The conference was part of UNITA's 59th anniversary celebrations and 17 personalities from various countries were invited, the most important of whom were the former PRs of Botswana, IAN SERETSE KHAMA (ISK) and of Colombia, ANDRÉS PASTRANA and the former Prime Minister of Lesotho MOEKETSI MAJORO. Among the guests barred from entering the country, the main target was Mozambican politician VENÂNCIO MONDLANE (VM).
UNITA is an active part of the IDC and was to take part in the event through its president ADALBERTO DA COSTA JÚNIOR. The MPLA regime's current campaign against UNITA (AM Special Report 84) aimed at jeopardising the conference. As well as detaining guests on arrival in Luanda, or even barring others from entering the country, even though they had legal visas or fulfilled the conditions for entry, the regime placed restrictions on the participation of some guests (they had to refrain from speaking). READ MORE