Clarification about the recent massacre in the village of Lunge, municipality of Bailundo, Huambo province
Friends of Angola
2300 18th St NW # 21602
Washington, DC 20009
T: +1 202-926-5772/ 931514967
April 11, 2023
To
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
