From: Joachim Omolo Ouko
News Dispatch with Omolo Joachim
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2015
Sylvester De Margaret from Angola has posted on his Facebook timeline interesting story on Angola independence: “When an African country is celebrating its independence, I ask: are the people celebrating an independence because they were able to send away the oppressor and became oppressed by their own or do they really know what it means to be independent?
Angolan President Jose Eduardo dos Santo
Angola today celebrates 40 years of what? Independence? May be a camouflaged independence where we continue to suffer the same marginalisation, oppression, domination and above all, the only rule that governs Africa is Eat as much as you can despite the plea of the dying population. Who will help you get real and lasting independence from these greedy-heartless African leaders?”
Even after independence Angola is still fighting. The three liberation groups, MPLA, FNLA, and UNITA, have been provoked into a bloody civil war. The cause of the war lies in the contention of the two superpowers for domination over resources.
The government continues targeting outspoken journalists and activists with criminal defamation lawsuits, arbitrary arrests, unfair trials, intimidation, harassment, and surveillance. The police use excessive force and engage in arbitrary arrests to stop peaceful anti-government protests and other gatherings.
Outspoken human rights activists, journalists, human rights lawyers, and youth protest activists reported repeated harassment, intimidation, and pervasive surveillance by police and intelligence agents.
Freedom of expression is severely restricted in Angola due to censorship and self-censorship in state media and ruling party-controlled private media and other forms of government repression. In such a climate, Internet blogs and social media have become the main channels for open debate.
Economic hardship and poor governance remain core issues. There have been numerous demonstrations by youths and war veterans, protesting about economic misery in a country where the cost of living is among the highest in the world.
Fr Joachim Omolo Ouko, AJ
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