Youth Radicalization and Violence Loom in Eastern Angola as Harsh Justice Fuels Political Struggle
In a move that could lead to youth radicalization and violence, an Angolan court has sentenced 198 people to four to eight years in jail for participating in a peaceful protest in support of the autonomy of the Lunda people in the diamond-rich Lunda Sul Province. The protesters, who were part of the Manifesto Jurídico Sociológico do Povo Lunda-Tchokwe, a faction of the long-standing Lunda Tchokwe Protectorate Movement, are fighting for independence for the region.
The government’s response to the protest has been harsh, with hundreds of people already arrested and jailed for supporting the separatist group. The passing of the Law on Crimes of Vandalism of Public Goods and Services bill last month provides prison sentences of up to 25 years for those participating in public protests that result in goods being vandalised and services being disrupted.
The government has banned the press from reporting on the topic, and only international media outlets such as Voice of America, Radio France Internationale, and Deutsche Welle cover the story, leaving awareness low in Southern Africa. Despite leaders of the separatist group presenting their political manifesto to the African Union Chairperson and taking the case to the United Nations, regional and continental institutions have not intervened to help resolve the dispute.
The state’s approach to resolving the political struggle through harsh justice, including detentions, torture, and questionable court rulings, could fuel clashes between protesters and police in eastern Angola, leading to youth radicalization and worsening violence. The vandalism bill is the state’s second attempt to severely punish people and organisations participating in popular demonstrations, following the failed NGO Statute Law in 2021.
The proposed law also provides for sanctions, such as closing down non-governmental organisations and political parties, and deporting foreign citizens who participate in protests. Justice, Peace and Democracy Association Chairperson Serra Bango has described the law as an attack on democracy, saying it will allow the ruling People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola to perpetuate itself in power.
Angola has seen a rise in popular protests demanding improvements in living conditions and respect for civil and political rights, but the government’s response has been violent and repressive. The country’s police are quick to arrest demonstrators, and Angolan law criminalises public protests.
Regional institutions such as the Southern African Development Community and the African Union should pay attention to the deteriorating human rights situation and advise the government to opt for a peaceful resolution of political disputes and allow the exercise of basic rights.
