VII. Election-Related Violence in Huambo and Benguela

The voting in the September 2008 elections was free from violence, a first in Angola. The same was not entirely true of the pre-election period, however. Prior to the election campaign, Human Rights Watch highlighted cases of intimidation and unchecked violence by local MPLA supporters in rural areas of Huambo, Benguela, and Bie.[109]

Huambo, Bie, and the rural areas of Benguela have long been strongholds of UNITA and received a high number of demobilized UNITA combatants after the end of the civil war in 2002. However, in September 2008's elections, UNITA lost its lead in those provinces, having won the majority of parliamentary seats in the 1992 elections; in 2008 UNITA won only one seat in Bie.[110]

The "Bilateral Mechanism" established between the MPLA and UNITA to deal with outstanding issues from the 2002 peace agreement has been discussing such election-related violent incidents, and some joint MPLA-UNITA delegations have conducted investigations on the ground following the most serious incidents, yet the results of these investigations have not been published. Since 2006 the Roman Catholic Church's Justice and Peace Commissions have organized "Pro Pace" peace congresses to promote political tolerance in a number of dioceses across the country where there has been a pattern of political violence. However, several priests of provincial Justice and Peace Commissions have complained to Human Rights Watch about intimidation and accusations from local MPLA officials of being friendly toward UNITA.[111]

As the election neared, there was a noticeable improvement. During the campaign, police forces offered better security for opposition parties, which allowed them to campaign freely in more areas than before.[112] However, Human Rights Watch documented some of the incidents that did occur in Huambo and Benguela, as highlighted below.

Incidents in Huambo

In Huambo province Human Rights Watch documented three incidents of violence against UNITA delegations trying to campaign during the election campaign period. The police escorted the UNITA delegations and did intervene to prevent further escalation, but there is no indication that the police have prosecuted those suspected of responsibility for the attacks.

The first two incidents took place between Londwimbali town and Ngalanga commune, an area that has witnessed sporadic political violence in past years. UNITA provincial secretary Anastásio Vianeke, who had been part of the UNITA delegation travelling there, told Human Rights Watch that they had been escorted by a senior police commander and several police officers. According to Vianeke, about 35 kilometers from Londwimbali town, his car and a truck carrying UNITA members were attacked by a group of about 100 people who threw stones and hit the vehicles with sticks, while others blocked the road. "They were prepared and waiting for us-some were wearing MPLA t-shirts," Vianeke said. He said that the people waiting by the road had shouted, "They've arrived, we must attack them, kill them, throw them in the wells. No one is going to escape today." The policemen got out of the car and fired shots into the air, whereupon the attackers ran away, and the delegation continued towards Ngalanga, while two police officers remained behind. When the delegation reached a place known as Aldeia Cinco (Village 5), another crowd of people started throwing stones at the car and truck. The police officers again fired shots into the air. The UNITA supporters apprehended one of the attackers, and, according to Vianeke, later handed him over to the police commander.[113] At this writing, Human Rights Watch has no information to suggest there has been any follow up.

A third incident took place as UNITA members were trying to hold a public meeting in the commune of Chipeio (Ekunha municipality). UNITA provincial official Ricardo Noe Ekupa, who was part of the delegation, told Human Rights Watch that a large group of people-assumed to be MPLA supporters-attacked the delegation by throwing stones, injuring at least eight people. As in the previous cases, UNITA members apprehended one man and handed him over to the police, and reported the incident to the provincial police commander in Huambo.[114] A journalist who visited Chipeio days after the attack told Human Rights Watch he had interviewed local residents who said they would attack UNITA again if they were to come back to Chipeio. Human Rights Watch has received no indication of action taken against the alleged perpetrators.[115]

Incidents in Benguela

In Benguela province Human Rights Watch documented two incidents of violence that occurred during the election campaign in rural areas of Balombo municipality. Again, the police intervened to stop an escalation of the violence, but there is no evidence of prosecutions having taken place.

On August 8 in the village of Elongo (Chindumbo commune) there was an attack by alleged MPLA supporters on the homes of known UNITA supporters. A local researcher who visited the area in late August told Human Rights Watch he interviewed three victims, all of them demobilized UNITA combatants who had returned to their home village after the 2002 peace accord. According to the victims, a group of 50 men-believed by them to be MPLA supporters from several neighboring villages-destroyed six of their houses and a community meeting point (jango), stole some of their belongings, and physically attacked their wives. The attackers had arrived early in the morning at their houses, armed with machetes, stones, and picks, destroyed their homes, and then threatened to kill them. One victim told the local researcher they had filed complaints with the police, who had arrested four attackers and stated they would be prosecuted, but the interviewee did not know about further developments.[116]

