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Angola INTERNAL SECURITY
Since independence, the MPLA-PT government had faced
several
internal opponents and rivals for power. Broadly speaking,
one can
distinguish between antigovernment and antiregime
opposition
groups. These groups differed in their goals, methods, and
bases of
support. On the one hand, antigovernment groups protested
or sought
to change the incumbent leadership, used conventional
means of
political opposition ranging from passive resistance to
attempted
coups, and drew support from constituencies almost
entirely within
the country. The main source of such political opposition
was
factionalism within the MPLA-PT. Clandestine opposition
groups and
religious sects also contributed to antigovernment
tensions
(see Political Opposition
, ch. 4).
On the other hand, antiregime groups sought to
transform the
political system or overthrow the ruling MPLA-PT, resorted
to
efforts at secession and armed rebellion, and received
substantial
external support. The most prominent of these political
opponents
were FLEC, the FNLA, and UNITA. Whereas the first two had
become
spent forces by the 1980s, UNITA continued to pose a
serious
national security challenge.
The MPLA-PT government survived this host of threats by
developing an extensive internal security apparatus to
supplement
the armed forces. This system consisted of a paramilitary
territorial militia; a state security ministry with penal
functions, political police, and border guards; a national
police
force; and a nationwide popular vigilance brigade
organization.
Data as of February 1989
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