Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda
Encyclopedia
Angola
Angola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...
n province of Cabinda
Cabinda (province)
Cabinda is an exclave and province of Angola, a status that has been disputed by many political organizations in the territory. The capital city is also called Cabinda. The province is divided into four municipalities - Belize, Buco Zau, Cabinda and Cacongo.Modern Cabinda is the result of a fusion...
. Formerly under Portuguese
Portuguese Empire
The Portuguese Empire , also known as the Portuguese Overseas Empire or the Portuguese Colonial Empire , was the first global empire in history...
administration, with the independence of Angola from Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
in 1975, the territory became an exclave province of the newly-independent Angola. The FLEC fights Cabinda Conflict
Cabinda Conflict
Cabinda Conflict is a separatist insurgency of the Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda in Cabinda Province against the government of Angola. Cabinda is an enclave rich in oil. The conflict started ´several decades ago...
in the region occupied by the former kingdoms of Kakongo
Kakongo
Kakongo was a former small kingdom located on the Atlantic coast of Central Africa, in the modern day Republic of Congo. Although independent, the people speak a dialect of the Kikongo language and could be considered a part of the Bakongo ethnicity....
, Loango
Loango
Loango may refer to:* Loango National Park, a national park in Western Gabon* Petit Loango, a town in Gabon* Kingdom of Loango, a pre-colonial state in what is now the Republic of Congo* Loango, a schooner wrecked in 1909 at St Ives, Cornwall...
and N'Goyo.
History
On February 1, 1885, the Treaty of SimulambucoTreaty of Simulambuco
The Treaty of Simulambuco was signed in 1885, by representatives of the Portuguese government, and officials in the N'Goyo Kingdom. The agreement was drafted and signed in response to the Treaty of Berlin, which was an agreement between the colonizing European powers about how to divide up Africa,...
was signed, establishing Cabinda as a Portuguese protectorate. A monument was built there later.
In 1963, three organizations — the Movement for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda
Movement for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda
The Movement for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda is a defunct, separatist organization that campaigned for the independence of Cabinda province from Portugal. MLEC merged with CAUNC and ALLIAMA in 1963 to form the Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda. Cabinda is now a...
(MLEC), Action Committee of the Cabinda National Union
Action Committee of the Cabinda National Union
The Action Committee of the Cabinda National Union is a defunct, separatist organization that campaigned for the independence of Cabinda province from Portugal. CAUNC merged with MLEC and ALLIAMA in 1963 to form the Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda. Cabinda is now a province and...
(CAUNC), and the Mayombe National Alliance
Mayombe National Alliance
The Mayombe National Alliance is a defunct, separatist organization that campaigned for the independence of Cabinda province from Portugal. ALLIAMA merged with CAUNC and MLEC in 1963 to form the Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda. Cabinda is now a province and an exclave of Angola....
(ALLIAMA) — merged to form the FLEC.
The MLEC flag was yellow with a seal in the center showing the Mayombe. The leader of the united group was Luiz Ranque Franque, who refused to join other Angolan independence movements. FLEC adopted a flag with horizontal red, yellow and blue bands—one color for each of the groups. The new emblem (a white star and a green triangle within a ring) was added in the center.
During the Portuguese Colonial War
Portuguese Colonial War
The Portuguese Colonial War , also known in Portugal as the Overseas War or in the former colonies as the War of liberation , was fought between Portugal's military and the emerging nationalist movements in Portugal's African colonies between 1961 and 1974, when the Portuguese regime was...
(1961-1974), the nationalist movements of Cabinda fought against the Portuguese Armed Forces
Portuguese Armed Forces
The armed forces of Portugal, commonly known as the Portuguese Armed Forces encompasses a Navy , an Army and an Air Force...
. After the Estado Novo regime which ruled Portugal and its overseas territories fell in the "Carnation Revolution
Carnation Revolution
The Carnation Revolution , also referred to as the 25 de Abril , was a military coup started on 25 April 1974, in Lisbon, Portugal, coupled with an unanticipated and extensive campaign of civil resistance...
