In a statement released this Tuesday, the executive secretariat of the standing committee of UNITA's political commission addresses the "growing wave of police repression following legislative initiatives and economic policy measures by the Executive", namely the rise in fuel prices and the "worrying setback" in the exercise of the fundamental rights and freedoms of Angolans.
At stake are the "summary execution" of several citizens in Huambo and the arrest of civic activists in Benguela who were protesting against the proposed Law on the Statute of NGOs.
"Given the economic difficulties experienced by the majority of the population, the non-gradual rise in gasoline prices represents a lack of respect, seriousness and human sensitivity towards people", criticizes the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA).
The largest opposition party condemned what it says is the "instrumentalization of the defense and security forces" and "the use of firearms for anti-democratic purposes", urging the executive, led by João Lourenço (MPLA) to respect the Constitution.
UNITA offered condolences to the families of the victims, condemning the defense and security forces that fired "with live bullets against defenseless populations that the State has a duty to protect", especially young taxi drivers.
At issue is the increase, as of last Friday, in the price of gasoline, following the withdrawal of the fuel subsidy by the Government.
According to the Government, the subsidy remains for taxi drivers, motorcycle taxi drivers, urban public transport, the fishing sector and agriculture, but these will have to present a personalized card, assigned to licensed operators.
UNITA considered that the executive was unable to adopt measures that would solve the problem of the economy's dependence on oil and called for "a serious and urgent investment in the construction of refineries and in the real diversification of the economy".
The detention of civic activists in Benguela was also condemned by UNITA, since "they only wanted to discourage the approval of the bill on the statute of NGOs [non-governmental organizations], for allegedly representing a threat to the democratic rule of law".
The opposition party asks the executive for more dialogue "instead of insisting on the use of force as the preferred form of governance" and encouraged citizens to continue to defend their rights.
