HRW CRITICIZES DEMOLITIONS IN LUANDA

The organization Human Rights Watch (HRW) today accused the Angolan authorities (of the MPLA) of forced evictions and demolitions in the south of Luanda, demanding an end to this practice and that the Government guarantee compensation to the owners of hundreds of demolished houses.

A A non-governmental organization (NGO) defending human rights revealed that Angolan security forces invaded areas of the capital, in the municipality of Viana, on February 27, and demolished “more than 300 houses, leaving hundreds homeless”.

“Residents said that those who refused to leave their homes or gathered to peacefully demonstrate once morest the actions of the security forces were beaten and arrested. Local authorities claimed that the houses had been built illegally,” HRW said in a statement.

The reports were also confirmed by two journalists who were trying to cover the forced evictions and who accused the police of having beaten four men who tried to protect their properties and of detaining dozens of people.

“The Angolan authorities must immediately stop all eviction and demolition operations in Luanda that violate international legal standards”, defended Ashwanee Budoo-Scholtz, deputy director for Africa at HRW.

Journalists alleged that police and soldiers denied media access to the area.

“Officials responsible for illegal evictions and excessive use of force once morest residents must be held accountable,” demanded Ashwanee Budoo-Scholtz, also advocating that owners of demolished homes should be compensated immediately and rehoused.

The human rights NGO sought explanations from the MPLA police, but a spokesman said he was not aware of any eviction and demolition operations in Viana.

The office of the Municipal Administration of Viana issued, on the same day, a press release confirming the operation in which it alleges that the residents illegally built, and “ once morest the warnings of the authorities”, houses in an area reserved for the construction of a power plant for the area. from Zango.

Forced evictions have been a persistent problem in urban areas of Luanda since the end of the civil war in 2002.

“The Angolan Government needs to stop the long-standing and outrageous practice of forced evictions”, underlined the deputy director for Africa at HRW, calling for “any future eviction operations to be planned and carried out in a legal and orderly manner and that respect people’s rights to housing, livelihood and security”.

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Photo: Archive