Information on Brinde, the intelligence unit of the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) is limited among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

While not specifying Brinde, Country Reports 1999 reported that several high-ranking UNITA officials, including a former head of intelligence, defected in 1999 (Feb. 2000 Section 1a). The defectors reported that Jonas Savimbi, head of UNITA, "personally ordered extrajudicial killings of opponents and, in some cases, personally carried out the executions" (ibid.). The Final Report of the Panel of Experts on Violations of Security Council Sanctions Against UNITA reported that Colonel Kallias, UNITA's head of intelligence in Zaire from 1996 to mid 1997, and senior official of UNITA's foreign intelligence unit in Andulo, Angola, since 1997, had defected in October 1999 following the capture of Andulo by government security forces (10 Mar. 2000).

In November 1999, during a press conference in Luanda, Domingos Araujo Sakaita accused his father, Jonas Savimbi, of criminal behaviour and of sending a former Brinde agent known only as Vindes to watch over his brothers residing in Togo (ANGOP 15 Nov. 1999; Diário Digital 10 Nov. 1999). According to Araujo Sakaita, Vindes was replacing Ernesto Mulato as UNITA representative in Togo (ibid.). Araujo Sakaita described Brinde as a "ferocious organization" (organização feroz) and compared it to Hitler's gestapo (ibid.). In response to Araujo Sakaita's statement, UNITA retorted that he been captured by the Angolan authorities and was forced under pressure to make these comments (ibid.); however, Araujo Sakaita, who had turned himself into the Angolan authorities, denied the allegation and stated that his objective was to "destroy his father" (détruire son père) (ANGOP 15 Nov. 1999).

In March 2000, another ANGOP article reported that a "political commissar" know as Mutondeno working within UNITA's Brinde intelligence unit had turned himself over to the authorities in Moxico province (9 Mar. 2000). His family and bodyguards accompanied him (ibid.). Lieutenant-General Matias Lima "In Zumbi," chief of the Angolan Armed Forces in Moxico province stated that Mutondeno turned himself in following an attack by the Armed Forces of the Mungomba base (ibid.).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

Agencia Angola Press (ANGOP). 9 March 2000. "Angola: UNITA Major Reportedly Defects to Government." (BBC Worldwide 11 Mar. 2000/NEXIS)

_____. 12 November 1999. "Revue hebdomadaire de l'actualité angolaise." http://www.angola.org/news/french/november/f111599.html [Accessed 12 June 2000]

Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1999. February 2000. United States Department of State. Washington, DC. http://www.state.gov/www/global/human_rights/1999_hrp_report/angola.html [Accessed 9 June 2000]

Diário Digital [Lisbon, Portugal]. 10 November 1999. "Filho de Savimbi acusa pai de vigiar os filhos no Togo." http://www.diariodigital.pt [Accessed 12 June 2000]

UN Security Council. 10 March 2000. Final Report of the Panel of Experts on Violations of Security Council Sanctions Against UNITA. http://www.globalpolicy.org/security/sanction/angola/report.htm [Accessed 9 June 2000]

Africa Confidential [London]. 1999-2000

Africa Research Bulletin [London]. 1999-2000

The Europa World Year Book 1999. 1999

Extremist Groups. 1996

IRB Databases

Jane's Intelligence Review [London]. 1999-2000

LEXIS/NEXIS

Political Handbook of the World 1999. 1999.

WNC Connection

Internet sites including:

Africa Intelligence

Africa News Service

Amnesty International

Angola: A Country Study. 1989

Angola Peace Monitor [London]. 1999-2000

Federation of American Scientists' Intelligence Resource Program. Search Engine

Human Rights Watch

The News [Lisbon, Portugal]. 1999-2000

ReliefWeb

United Nations

UK Immigration and Nationality Directorate. April 2000. "Angola Assessment."

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