UNITA facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids National Union for the Total Independence of Angola União Nacional para a Independência Total de Angola

Leader	Adalberto Costa Júnior
Founder	Jonas Savimbi
Founded	13 March 1966
Headquarters	Luanda
Youth wing	Revolutionary United Youth of Angola
Women's wing	Angolan Women's League
Armed wing	FALA (until 1993)
Ideology	Big tent Conservatism Anti-communism Formerly Communism Maoism
Political position	Centre to right-wing Formerly Far-left
National affiliation	Supreme Council for the Liberation of Angola (1972–1975) United Patriotic Front
Regional affiliation	Democrat Union of Africa
International affiliation	Centrist Democrat International
Seats in the National Assembly	90 / 220
Party flag

The National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (Portuguese: União Nacional para a Independência Total de Angola, abbr. UNITA) is a major political party in Angola. It is currently the second-largest party in the country. UNITA was started in 1966.

UNITA first fought for Angola's freedom from Portugal (1961–1975). They fought alongside other groups like the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA). After Angola became independent, UNITA and MPLA fought each other in a long civil war (1975–2002). This war was a "proxy war" during the Cold War. This means bigger countries supported different sides without fighting directly. UNITA got help from countries like the United States and South Africa. The MPLA got help from the Soviet Union and Cuba.

For a long time, UNITA got money from diamond mines in Angola. Jonas Savimbi was the leader of UNITA for many years. After he passed away, UNITA stopped fighting. They decided to become a political party and take part in elections. Today, Adalberto Costa Júnior is the leader of UNITA.

How UNITA Started
Angola's Independence and Civil War
International Support for UNITA
- United States Support
Election Results
- Presidential Elections
- National Assembly Elections
See also

How UNITA Started

Jonas Savimbi and Antonio da Costa Fernandes created UNITA on March 13, 1966. This happened in a place called Muangai in the Moxico province of Angola. About 200 other people were there for this important event. UNITA launched its first attack against the Portuguese rulers on December 25, 1966.

Savimbi was first part of another group called the National Liberation Front of Angola (FNLA). UNITA later moved its main base to Jamba in southeastern Angola. Many of UNITA's early leaders came from the Ovimbundu ethnic group. At first, their ideas were about rural rights and recognizing different ethnic groups.

A UNITA sticker from 1986. It shows the UNITA symbol and their ideas like 'Socialism – Negritude – Democracy – Non-Alignment'.

During the 1980s, UNITA worked closely with the United States and South Africa. After the 1992 Angolan election, the United States stopped supporting UNITA. Only South Africa continued to help them for a while.

Angola's Independence and Civil War

After Portugal left Angola in 1974–75, the country became independent. But the MPLA and UNITA could not agree on how to rule. This led to the start of the Angolan Civil War. The MPLA leader, Agostinho Neto, became Angola's first president.

The MPLA, with help from the Soviet Union and Cuba, defeated the FNLA. UNITA was also almost defeated in November 1975. But they managed to survive and set up their own government in Huambo. UNITA recovered with help from South Africa and later from the United States in the 1980s.

The MPLA was strong in Angola's cities and coastal areas. But UNITA controlled much of the country's central highlands. Around 300,000 Angolans died during this long civil war.

UNITA as a Fighting Group

In the 1980s, Savimbi worked to get more support from the U.S. He received advice from a group in Washington, D.C. called The Heritage Foundation. This group had strong ties with the U.S. government.

In 1986, U.S. conservatives convinced President Ronald Reagan to meet with Savimbi. Reagan supported Savimbi's efforts. He saw the Angolan conflict as important for his foreign policy. This policy was about supporting groups fighting against communism around the world.

Under Savimbi, UNITA became a very effective fighting group. The U.S. State Department said UNITA controlled "vast swaths of the interior (of Angola)." Savimbi was known for surviving many attempts to capture or kill him.

American conservatives saw UNITA's success as proof that the U.S. was gaining an advantage in the Cold War. However, critics said that supporting UNITA caused more conflict and suffering in Angola. Both UNITA and the Angolan government were criticized for human rights issues.

Events in the 1980s

In 1983, UNITA gained attention when they captured 66 people from Czechoslovakia. Some of them were held for about 15 months. Belgium helped negotiate their release.

Fighting continued until 1989. At that time, Cuba removed its troops from Angola. With the Cold War possibly ending, some in the U.S. Congress questioned continued support for UNITA. Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev also discussed U.S. support for UNITA with President George H. W. Bush.

UNITA leader Jonas Savimbi.

