2023-08-31 13:29:46
The social and economic situation of the Cabindas is described as “hell” by several civil and human rights activists who traveled to the country’s capital to deliver a situation report to some diplomatic representations in Angola.
The worsening economic and social situation of Cabindans, the alleged increase in arrests and repression in the enclave, are some of the points to be reported by activists to the Brazilian embassy and the representation of the European Union in Luanda.
Activists such as Alexandre Kuanga Nsitu coordinator of the Association for Development, Culture and Human Rights of Cabinda (ADCDH), Arão Tempo, president of the Movement for the Reunification of the People of Cabinda for their Sovereignty, just to mention a few, say they are upset with the situation in which the vast majority of Cabinda citizens live.
As the institutions of the Angolan state have already been requested, they do not respond, and as there is no diplomatic representation of western countries in Cabinda, the delegation of activists decided to disembark in Luanda to hold meetings with at least two, namely the Brazilian embassy and the representation of the Union. European based here in Luanda.
“It is difficult for embassies to set up consulates there, for international organizations such as Amnesty International, Human Right Watch to go to Cabinda is difficult, almost impossible, even national organizations, so we decided to come to Luanda because Cabinda is currently hell ”, said Alexandre Kuanga Nsitu, ADCDH coordinator and spokesperson for the delegation of activists who described to VOA the vicissitudes experienced by recently arrested activists.
“We were arrested, surprised by a police apparatus, handcuffed and beaten and put in the Nissan Criminal Investigation cell in Cabinda, an inappropriate place, for humans, they tell you to take off your clothes, the food we receive from family members they eat, we live together with urine, feces, food in the same place”, he said.
“If you want to defecate, it’s there, (urine) too, eating is in the same place, that cell shouldn’t put people anymore, it’s no place for anyone to live, not even for animals,” he added.
The activists are looking for the support of the Brazilian embassy and the European Union, to influence the Angolan executive to stop acts that they consider to be violations of human rights.
Activist Kuanga Nsitu says that a year after the elections, the situation in Cabinda has only worsened.
“The elections only worsened the situation there in Cabinda that before we never had people begging on the street, today we have, we never had children on the street, today they roam there, a year after the elections this government only worsened the situation in Cabinda”, he said.
Arão Tempo is a lawyer and has usually been the assistant to several activists arrested in Cabinda, he says that Cabinda is witnessing “repression, harmful behavior, arbitrary arrests, all fundamental rights being silenced”.
“Cabindans cannot walk freely, Cabindans cannot gather, everyone is required to FLEC, since the government of João Lourenço the crisis has worsened in Cabinda, there is no program or serious companies that can ease the lives of Cabindans”, he added. . VOA tried to contact someone from the Government of Cabinda, without any success.
The delegation of activists holds meetings with the Brazilian embassy this week and on Friday with the European Union representative in Angola.
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