 months following the UN supervised general elections in Angola than in the 16 year old civil war that it was supposed to end.

As towns are pounded into rubble by artillery, tank, mortar and rocket bombardments, as lines of refugees flee embattled towns, and as the body count of the dead continues to mount, accusations and attributing of blame fly back and forth. However, despite the prevailing chaos, some seem to have had no problem laying all the blame on the anti-communist UNITA movement and it’s veteran resistance leader Dr Jonas Savimbi. But research by members of Frontline Fellowship have found the reality not nearly that simple.

The ruling MPLA government of Angola was installed in power by a Cuban army of occupation in 1 975. The MPLA signed a treaty with the Soviet Union in 1976 and proclaimed itself a Marxist-Leninist party in 1977. During the 16 years of Cuban military occupation and MPLA dictatorship many churches were destroyed, over 350 000 people were killed, 80 000 were crippled or mutilated, 500 000 refugees fled to Zaire, Zambia and Namibia, 800 000 internal refugees were displaced and 60 000 orphaned. War damage exceeded $25 Billion. 2 500 Factories were closed down and the national debt rose to over $8 Billion.

Following the successive failures of joint Soviet, Cuban and MPLA military offensives against UNITA held “Free Angola”, the MPLA declared itself for multi-party democracy and agreed to a cease-fire. Those sceptical of this apparent conversion from communism were soon disturbed by numerous irregularities in the run up to the first general elections ever scheduled iii Angola on 29-30 September 1992.
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1.  Firstly the TV, radio and print media remained -firmly controlled and monopolised by the MPLA throughout the 2 year election process.
2. The late initiation and abrupt premature cut-off of voter registration in rural areas known to be heavily supportive of UNITA prevented the registration of 700 000 potential voters. (The guarantors of the Estoril Accords, the USA, Russia and Portugal, actually protested this - but the registration time was not extended and these potentially pro-UNITA votes were lost.)
3. While the Angolan police ranks doubled in size from 22 000 members to 45 000 with the incorporation of MPLA soldiers, no UNITA members were incorporated in the police force at any level.
4. The 400 UN observers and several hundred international observers were inadequate to monitor the 5 800 polling stations.
5. The MPLA failed to provide a list of registered voters to the other 17 political parties. This was violation of the electorial law and affected campaign efforts and the verification / vote Counting process.
6. The MPLA failed to inform opposition parties of the creation of 105 additional polling stations. No observers were able to monitor these unknown sites.
7. MPLA members illegally took possession of over 80 ballot boxes and opened them during the counting process.
8. Recurring and mysterious failure of electricity and computer equipment occurred during the counting process.
9. Widespread harassment and intimidation (including unlawful detention, arrest, torture and even murderl of UNITA supporters was reported before, during and after the elections.
10. 15 of the 18 registered political parties protested that the elections were fraudulent and not “free and fair”.

The New York based American Foundation for Resistance International reported in their Democracy Bulletin that the Angolan elections were “a text book example of Marxist - inspired suppression of the democratic process by the ruling MPLA, planned in advance and executed with a view to perpetuating communist rule over Angola.” The Heritage Foundation, Back grounder (11/16/92) reported that: “The MPLA is responsible for most of Luanda ‘s carnage. It reportedly distributed thousands of weapons to its cadres, leading to the massacre of thousands of unarmed civilians suspected of being UN/TA supporters. Moreover, the MPLA apparently sought to decapitate UN/TA by killing its vice president, Jeremias Chitunda and other top UN/TA leaders.”

UN sponsored negotiations for a cease- fire turned out to be an ambush. The Vice President of UNITA, Jeremias Chitunda and other UNITA leaders were lured to Luanda under UN assurances of safe passage only to be shot in the back of the head by MPLA security officials. These assassinations were followed by co-ordinated MPLA ground and aerial attacks on UNITA installations and house to house searches for sympathizers and supporters of UNITA. The Free Angola Information Service announced that thousands of civilians were massacred in this pogrom.

In the presidential vote, MPLA candidate Dos Santos wor. 49.6% of the vote, Savimbi obtained 40.1%. The UN noted the “irregularities” in the electorial process but nonetheless certified the Angolan elections “general/y free and fair”. The Democracy Bulletin described this UN verification as “an act of whitewash pro bafi/y produced under pressure.”

A six man observer team from Germany noted the monopoly of the media by the MPLA and rampant pre-election bribery and corruption. Observers from the Conservative Caucus declared the election process fraudulent and documented widespread intimidation.

