U.S. President Joe Biden has postponed his planned visit to Angola, the country continues to grapple with significant human rights concerns, particularly the detention of government critics. Civil society organizations view Biden’s potential visit as a crucial opportunity to highlight issues under President João Lourenço’s administration, especially a four-year crackdown on peaceful protests that has led to the deaths of dozens, including children, and the arbitrary arrest of over 100 demonstrators.
On September 19, 2023, just hours before a planned demonstration in solidarity with motorcycle taxi drivers in Luanda, authorities arrested four individuals: Adolfo Campos, Hermenegildo Victor José, Abraão Pedro Santos, and Gilson Morreira. They received 29-month prison sentences for “disobedience and resisting orders.” These arrests mark a significant escalation in the government’s efforts to suppress dissent since 2020.
Human rights organizations, including Amnesty International and the Angolan Human Rights Organization (Omunga), have reported serious violations, including the killing of ten individuals during protests between May and September 2020. Deprose Muchena, Amnesty International’s senior director for Regional Human Rights Impact, urged President Biden to take action regarding the situation in Angola. He stated, “If human rights are central to President Biden’s foreign policy, then he must demand Angola’s government immediately and unconditionally free the five arbitrarily detained critics and end the crackdown on the right to protest.”
Despite Angola’s mineral wealth and status as Africa’s third-largest oil producer, social inequalities persist. This disparity has sparked numerous peaceful protests against poverty, unemployment, and the high cost of living. Amnesty International emphasized that while the U.S. has vested interests in Angola’s resources, failure to address these social issues could lead to increased instability and unrest.
Kate Hixon, Advocacy Director for Africa at Amnesty International, reminded U.S. officials that economic development should not come at the expense of human rights. “The U.S. cannot pursue private sector development in Africa without also ensuring that the human rights of all people on the continent are prioritized, promoted, and respected,” she asserted.
According to last year’s U.S. country report on Angola’s human rights situation, the nation’s prison system is severely overcrowded, with 24,490 inmates, of whom 11,937 are in pre-trial detention, despite a capacity of only 20,000. The report noted that prisons often lack adequate medical care, sanitation, potable water, and food, compelling families to provide for their incarcerated loved ones.
Leave a comment