Democratic International
The Democratic International, also known as the Jamboree in Jamba, was a 1985 meeting of anti-Communist rebels held at the headquarters of UNITA in Jamba, Angola.[1]
The meeting was primarily funded by former Rite Aid President Lewis Lehrman and organized by anti-Communist activists Jack Abramoff and Jack Wheeler. While the Reagan administration privately supported the meeting, it did not publicize its position. The governments of Israel and South Africa supported the idea, but both respective countries were deemed inadvisable for hosting the conference.[1]
Participants in the conference included Jack Abramoff, lobbyist, Adolfo Calero, leader of Nicaraguan Contras, Pa Kao Her, Hmong Laotian rebel leader, Lewis Lehrman, businessman, U.S. Lieutenant Colonel Oliver North, Jonas Savimbi, Angolan UNITA leader, South African security forces, Abdul Rahim Wardak, Afghan Mujahideen leader, Jack Wheeler, American conservative policy advocate, and others.[1]
The participants released a communiqué stating:
| “ | We, free peoples fighting for our national independence and human rights, assembled at Jamba, declare our solidarity with all freedom movements in the world and state our commitment to cooperate to liberate our nations from the Soviet Imperialists.[1] | ” |