UNITA 1976 Exclusive Interview with People's Canada Daily News
Source: The Workers’ Advocate [U.S.] Volume 6, Number 2, February 1, 1976;
Extracted from The Workers’ Advocate for the MIA Africa pages: by Paul Saba.
In an interview on Tuesday, January 27, Comrade Jeremias Chitunda, the UNITA representative to the United Nations reported on the current political and military situation in Angola.
"I wish to say that the propaganda of the U.S. imperialists and the Soviet revisionists that UNITA has been suffering losses on the battlefield is completely false. We would like to expose the propaganda of the revisionists that MPLA and its Russian friends are "encroaching" on UNITA territory and "making headway". This is completely false.
"UNITA's brilliant men are fighting courageously and they have not lost an inch of territory over the last month.
"The Angolan people are determined, under the leadership of UNITA, to defend their country against the Cuban invasion which now stands at over 13 battalions (comprising around 12,000 troops). Included in the invading force are 4,000 Katanguese troops. (The Katanguese troops are the same troops that Tshombe used to murder the beloved Lumumba in the '60s, at that time they were in the pay of the CIA, and are presently working in the pay of the KGB and. are integrated with the Cuban troops.)
"The Cubans and Russians can pump in more and more mercenaries but the Angolan people will not waver. Our people are determined to fight until the country is completely free of foreign troops and to fight for a truly socialist society.
"Contrary to the MPLA lies, the Secretary General of UNITA spent last weekend (the weekend of January 24 - ed.) in the North-Central towns of Novo Redondo and Cela which are still under UNITA control contrary to the reports in the bourgeois press.
"On the Eastern front, the city of Luso is under UNITA's firm control. The battle lines in this region have also not changed for over a month. While the situation is extremely serious in our country, the best the enemy has achieved so far is a stalemate They have not gained any ground."
Regarding South African troops in Angola, Comrade Chitunda said:
"UNITA was the first movement to denounce the S. African invaders as early as August 1975. South Africa invaded Angola against the will of the Angolan people. Their intentions were no different than any other of the invading troops. Whether they have achieved any of their treacherous aims or not, we hope that their withdrawal at this time will signal the withdrawal of other invading forces in Angola.
"The propaganda that UNITA is working with or collaborating with the South African invaders is a monstrous lie. UNITA opposes any foreign invasion or interference in our sacred homeland.
UNITA reiterates her firm position for the formation of a government of national unity. Such a government must include all patriotic forces which will defend the territorial. integrity and sovereignty of our country. UNITA believes that the enemies of the Angolan people will do everything to exploit the existence of three factions in the country in order to fulfil their plans of divide and rule. It has always been the tactic of the imperialists to try and maintain their exploitation by dividing the oppressed people and having them fight amongst themselves.
"UNITA and the Angolan people will not cease their struggle. We will fight to the end to establish a genuinely independent Angola without foreign interference."
"The tasks which face the Angolan people to defend their country are gigantic. We face formidable enemies. But our struggle is part of the struggle of all the oppressed people of the world and therefore we enjoy the support of the entire international community that upholds genuine freedom, human liberty and justice. Genuine independence and total liberation of Angola will be a victory for all of progressive mankind. We call upon all progressive and democratlc people to give firm support at this important point in our liberation struggle. End item.