Amid govt crackdown on irregular artisanal diamond mining in east, security forces and locals in Lucapa, Lunda Norte province in north east 3-5 Oct attacked and looted Congolese, forcing hundreds of thousands to flee across border into DR Congo; at least six killed. DR Congo 16 Oct condemned what it called Angola’s violent expulsion of Congolese. UN 26 Oct said 330,000 people had reportedly crossed border and that security forces on both sides had committed human rights violations. Angolan govt denied accusations, claiming 380,000 people had left over previous month, most voluntarily.
One year after more than four decades of internationally fuelled civil conflict came to an end, Angola is faced with a stark choice.
Emerging slowly from decades of civil war, Angola stands at a crossroads between a spectacular recovery or further cycles of instability and crisis. The government that won the fighting must now move on a number of fronts – with international support – to win the peace.
[Recent political events in Angola] may have been choreographed to give the impression that things are changing and that there’s a new broom. It’s possible that much of this is theater.
Originally published in Mail and Guardian
Originally published in PeaceWomen
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