Clarification about the recent massacre in the village of Lunge – Angola

Clarification about the recent massacre in the village of Lunge, municipality of Bailundo, Huambo province

Friends of Angola

2300 18^th St NW # 21602

Washington, DC 20009

T: +1 202-926-5772/ 931514967

April 11, 2023

President of the Republic of Angola

João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço

CC:

President of UNITA, Adalberto Costa Júnior

Minister of Justice and Human Rights

Marcy Cláudio Lopes

Subject: Clarification about the recent massacre in the village of Lunge, municipality of Bailundo, Huambo province

Excellencies,

It is with great pain and concern, that Friends of Angola (FoA), learned that several civilians and followers of the Light of the World Seventh Day Adventist Church, led by José Julino Kalupeteka (who is serving a 28-years prison sentence, following his conviction in 2016), were killed by the police officers in the village of Lunge, municipality of Bailundo, Huambo province.

In April 2015, in the municipality of Caála, in Mount Sumi, Huambo province, hundreds of women, men and children, followers of the Light of the World church were barbarously murdered by elements of the National Police (PN) and the Angolan Armed Forces (FAA).

In addition to the Friends of Angola’s interest in this matter, in the name of truth, justice and human dignity, we invite your excellence, journalists, academics interested or specialized in this matter, religious communities, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), civil society in general, to address the matter with integrity, impartiality and good faith.

For the sake of freedom of religion and freedom of expression, our society has the moral and civic obligation to question the circumstances under which citizens were murdered and to demand that justice be done for this barbaric and cruel crime in the 21st century, 21 years after the end of the civil war in Angola.

Sincerely,

Florindo Chivucute

Executive Director