UNITA condemns attack on militants, says Angolan regime is being ‘intimidated’

UNITA, the Angolan opposition, on Tuesday condemned an attack on activists from its youth wing JURA that left one of them wounded, linking the episode to “intimidating” messages from the MPLA, the ruling party.

Speaking to Lusa, JURA Secretary General Nelito Ekuykuy explained that the attack took place on Sunday in Lopitanga, Andulo municipality, Bié province, at around 6:00 p.m., when the young people were leaving the camp and came across a road with a barricade of logs and stones erected by militants from the JMPLA, the youth organization of the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA).

Most of the members of the Revolutionary Youth of Angola (JURA) managed to escape the attack with sticks and stones, allegedly carried out by youths from the Youth of the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (JMPLA), except for one who, according to Nelito Ekuykuy, was unable to escape “and was severely beaten.”

The photos show a 32-year-old man with deep cuts to his head that required him to be treated in Cuemba and then transferred to the central hospital in Kuito.

Nelito Ekuykui said the young people were travelling in a car “with their propaganda and singing their songs” and that the provincial JURA secretary would file a complaint with the authorities.

“We are constantly waiting for comments from the competent authorities on this case,” he told Lusa.

The camp was held as part of the celebrations to mark the birthday of UNITA founder Jonas Savimbi, who died on 22 February 2002 and was born in the village of Lopitanga, where his remains were transferred in 2019.

JURA expressed in a statement its “deepest and most vehement denial of the barbaric attack” suffered by Isaac Eduardo Chitengi, who was “brutally attacked and beaten almost to death by JMPLA militants.”

“This heinous crime is not only a direct affront to the physical integrity of a young man, but also a violent attack on democratic principles and freedom of expression in Angola,” JURA said, calling on authorities to carry out “an immediate, transparent and rigorous investigation.”

UNITA has already condemned other episodes of political intolerance this year targeting its leaders and activists.

“Situations of this kind have arisen with some frequency in recent years, after the 2022 elections,” Nelito Ekuykui stressed, adding that they want to convey a message of intimidation.

“The regime party has lost much of its expressiveness and popularity, and with this approach it wants to intimidate people so that they back down and do not support UNITA,” the leader insisted.