Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09LUANDA750
2009-12-12 15:10:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Luanda
how-toVZCZCXRO4460 PP RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHMR RUEHRN DE RUEHLU #0750 3461510 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 121510Z DEC 09 FM AMEMBASSY LUANDA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5840 INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE RUEHKI/AMEMBASSY KINSHASA 1044
C O N F I D E N T I A L LUANDA 000750
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/10/2029
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KDEM AO
SUBJECT: FNLA IMPLODING?
Classified By: (U) Classified by Ambassador Dan Mozena, Reasons 1.4 (b)
and (d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L LUANDA 000750
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/10/2029
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KDEM AO
SUBJECT: FNLA IMPLODING?
Classified By: (U) Classified by Ambassador Dan Mozena, Reasons 1.4 (b)
and (d).
1. (C) The National Liberation Front of Angola (FNLA) - one
of the triumvirate of Angolan independence movements and the
third largest opposition party in parliament - appears
increasingly on the verge of rupture. A convoluted dispute
over leadership has left Lucas Ngonda in charge of the FNLA,
after the Constitutional Court imposed his assumption of the
presidency. FNLA parliamentary leader Ngola Kubango was
forced by the same court decision to renounce the presidency
of his party. Kubango told DCM December 3 that he respected
the legal institutions of his country, but complained
vehemently that the decision was an injustice. He insisted
that Ngonda had no right to the position, had in fact
previously left the party, and was being used by the ruling
MPLA to divide the FNLA.
2. (C) Comment: We are certainly not in a position to judge
the merits of Ngonda's elevation to the leadership of the
FNLA. However, the increasingly public split certainly does
neither the party nor the opposition as a whole any good.
The FNLA has three seats in the National Assembly and has
thus far played a constructive role in the constitutional
drafting process. The state-owned "Jornal de Angola" - which
typically ignores the FNLA completely - ran a half-page
article favorable to Ngonda on December 10. The article
noted that Kubango faced censure or worse from the FNLA for
failure to support the elevation of Ngonda. If FNLA
parliamentarians focus on the schism, as we expect they will,
their work on the constitution can only suffer. End Comment.
MOZENA
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/10/2029
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KDEM AO
SUBJECT: FNLA IMPLODING?
Classified By: (U) Classified by Ambassador Dan Mozena, Reasons 1.4 (b)
and (d).
1. (C) The National Liberation Front of Angola (FNLA) - one
of the triumvirate of Angolan independence movements and the
third largest opposition party in parliament - appears
increasingly on the verge of rupture. A convoluted dispute
over leadership has left Lucas Ngonda in charge of the FNLA,
after the Constitutional Court imposed his assumption of the
presidency. FNLA parliamentary leader Ngola Kubango was
forced by the same court decision to renounce the presidency
of his party. Kubango told DCM December 3 that he respected
the legal institutions of his country, but complained
vehemently that the decision was an injustice. He insisted
that Ngonda had no right to the position, had in fact
previously left the party, and was being used by the ruling
MPLA to divide the FNLA.
2. (C) Comment: We are certainly not in a position to judge
the merits of Ngonda's elevation to the leadership of the
FNLA. However, the increasingly public split certainly does
neither the party nor the opposition as a whole any good.
The FNLA has three seats in the National Assembly and has
thus far played a constructive role in the constitutional
drafting process. The state-owned "Jornal de Angola" - which
typically ignores the FNLA completely - ran a half-page
article favorable to Ngonda on December 10. The article
noted that Kubango faced censure or worse from the FNLA for
failure to support the elevation of Ngonda. If FNLA
parliamentarians focus on the schism, as we expect they will,
their work on the constitution can only suffer. End Comment.
MOZENA