João Lourenço, who was speaking at the opening of a meeting with representatives of Angolan youth, said that "in recent days, young people have made use of various ways to bring their concerns to power," including demonstrations, where they convey their messages and concerns through posters.
"This is universal and in Angola it is also like this, it is a right protected by the Constitution and no power can take that right away from the citizens," he said.
But, he added, "things in life are not so linear and it is one thing to have the right, another to benefit from it.
Due to the measures imposed by the public calamity situation to combat covid-19, "the Executive has an obligation to protect the most precious asset that is the life of the human being," said the head of state, giving other examples of "temporary" limitation of citizens' rights, such as interprovincial movement, since Luanda is under sanitary fence, go to the beach or throw wedding parties that Angolans are also prevented from enjoying.
The President emphasized that "in the same way they cannot make gatherings in the public way", indicating that the Executive does not prohibit the realization of demonstrations, but rather gatherings.
João Lourenço added: "If a demonstration is equivalent to a gathering, it should not take place under penalty of contributing to the propagation of the covid", he stated, underlining that he wants to avoid the collapse of health units due to the disease.
"We call on all Angolan society to make the same effort, the same sacrifice, to avoid reaching the situation of collapse," he exhorted.
"Since we are preventing citizens from exercising their rights to demonstrate, to get their messages [to power], we understand to find an alternative way that does not violate the presidential decree, which is this," the President said.
Addressing an audience of more than a hundred young people, representatives of various sectors, including activists, the President stressed that "what changes is the way to do it, here too you are demonstrating through your speeches, maybe better, calmer, without noise, without burning tires, you will be able to demonstrate, you will bring to first hand to the highest level of power that which afflicts you.
The Chief Executive stressed that the demonstration does not have to degenerate into violence, addressing for the first time the incidents of recent weeks, when two protests in Luanda were harshly repressed by the police, resulting in more than 100 arrested demonstrators and at least one dead.
"There is no need for any of the parties, neither the demonstrators nor the authorities who have an obligation to follow the demonstrations, but it is necessary that nobody triggers these moments," said the President, reinforcing that "the authorities have no interest in treating the people badly.
However, "everything is relative, it depends on the behavior of the citizen", he continued, stating that "for the citizen to manifest he does not need to commit excesses".
João Lourenço also expressed his willingness to dialogue with youth: "Some say it is difficult to deal with youth, I don't think so, because I was also young. We know the ways of thinking, feeling and acting, what changes sometimes is the conjuncture, in our time there were no demonstrations, there was another way to make our rights come true".
For this Thursday's meeting 19 representatives were invited to speak, including young entrepreneurs, youth leaders from political backgrounds, civic activists, artists, sportsmen and women and religious leaders.
Eduardo Garcia, leader of the JPA (youth organization of the CASA-CE coalition), who asked for the "immediate intervention" of the President so that there are no more deaths of young people in demonstrations, João Lourenço regretted and stressed that "there should be no deaths, even worse when they are caused by direct police action.
About the most recent one, by Inocêncio de Matos, in memory of whom a minute of silence was held at the beginning of the meeting, he stated that the authorities are worried and that the Attorney General's Office has already opened an inquiry.
He also assured that "instructions have been given to the authorities to avoid firearms as much as possible," and water and tear gas jets have been used "which are means of persuasion used by all the police" around the world.
"Our position is that the police should always accompany the demonstration even to protect the demonstration itself and to protect the public good", as well as "maintain order and whenever possible should avoid excesses", he stressed.
"Unfortunately it is not always possible and this is universal," he continued, pointing to recent cases in Berlin and the protests of the "yellow vests" in Paris.
João Lourenço also responded to the leader of JURA, a youth organization of UNITA, Agostinho Camuango, rejecting retreats in the freedoms and guarantees of citizens.
"If there were any retreat in the rights and guarantees of citizens, I would not be in this room," he retorted, also pointing out the attempts to demonstrate.
"If people reach this point it is because there is more freedom," commented the Chief Executive, reinforcing that there is also plurality of opinion, giving as an example the fact that UNITA itself has a radio.
