Angola, a country rich in oil, gold and diamonds yet whose citizens live poverty, is again wracked by war. A renewed civil war has shattered the four-year-old peace accord between the government and the rebel force UNITA. Fighting continues today as U.N. Secretary General Koffi Annan tries to close down the U.N. Observer Mission in Angola, known as MONUA.

Rebels in Sierra Leone yesterday abducted 14 foreigners, including 11 Indian businessmen, Japan’s honorary consul and two European journalists in the capital of Freetown, as hopes faded for a negotiated end to its brutal civil war. Freetown has been under siege for two weeks, deserted by nearly all the international humanitarian organizations as rebels continue their efforts to overthrow the country’s president. The rebels stormed into Freetown this past January 6, seizing eastern and central districts from Nigerian-led regional forces known as ECOMOG.

Guests:

• Jeremy Kronan, Deputy Secretary-General of the South African Communist Party and national executive member of the African National Congress.
• Yao Graham, Editor for Public Agenda and Managing Editor of the African Agenda. Speaking from Accra, Ghana.