Changes

War between the Cuban-backed [[MPLA]] government in [[Angola]] and South African-backed [[UNITA]] forces led to decades of civil war that may have cost as many as 1 million lives.<ref>Médecins Sans Frontières, "Angola: An Alarming Nutritional Situation," August 1999</ref>  The Reagan administration offered covert aid to the anti-communist [[UNITA]] rebels, led by [[Jonas Savimbi]].  Dr. Peter Hammond, a Christian missionary who lived in Angola at the time, recalled:

War between the Cuban-backed [[MPLA]] government in [[Angola]] and South African-backed [[UNITA]] forces led to decades of civil war that may have cost as many as 1 million lives.<ref>Médecins Sans Frontières, "Angola: An Alarming Nutritional Situation," August 1999</ref>  The Reagan administration offered covert aid to the anti-communist [[UNITA]] rebels, led by [[Jonas Savimbi]].  Dr. Peter Hammond, a Christian missionary who lived in Angola at the time, recalled:

<blockquote>"There were over 50,000 Cuban troops in the country. The communists had attacked and destroyed many churches. MiG-23s and Mi-24 Hind helicopter gun ships were terrorising villagers in Angola. I documented numerous atrocities, including the strafing of villages, schools and churches. In 1986, I remember hearing Ronald Reagan's speech – carried on the BBC Africa service – by short wave radio: "We are going to send stinger missiles to the UNITA Freedom Fighters in Angola!" Those who were listening to the SW radio with me looked at one another in stunned amazement. After a long silence as we wondered if our ears had actually heard what we thought we heard, one of us said: "That would be nice!" We scarcely dared believe that it would happen. But it did. Not long afterwards the stinger missiles began to arrive in UNITA controlled Free Angola. Soviet aircraft were shot down. The bombing and strafing of villagers, schools and churches came to an end. Without any doubt, Ronald Reagan's policies saved many tens of thousands of lives in Angola."<ref>Hammond, Peter,[http://frontline-org-za.win03.glodns.net/articles/reagan.htm Reagan Saved Lives in Angola], ''FrontLine Fellowship,'' accessed August 9, 2012.</ref></blockquote>

<blockquote>"There were over 50,000 Cuban troops in the country. The communists had attacked and destroyed many churches. MiG-23s and Mi-24 Hind helicopter gun ships were terrorising villagers in Angola. I documented numerous atrocities, including the strafing of villages, schools and churches. In 1986, I remember hearing Ronald Reagan's speech—carried on the BBC Africa service—by short wave radio: "We are going to send stinger missiles to the UNITA Freedom Fighters in Angola!" Those who were listening to the SW radio with me looked at one another in stunned amazement. After a long silence as we wondered if our ears had actually heard what we thought we heard, one of us said: "That would be nice!" We scarcely dared believe that it would happen. But it did. Not long afterwards the stinger missiles began to arrive in UNITA controlled Free Angola. Soviet aircraft were shot down. The bombing and strafing of villagers, schools and churches came to an end. Without any doubt, Ronald Reagan's policies saved many tens of thousands of lives in Angola."<ref>Hammond, Peter,[http://frontline-org-za.win03.glodns.net/articles/reagan.htm Reagan Saved Lives in Angola], ''FrontLine Fellowship,'' accessed August 9, 2012.</ref></blockquote>

Human rights observers have accused the MPLA of "genocidal atrocities," "systematic extermination," "war crimes" and "crimes against humanity."<ref>National Society for Human Rights, Press Releases, September 12, 2000, May 16, 2001.</ref>  The MPLA held blatantly rigged elections in 1992, which were rejected by eight opposition parties.  An official observer wrote that there was little UN supervision, that 500,000 UNITA voters were disenfranchised and that there were 100 clandestine polling stations.  UNITA sent peace negotiators to the capital, where the MPLA murdered them, along with 20,000 UNITA members.  Savimbi was still ready to continue the elections.  The MPLA then massacred tens of thousands of UNITA and [[FNLA]] voters nationwide.<ref>National Society for Human Rights, Ending the Angolan Conflict, Windhoek, Namibia, July 3, 2000.</ref><ref>John Matthew, Letters, The Times, UK, November 6, 1992 (election observer).</ref>

Human rights observers have accused the MPLA of "genocidal atrocities," "systematic extermination," "war crimes" and "crimes against humanity."<ref>National Society for Human Rights, Press Releases, September 12, 2000, May 16, 2001.</ref>  The MPLA held blatantly rigged elections in 1992, which were rejected by eight opposition parties.  An official observer wrote that there was little UN supervision, that 500,000 UNITA voters were disenfranchised and that there were 100 clandestine polling stations.  UNITA sent peace negotiators to the capital, where the MPLA murdered them, along with 20,000 UNITA members.  Savimbi was still ready to continue the elections.  The MPLA then massacred tens of thousands of UNITA and [[FNLA]] voters nationwide.<ref>National Society for Human Rights, Ending the Angolan Conflict, Windhoek, Namibia, July 3, 2000.</ref><ref>John Matthew, Letters, The Times, UK, November 6, 1992 (election observer).</ref>