A ceasefire was eventually agreed upon. The MPLA leader, José Eduardo dos Santos, and his party gave up their Marxist ideas. They agreed to hold free and fair elections, as UNITA had demanded.

Events in the 1990s

In 1991, an agreement called the Bicesse Accords was signed. The United Nations helped organize elections in 1992. Both Savimbi and dos Santos ran for president. Savimbi did not win enough votes in the first round. He then questioned if the election was fair and returned to fighting.

Fighting started again in October 1992. It spread quickly to Angola's capital, Luanda. During this time, Jeremias Chitunda, UNITA's vice-president, and other UNITA officials were killed. This event is known as the Halloween Massacre. After this, UNITA moved its base from Jamba to Huambo. Savimbi's choice to restart the war was costly. Many of his U.S. allies urged him to continue in the election. His decision also strained UNITA's relationship with U.S. President George H. W. Bush.

The U.N. placed an embargo on UNITA. A report called the Fowler Report showed how UNITA was selling diamonds to fund its war. These were later called blood diamonds. This led to more U.N. actions to stop the trade in these diamonds. In late 1992, the U.S. government recognized the Angolan government and stopped supporting UNITA.

Another agreement, the Lusaka Protocol, was made in 1994 to form a government of national unity. U.N. peacekeepers arrived in 1995. But UNITA broke away from this agreement in 1998. They said the MPLA had violated it. In late 1998, a group called UNITA Renovada broke away from Savimbi's UNITA. Thousands more left UNITA in 1999 and 2000.

In 1999, the MPLA launched a military attack that greatly weakened UNITA. UNITA was forced to go back to using traditional guerrilla tactics.

Events in the 2000s

The Angolan civil war finally ended after Savimbi was killed in an ambush on February 22, 2002. Many Angolans were surprised by his death. He had managed to avoid capture or death for a long time.

Six weeks after Savimbi's death, in April 2002, UNITA agreed to a ceasefire with the government. Under an agreement, UNITA soldiers and their families, about 350,000 people, were gathered in camps. In August 2002, UNITA officially gave up its armed forces. UNITA then focused all its efforts on being a political party. Even with the ceasefire, there are still strong political disagreements between UNITA and the MPLA.

After Savimbi, António Dembo became leader, but he died soon after. Then, Isaías Samakuva won the election to become UNITA's new president. In November 2019, Samakuva resigned. Adalberto Costa Júnior became the new president, with Arlete Leona Chimbinda as vice-president.

International Support for UNITA

UNITA received help from several countries around the world. These included Bulgaria, Egypt, France, Israel, Morocco, China, Saudi Arabia, Zaire, and Zambia.

United States Support

During the Reagan administration, high-ranking U.S. officials met with UNITA leaders. These included the head of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and the Secretary of State. They met with UNITA leaders in Washington, D.C. and Morocco.

Even though a U.S. law called the Clark Amendment tried to stop U.S. involvement in the civil war, the U.S. continued to help UNITA. The U.S. government also encouraged countries like Israel, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and Zaire to help UNITA. In 1983, the U.S. and South African governments agreed to send weapons to UNITA.

Savimbi also got support from important American conservatives. They helped him gain influence in Washington and promoted sending American weapons to his group.

Savimbi received praise from U.S. President Ronald Reagan. Reagan called him a "freedom fighter" and spoke of UNITA winning a victory that would "electrify the world." However, others saw Savimbi as a leader who only wanted power.

After the 1992 Angolan election, UNITA lost its support from the United States. They were only supported by South Africa until Nelson Mandela became president in 1994. Mandela and the African National Congress had supported the MPLA.

Election Results

UNITA has taken part in several elections in Angola.

Presidential Elections

Election	Party candidate	Votes	%	Result
1992	Jonas Savimbi	1,579,298	40.07%	Lost
2012	Isaías Samakuva	1,074,565	18.67%	Lost
2017	Isaías Samakuva	1,818,903	26.68%	Lost
2022	Adalberto Costa Júnior	2,756,786	43.95%	Lost

National Assembly Elections

Election	Leader	Votes	%	Seats	+/–	Position	Government
1992	Jonas Savimbi	1,347,636	34.10%	70 / 220	New	2nd	Opposition
2008	Isaías Samakuva	670,363	10.39%	16 / 220	54	2nd	Opposition
2012		1,074,565	18.66%	32 / 220	16	2nd	Opposition
2017		1,790,320	26.70%	51 / 220	19	2nd	Opposition
2022	Adalberto Costa Júnior	2,756,786	43.95%	90 / 220	39	2nd	Opposition