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Cafunfo: Interior Minister praises police action in face of “act of rebellion”

The Interior Minister praised the action of forces and defense and security in the area of Cafunfo, municipality of Cuango, province of Lunda Norte, which on Saturday registered an "act of rebellion and insurrection".

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Eugénio Laborinho, who was speaking this Tuesday at a press conference to clarify the incident, which resulted in six deaths, five injuries and 16 detainees, said that economic interests, in particular diamond mining, are at the base of the situation.

The official said that about 300 people, divided into three groups, attacked the police station at 4 am, armed with "weapons of war, blunt objects, artisanal means and sharp instruments", using "traditional and superstitious ritual attire", caused injuries to two police and armed forces officers.

"It is not possible to be in a post to garrison and an armed group to appear and attack the post. I am the guarantor of the order, what am I going to do? I have to answer. If they are shooting at me, with machetes and weapons , the answer is the same and the proportion is different ", said Eugénio Laborinho.

The holder of the portfolio of the Interior of Angola lamented the attitude of the attackers, reinforcing that there was no other option "if it does not maintain public security and order in the territory".

"The authority of the State has to be maintained at all costs. We call once again to understand, understand, that the response attitude of the police was in accordance with the situation that arose at the time," he underlined.

According to the minister, "the rebel group" is not authorized by law to make any demonstration, admitting that on January 16, on a weekday, they intended to hold a demonstration against the provincial government, but were prevented.

"We already had dominion [notion] that this movement that they wanted to make was going to give an unusual situation, since they had not been authorized," he said.

Eugénio Laborinho said that among the group of protesters, there were four citizens from the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo, three of whom are in detention and one on the run, so the authorities did not consider them demonstrators.

"We could not treat like protesters, since they are very mixed and their intentions and objectives - what they wanted to create - is a social instability in the region. And they were not accepted, some arrests were made, after hearing, the worthy prosecutor released them and not satisfied with that, prepared the conditions for them to develop an action of rebellion and armed insurrection on January 30 ", he explained.

"Thanks to the readiness and vigilance of our forces, they were neutralized, because they came armed. With weapons of war, with forceful means in various directions. What we found was an act of rebellion and accompanied by foreign people, in various groups," he added .

The minister repeated that attacking a police station, a military command post "is an act of rebellion".

"And the reason for our strength is the strength of our reason. We had no choice but to defend ourselves. And we must, in fact, praise the effort and performance of the security forces and internal order, who did everything to ensure that there was no de facto too much mourning in that town of Cafunfo, "he said.

The government official admitted that the economic situation in that municipality is not the best, that the Government is doing everything to develop from an economic and social point of view and give treatment due to that region, but the situation of covid-19 has delayed government actions, that prioritized health.

"We know of the demands, some may have their reasons, but it is necessary for the government to direct development actions to all regions and particularly to that which is a province with a different status," he said.

According to the minister, it is not the first time that attempted attacks have occurred in the Cafunfo area, "this is the third, fourth or fifth time that it has occurred".

Eugénio Laborinho said that there are no protectorates in Angola. "This is a farce and we regret its followers, the Protectorate Lunda Tchokwe does not exist", said Eugénio Laborinho about the promoters of this demonstration.

"People say there was no need for that, that was all, the policemen were all killed, they raised the Lunda Protectorate's flag that does not exist, which is an authentic farce, they were going to demand the independence of the Cafunfo sector and the Government was undaunted and calm. It is not possible, not here, in Angola it will not give, the forces of order will not give this possibility to anyone ", he said.

"We are not going to allow our country to be destabilized by internal or external interference, we are not going to allow that," said the minister, saying that there is no dialogue "with these people".

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