UNITA

Acronym for Uniao Nacional para a Independencia Total de Angola (National Union for the Total Independence of Angola), Angolan nationalist movement founded by Jonas Savimbi in 1966. Backed by South Africa, UNITA continued to wage guerrilla warfare against the ruling People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) after the latter gained control of the country in 1976. A peace agreement was signed in May 1991, but fighting recommenced in September 1992, after Savimbi disputed an election victory for the ruling party, and escalated into a bloody civil war in 1993. A peace agreement was signed in 1994. Savimbi later turned down the vice‐presidency in a coalition government. In 1998 UNITA was demilitarized and formally legalized. In February 2002, the Angolan army killed Savimbi, and two months later the government and UNITA signed a ceasefire. Savimbi was succeeded as leader by Paulo Lukamba.

Despite this, in September 1998 the MPLA, the dominant partner in government, expelled UNITA from the government on the grounds of the rebel movement's failure to lay down its weapons. Unrest continued throughout December 1998 and January 1999, when UNITA forces attacked two towns and shot down two UN‐chartered aircraft. The renewed struggle destroyed a United Nations peace plan to end a 30‐year civil war in Angola. In April 1999, UNITA sought total control of the country. Fighting between Angolan government forces, Namibian troops, and the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) continued throughout December 1999 and January 2000, as the rebels were pursued out of their stronghold and along the Kavango river that separates Namibia and Angola, while civilians fled the border.