" military coup of 25 April 1974 in Lisbon
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
, independence was offered to all the territories abroad, including to Angola. In 1975 FLEC constituted a provisional government spearheaded by Henriques Tiago that proclaimed Cabindan independence from Portugal on August 1, 1975. Luiz Ranque was the president.
Between November 1975 and January 4, 1976, the Cabinda exclave was invaded by soldiers of the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola
Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola
The People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola - Labour Party is a political party that has ruled Angola since the country's independence from Portugal in 1975...
(MPLA), which was one of the dominant independence movements in Angola, supported by Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
n troops. The MPLA quickly gained control of the urban areas while FLEC controlled the countryside.
FLEC broke into three factions; FLEC-Ranque Franque, FLEC-N'Zita, led by N'Zita Henriques Tiago, and FLEC-Lubota, led by Francisco Xavier Lubota.
In November 1977 another faction, the Military Command for the Liberation of Cabinda, was created. In June 1979 the Armed Forces for the Liberation of Cabinda created another movement, the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Cabinda (MPLC, Movimento Popular de Libertação de Cabinda). In the 1980s FLEC received help from the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA), which opposed the MPLA-controlled government of Angola, and from South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. In 1988, the Communist Committee of Cabinda
Communist Committee of Cabinda
Communist Committee of Cabinda is a militant separatist group fighting for the independence of Cabinda from Angola. The CCC was led by Kaya Mohamed Yay and Geraldo Pedro. It split off from the Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda in 1988....
(CCC, Comité Comunista de Cabinda) left the FLEC, led by Kaya Mohamed Yay. In the 1990s another faction, the National Union for the Liberation of Cabinda (União Nacional de Libertação de Cabinda), led by Lumingu Luis Gimby, was created.
The original FLEC was re-formed in the 1990s, and two factions were created; FLEC-Renovada, whose flag was white with a central stripe divided into three colors (green, yellow and black, with a red ring in the center of the flag), and FLEC-Armed Forces of Cabinda (FLEC-FAC, Forças Armadas de Cabinda), using the original red, yellow, and blue flag, with emblem.
Another group was created by Cabindese expatriates in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
in 1996, the Frente de Libertação do Estado de Cabinda" (FLEC (Lopes), Liberation Front of the State of Cabinda). This group adopted a blue, yellow and black flag with the Silambuco monument in the center.
In December 2002, Angolan Armed Forces
Angolan Armed Forces
The Angolan Armed Forces are the military in Angola that succeeded Forças Armadas de Libertação de Angola following the abortive Bicesse Accord with UNITA in 1991. As part of the peace agreement, troops from both armies were to be demilitarized and then integrated. Integration was never completed...
announced the capture of FLEC-Renovada. In August 2006 a ceasefire was signed between FLEC-Renovada and Angola government. This has been denounced by most Cabindan groups both inside and outside Cabinda as a sham. FLEC-FAC continues its struggle for independence both inside and outside Cabinda. In October 2006 FLEC-FAC asked for intervention by the African Union
African Union
The African Union is a union consisting of 54 African states. The only all-African state not in the AU is Morocco. Established on 9 July 2002, the AU was formed as a successor to the Organisation of African Unity...
's Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights
African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights
The African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights is a quasi-judicial body tasked with promoting and protecting human rights and collective rights throughout the African continent as well as interpreting the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights and considering individual complaints of...
. The request was still pending as of August 2009.
Togo football team bus attack
On 8 January 2010, while being escorted by Angolan forces through the disputed territory of Cabinda, the team bus of the Togo national football teamTogo national football team
The Togo national football team, nicknamed Les Eperviers The Togo national football team, nicknamed Les Eperviers The Togo national football team, nicknamed Les Eperviers (The Sparrow Hawks, is controlled by the Fédération Togolaise de Football.They played at the 2006 FIFA World Cup. Their team bus...
was attacked by gunmen as it travelled to 2010 Africa Cup of Nations tournament. The ensuing gunfight resulted in the deaths of the assistant coach, team spokesman and bus driver, as well as injuring several others.
