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Frente Nacional para a Libertacao de Angola (FNLA)

by stuart notholt - 1996-01-10

See also: Angola for other Angolan movements

Lead by Holden Roberto, the FNLA evolved from the Uniao das Populacoes do Norte de Angola, which was formed in 1957 and, as the title suggests, was predominantly a northern based party, with an ethnic base among the Bakongo people.
The FNLA mounted, in 1961, the first serious challenges to the Portuguese. It received support from Zaire, the USA and China (sic).
During the final stages of the war with the Portuguese (and the MPLA) in 1975, the FNLA formed a shaky alliance with UNITA, announcing the formation of the Democratic Republic of Angola. Attacking Luanda from the north, the FNLA were defeated and never recovered. Elements of the FNLA were eventually absorbed into UNITA. Refugees from the FNLA also formed the basis of the South African special forces 32 Batallion which operated in Namibia and southern Angola.
Holden Roberto returned to the country from exile in August 1991 and said the FNLA should be accorded parity with the MPLA and UNITA in the multi-party talks then in progress. This suggestion was ignored.
The FNLA flag had a red stripe running from bottom left to top right. On this was a white star. The upper triangle so formed was white, the lower yellow. Beyond a vague adherence to the pan-African colours, I do not have any information on the symbolism of this flag. There is also a vague similarity to the flag of the Congo (Zaire) breakaway state of Kabinda, which, given the ethnic and political links between the FNLA and southern Zaire may be more than coincidental.
stuart notholt - 1996-01-10