Victims of Angola demolition continue facing hunger and health problems

In a letter to Omunga, the provincial governor of Benguela did not authorize the demonstration because “the province of Benguela has not registered demolitions, forced land evictions and other acts that collide against the law”.

In its response, Omunga argues that demolitions are taking place in various places in the Benguela province, such as in the towns of Benguela and Lobito. According to Omunga, citizens are victims of demolitions, they have their plantations destroyed and live under permanent threat of being evicted from the places where they live, already in a miserable situation. The organisation points out that even if there were no demolitions, land evictions or any other actions or threats of this kind taking place in Benguela, and if they occur in any part of the country, this is of public interest and is already a reason to carry out the march.

Brutal demolitions and forced evictions have become a regular occurrence in cities and rural communities in Angola. The last major one happened in the beginning of March in Lubango (Huila province capital), killing seven people and displacing 3,800 families. They have been transferred to Tchavola, in the outskirts of Lubango, a place with no water, sanitation, schools or transportation. The situation is still of a humanitarian emergency (photos attached and on the site http://www.angolaresistente.net/fotografias)

Two weeks ago, the government of Angola apologised to the victims of the demolitions, but said that the “requalification of urban areas” will continue. The provincial government of Huila said the demolitions will restart in June.

This is the second time the provincial government bans the march. Before the one planned for March 25, the provincial governor of Benguela decided to prohibit the peaceful manifestation and a climate of intimidation was strategically set up, with shock-riot police with trained dogs placed along the route where protesters would march. In a statement, the governor argued that “within the framework of its duty to defend social order, tranquillity and peace, will use the legally constituted means in order to stop such an action and declares that it will not be responsible for any physical or material damage that may arise from the exercise of its authority, in defence of the established order”.

The solidarity movement to support the ideas that leads the march – the respect for human rights, to the freedom of expression, organisation and manifestation – keeps growing and comes from different countries, from the UK to Togo, from Bangladesh to Brazil.

You can add your name and/or the name of your organisation, by simply sending it in any language to [email][email protected],[email protected] and [email][email protected]

The updated list of supporters is on http://quintasdedebate.blogspot.com/2010/03/nao-partam-minha-casa-aqui-e-o-nosso.html

Letters have also been an important tool of support and protest. Recently, The Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions (COHRE), in partnership with Christian Aid and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), sent a letter to the provincial governor of Huila (with copies to the Presidency of the Republic of

Angola and to the Presidency of the National Assembly of Angola) showing its concern with the violent and illegal evictions and demolitions and with the housing, land and human rights situation in Angola. More information here:http://www.cohre.org/view_page.php?page_id=406

Ana Cláudia Menezes

Angola Programme

Christian Aid