An offshoot of the FLEC claimed responsibility. Rodrigues Mingas
Rodrigues Mingas
Rodrigues Mingas is the leader of the Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda , a guerrilla separatist organization fighting Last 1975 for the total independence of oil rich Angolan province of Cabinda, one of the country's 14 provinces rich with oil reserves.Mingas is believed to live...
, secretary general of the Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda-Military Position (Flec-PM), said his fighters had meant to attack security guards as the convoy passed through Cabinda. "This attack was not aimed at the Togolese players but at the Angolan forces at the head of the convoy," Mingas told France 24 television. "So it was pure chance that the gunfire hit the players. We don't have anything to do with the Togolese and we present our condolences to the African families and the Togo government. We are fighting for the total liberation of Cabinda."
Kidnappings
Starting from 2000, members of the group took some of foreign citizens hostage in Cabinda. In March 2001, FLEC-Renovada kidnapped 5 Portuguese employees of a construction company which were then released 3 months later. In May 2000, FLEC-FAC kidnapped 3 foreign and one local employee of a Portuguese contractor which were released in 2 months.External support
France has been criticized for continuous paternalistic policy of FrançafriqueFrançafrique
Françafrique is a term that refers to France's relationship with Africa. The term was first used in a positive sense by President Félix Houphouët-Boigny of Côte d'Ivoire, but it is now generally understood to denounce the neocolonial relationship France has with its African backyard...
, a network of unofficial political and commercial engagements with political and business leaders in Africa for various economic gains. One of these leaders, Henrique N'zita Tiago
Henrique N'zita Tiago
Henrique N'zita Tiago is President of the Armed Forces of Cabinda, a rebel group that fights for the independence of Cabinda from Angola.-References:...
resides in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
while the other, Rodrigues Mingas has been reportedly using a French cell phone although he claimed he still lived in Cabinda.
Although these special ties between French intelligence services
Intelligence agency
An intelligence agency is a governmental agency that is devoted to information gathering for purposes of national security and defence. Means of information gathering may include espionage, communication interception, cryptanalysis, cooperation with other institutions, and evaluation of public...
and FLEC started during the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
to counter Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
n-backed Marxist regime in Angola, they continued on even after the war was over. France has also been involved in Angolagate
Angolagate
Angolagate, also known as the Mitterrand-Pasqua affair, is an international political scandal over the secret sale and shipment of arms from Central Europe to the government of Angola by the Government of France in the 1990s...
arms deal scandal which involved illicit weapons sales to Angola during the 27-year civil war
Angolan Civil War
The Angolan Civil War was a major civil conflict in the Southern African state of Angola, beginning in 1975 and continuing, with some interludes, until 2002. The war began immediately after Angola became independent from Portugal in November 1975. Prior to this, a decolonisation conflict had taken...
. President of France, Nicolas Sarkozy
Nicolas Sarkozy
Nicolas Sarkozy is the 23rd and current President of the French Republic and ex officio Co-Prince of Andorra. He assumed the office on 16 May 2007 after defeating the Socialist Party candidate Ségolène Royal 10 days earlier....
claimed he wanted Françafrique policy abolished.
France has a big interest in Angola. French oil giant Total
Total S.A.
Total S.A. is a French multinational oil company and one of the six "Supermajor" oil companies in the world.Its businesses cover the entire oil and gas chain, from crude oil and natural gas exploration and production to power generation, transportation, refining, petroleum product marketing, and...
which made a new offshore oil discovery in October 2009, has been expanding its presence in Angola. The country is second largest contributor for production of Total after Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
. According to Angolan media, France and Portugal will allow extradition of leaders of the separatist movement in the wake of January 8 attacks on Togo's football team for which FLEC claimed the responsibility.
See also
- African independence movementsAfrican independence movementsThe African Independence Movements took place in the 20th century, when a wave of struggles for independence in European-ruled African territories were witnessed....
- List of active autonomist and secessionist movements
- Angolan Civil WarAngolan Civil WarThe Angolan Civil War was a major civil conflict in the Southern African state of Angola, beginning in 1975 and continuing, with some interludes, until 2002. The war began immediately after Angola became independent from Portugal in November 1975. Prior to this, a decolonisation conflict had taken...