The second incident happened on August 23 in the village of Chico da Waiti (Macambombolo commune), where UNITA members had already complained previously about violent incidents directed against them. A UNITA provincial secretary in Benguela city, Victorino Nhany, told a press conference that his party's delegation was attacked at the entrance to the village, where they had intended to campaign. The delegation comprised 40 UNITA members, two members of parliament, and the provincial deputy governor from UNITA, and was escorted by police. On the way to the village, the delegation found the road blocked by tree trunks decorated with MPLA flags. The police removed these obstacles and the delegation proceeded to the village, where they were met by a group of children threatening them with knives. The police chased them away, then a larger group of youths arrived throwing stones at the delegation, injuring eight people and damaging five cars. The UNITA provincial secretary said the police did not arrest anybody in this case.[117]

Government Response

Senior MPLA officials have often said publicly and to Human Rights Watch that such incidents were a spontaneous expression of popular resentment against UNITA for atrocities committed during the war.[118] Members of churches and civil society organizations conducting civic education campaigns told Human Rights Watch such resentments undoubtedly exist in areas that were under UNITA control during the civil war.[119]

However, the ruling party has done nothing to exert control over its local leaders, who in some cases are suspected of encouraging such acts of violence. Roman Catholic priests engaged in civic education campaigning and the Justice and Peace Commission's Pro Pace congresses told Human Rights Watch on several occasions that uneducated villagers were in most cases being "manipulated by more informed people."[120]

For example, the communal first secretary of the MPLA of Macambombolo explained to Human Rights Watch that UNITA campaigning in that area was unacceptable due to what UNITA had done during the war, and said, "The president Jose Eduardo dos Santos in his speech spoke about tolerance and peace. He spoke very well. But here the people rule and the people are the MPLA."[121]

Members of various churches, civil society organizations, and opposition parties told Human Rights Watch in June 2008 that some local MPLA leaders in Benguela have been actively fuelling fear and resentments against UNITA in the communities for a longer period of time. For example, the second municipal MPLA secretary of Balombo municipality in Benguela was quoted as having threatened UNITA members in April 2008 by saying, "After the elections, if UNITA wins, we go back to 1992"-a clear reference to the post-election civil war, and reportedly not an isolated statement from this official.[122] Despite frequent complaints from representatives of several opposition parties and from church representatives against this specific MPLA leader, the MPLA has not removed him.[123]

In addition, senior MPLA officials and members of the government during the pre- campaign period repeated accusations in public speeches that UNITA still had hidden arms caches, implying this constitutes a danger for the elections. For example, in a controversial speech on peace day, April 4, 2008, in Bocoio, Benguela, Defense Minister Kundy Paihama raised alarm when he said that "some demobilized UNITA soldiers are being prepared to launch confusion around the elections."[124] Members of churches and civil society organizations told Human Rights Watch they were concerned that such speeches fuelled fear among local communities.[125] UNITA members in those areas of Benguela told Human Rights Watch they have been threatened in the months before the elections by local MPLA leaders and traditional authorities to leave the villages, and were in some cases attacked by MPLA supporters.[126] In such an environment, public speeches suggesting UNITA was still armed clearly encouraged local MPLA members to prevent UNITA from campaigning there.

In addition, doubts remain about the effectiveness of the police in investigating recent and earlier cases of violence involving ruling party supporters and bringing perpetrators to court. Especially in rural areas that have been seriously affected by the civil war, and in which reconciliation between local MPLA and UNITA supporters remains fragile, action of the authorities against perpetrators and instigators of political violence continues to be crucial. The fact that for the first time elections have passed without major incidents of violence in most parts of the country should make it easier for strong action to be taken to hold perpetrators accountable for the violence that did take place.

Opposition party representatives in Benguela and Huambo told Human Rights Watch during the months before the elections that newly appointed provincial police commanders had made efforts to reinforce non-partisan policing. However, despite what appears to be genuine efforts of the police during the campaign to guarantee security for opposition parties in many parts of the country (as described above), police investigation and prosecution of perpetrators of political violence still seems to be inadequate. For example, the provincial police commander of Benguela, interviewed by a local researcher in August 2008, clarified that no one had been held accountable for the attack in Macambombolo commune on August 23, claiming "it was difficult to identify the attackers in a riot."[127] Local police chiefs in Benguela have previously given this excuse when asked by Human Rights Watch for the reason for inaction in other cases of political violence.[128]

In areas where the MPLA and UNITA are the only political forces, and traditional authorities are increasingly aligned with the MPLA, a possible involvement of local MPLA structures in organizing attacks on UNITA should at least be considered and investigated by the police.

In addition, opposition politicians, researchers, and civil society representatives in all provinces visited repeatedly told Human Rights Watch that the state security Information Services (Sinfo), which collaborate with the police, have been acting on behalf of the MPLA by monitoring movements and meetings of opposition parties as well as other people perceived to be potentially critical to the government. Our interviewees said this has fuelled widespread fear of surveillance and state repression, and contributed to self-censorship within Angolan society.