Despite initial MPLA successes, most observers agree that UNITA now controls about 70% of the countryside and a large number of provincial capitals and smaller towns. This highlights another inconsistency in most reports. How does UNITA manage to control most of Angola? Considering that UNITA no longer receives any aid from its previous sponsors, the USA and South Africa, and considering the vast amount ofstockpiled weaponry supplied by the Soviet Union to the MPLA from 1975-1991, where is UNITA’s support base? It is hard to avoid the conclusion that UNITA continues to survive because it enjoys widespread popular support in Angola.

The prevalent fraud and intimidation in the Angolan elections, the ineffectiveness of the UN observers and the resultant vicious civil war are being viewed with concern by South Africans as we prepare for similar proceedings here.

Peter Hammond

​In the year following the United Nations supervised general elections in Angola, that country has been suffering under a frenzy of mass killings worse even than anything endured in the previous 30 years of war. In a systematic programme of ethnic cleansing the MPLA government has targeted the Bakongos and Ovimbundus for annihilation.

The marxist MPLA riot police were seen repeatedly driving into the Camama cemetery to off-load prisoners. Once the prisoners had dug their own graves they were systematically shot into the graves.

Eye witnesses in the Luanda suburb of Caleba saw a mass-grave containing many hundreds of corpses of men, women and children of all ages. Many of the women had babies in their arms or strapped on their backs.

Father Adelino Simoes testified of mass summary executions at Viana - in the town square and in backyards - of people accused of being members of the opposition UNITA movement or of the Bokongo or Ovimbundu tribes.

In a 3 day pogrom after the elections, over 10 000 people were massacred in Luanda alone. This included the vice- president of UNITA, Jeremias Chitunda, and UNITA’s Chief Negotiator, Salupeto Pena, who were dragged from their cars and shot in the back of the head.

Reportedly, the purge was co-ordinated from the military police barracks in Ho Chi Minh Avenue. From this command centre, MPLA President Dos Santos’s special advisor, General Jose Maria, worked with the chief of staff, Gen Alberto Neto, Gen Leal Monteiro, Gen Franca N’Dalu and Gen Ary da Costa, to eradicate all the leaders of non-marxist opposition parties. The leaders of 4 opposition parties were imprisoned.

Gen Maria was also seen in Luanda’s streets personally directing the killing spree. According to the Frene para a Democracia opposition party, there was a permanent execution squad at Samba. Their victims were buried in mass graves at Morro da Samba. At Catete Road Prison over a thousand prisoners were taken out in small groups and executed in the space of a few weeks.

Many eye witnesses who were in Luanda at the time, reported seeing piles of bodies in the streets, on trucks, in graveyards and in the hospitals. Arms and legs protrude like rotting grave markers from various mass graves and bullet-ridden walls indicate where mass executions took place.

These were not the first such massacres in Angola’s recent history. In 1975 the marxist MPLA, with massive Cuban military support, violently expelled the opposition UNITA and FNLA from Luanda.

And in 1977 an estimated 40 000 “intellectuals” and “bourgeoisie” were massacred after the failed Nito Alves coup attempt.
The difference this time is that the MPLA has carried out this bloody purge under United Nations supervision and without losing its substantial aid from the European Community and the USA.

Yet despite the ruthless slaughter it has endured, the anti-communist UNITA movement continues to fight and now is reported to control over 75% of Angola’s territory.

VICTIMS OF SOCIALISM
A modern hospital built by the European Community and fitted with the latest medical equipment is still empty and unused because the MPLA government has demanded a $1 million a month tax before the hospital may receive patients!

The World Health Organisation estimates that 33% of Angola’s 10 million population are starving. In the overcrowded children’s ward of Jansina Machel Hospital a third of the over 300 children admitted each day are severely malnourished and 15 die each day of war wounds or easily preventable diseases.

Doctors reported that they spend 80% of their time - not at the operating table - but tracking down and buying medicines for the hospital! Donated medicines and equipment designated for these hospitals are routinely blocked by port officials for months while they demand bribes.

Vast amounts of medicines disappear to resurface in the black markets for sale to the doctors at outrageous prices. Extortion, corruption and mindless socialist bureaucracy is blamed for most of the amputations and unnecessary deaths in these hospitals.

Meanwhile the socialist MPLA government of Eduardo dos Santos busies itself with its own priorities: a new multi-million dollar presidential palace and literally hundreds of new luxury cars for party officials.

ANGOLAN RELIEF AID
Since 1985 Frontline Fellowship has been delivering Bibles, food, clothing and medical supplies directly to the churches and needy people of Angola. If you would like to channel gifts towards the suffering Christians of Angola please designate your support for Angola to Frontline Fellowship. Two recent field outreaches to Angola have had to be postponed mainly for a lack of funds. Your help will be invaluable in aiding the desperately needy Angolan Christians.