three years South Africa has invaded Angola. Although early reports suggested that this was a khodesian-style hit and run raid, Angolan government statements, confirmed by journalists with good South African sources, claim that racist troops are still occupation. RICHARD CARVER reports.
South Africa claims its troops were on a search and destroy mission against SWAPO, the Namibian liberation organisation.
Their powers of search leave something to be desired: they encounter SWAPO Their destruction is second to none: more than civilians were killed, according to Angolan Government estiDELIBERATE This was deliberate. Paratroopers and infantry flown 180 miles into Angola to hit a refugee camp The South Africans know military concentration in Namborder and they have been Unnoticed by the British press, the former Freach polony of Chad become the target for European imperialism's latest African adventure. RICHARD CARVER reports.
The word former' is used our of sheer politeness. French President Giscard seems bliss. fully unaware of the winds of change in Alrica, and regards any challenge to its client states The Chad intervention involves 1200 TERES paratroopers and legionnaires and len Jaguar planes, plus transports. They have moved in on behalf of the government of Felix Malloum against the rebels of the Chad Na Itional Liberation Front (Frolinat).
THRUST The occasion for the French intervention was a military thrust by Frolinat DALILIS goveroment garrisons in the centre of the country.
Altbough Freoch troops have combat against Buenius, Front a buotary SOCIALIST CHALLENGE 11 May 1978 page 12 FOR the second time in | frequent, if unwelcome visitors -both during and since the Portuguese colonial occupation of Angola.
knew deliberstely CLEVER So it was not a case, as some CommenDs nave Sagest of the South African military in overriding the Pretoria politicos. The decision to was taken LILC political level. Why?
Only days before the raid South Africa had announced its acceptance of the Western Namibia. • for the "liberation' of The prescatly WHOLE a African demned by the United Nations as illegal.
The imperialist scheme was a clever one. li maintenance proposed ed South African military prescence until clections were held under UN supervision.
This would be acceptable to the Africans possibly to SWAPO too. What were SWAPO had rejected South African supervision of SWAPO he way would be oon to neo-colonial Nambia. If they refused, SWAPO seen as the party disrupting a has Frolinal guerillas on the offensive position remains unchallenged. The Salal garrison to the north CINE -ENC N'Diamena remains in hands. So do Arada, and Abeche in the east. Froliner's strength artly from the sopbisticate radical Muslim Colonel Gadaffi in Libry.
But Libya has retreated in tbe face of the French presence. It has called on Frolinat to call off bostilities and refused to issue a statement of condemnation of the tbe invasion.
Frolinat also appears to have invade highesi con- sellierent.
SWAPO fell for it. Had the raid not happened they would almost certainly have accepted a compromise.
The timing of the invasion TELLODI indicates that wanted to force SWAPO into leaving its multi-racial puppets and Alliance in control. was At the same time the attack was aimed to demoralise the civilian population and gnaw compromise away at SWAPO's support But it won't work, and that is why the Western powers are so furious with South Africa would he They feel, rightly, that their support There were pro-Frolinat demonstrations in
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moves against Chad rebels