The head of the legal area of Turma do Apito, Sérgio Octávio, guaranteed the existence of negotiations that are being developed between the group and the Luanda Provincial Command of the PNA, during which the possibility of the organization returning to its activities has been discussed , but in another format
The last meeting between the parties was held this Monday, 11th, where the authorities – the PNA and the local administration – alleged the bad appearance of the designation “Turma do Apito”.
Sérgio Octávio recognized the lack of any legal support in our legal system in favor of the group.
However, the Community Surveillance Council is legislated, and, in this way, the negotiation has been positive, opening the possibility of a future restructured Turma do Apito, that is, without the name that the population gave it.
“Yes, there will be a reactivation. Only the name will be left behind. It will only be a Community Surveillance Brigade, under law 7/16 of June 1st – Organic Law on the Organization and Functioning of the Residents’ Commission, where we find the Community Surveillance Service”, he announced.
Despite these advances in the negotiations, Sérgio Octávio regretted the fact that the extinction occurred without any prior warning from the Police, which, during the deactivation process, destroyed Cânforas’ heritage assets – a space where activities similar to those carried out were carried out. of a squadron.
DIIP: “The excesses of Turma do Apito are over, but we will have community surveillance
The head of the Institutional Communication and Press Office of the Criminal Investigation Department (DIIP), intendant Quintino Ferreira, explained to the newspaper OPAÍS that the decision to extinguish the Turma do Apito, in Sambizanga, will remain, and should only guarantee the existence of community surveillance.
The official said that vigilant citizens must necessarily work in collaboration with the Residents’ Committee, and reiterated that Turma do Apito was extinguished due to members who acted excessively, tarnishing the exercise that, initially, was accepted, within the community surveillance.
“The citizens will be part of the fight once morest crime, just as the Turma do Apito was created, but they were acting with some excesses.
These excesses that led to the designation of Turma do Apito are over. This is something to forget, but we will have community surveillance”, guaranteed the DIIP spokesperson.
He warned that the attempt of some insistence by the members of Turma do Apito in trying to reopen the ‘camphors’ might result in arrests, since, he explained, this would be an act of disobedience to the authorities The DIIP spokesperson explained that these groups called Turma do Apito that operate in other municipalities will continue to carry out their activity without, however, being deactivated by the Police.
He clarified that this will be the case because they act under the terms of a community surveillance brigade as such, but, he said, “if there are Turmas do Apito with ‘camphors’ in these areas, these will also be deactivated”.
“The Turma do Apito should be instructed not to commit excesses”
Invited to analyze the extinction of Turma do Apito, sociologist José Lourenço explained that, not being an organization of criminals, the group should be instructed by the competent authorities, so that they avoid committing the excesses that dictated its end. “The Turma do Apito is not evil.
The problem is the intricacies of this Class’s actions. This Turma do Apito should be instructed to control order and internal security at community level, because these groups would have to be formed, trained and included within the scope of civil protection”, he suggested.
For the protection of communities, José Lourenço defended the need to legalize people in their activities, as well as offering them the necessary preparation, in order to avoid excesses that Turma do Apito committed when they were carrying out their activities. community surveillance.
The sociologist recalled that the organization emerged in Sambizanga, on the initiative of former district administrator Tomás Bica, and later spread to other parts of Luanda.
However, he said, the fact that it was outside the public administration also meant that Turma do Apito would be extinguished.
