João Lourenço was speaking today at the opening of a meeting with the country’s military leaders, at the headquarters of the Angolan army, which today celebrates 29 years of existence.
The Angolan head of state asked the law enforcement and demonstrators to make sure that during the demonstration each one fulfills his role, without harassing the others.
“It is possible to carry out orderly demonstrations that still achieve their objective, that of taking the message that is intended to the authorities and to society,” said João Lourenço, appealing to all Angolans to enjoy the rights and freedoms to which they are entitled, with responsibility and civility.
“I invite everyone to accept the challenge of showing that it is possible in Angola to have a possible cohabitation between the forces of order and the protesters, making sure that during the demonstration each one fulfills his role without harassing the others”, he stressed.
On the other hand, the Angolan President condemned some young people who, in the demonstration held on the 10th of this month, led “the outrage and desecration of the figure of António Agostinho Neto, father of the nation”.
According to João Lourenço, this attitude in no way dignifies the Angolan youth, who throughout the country’s history “have shown proof of good education, respect for national symbols and historical figures, have shown proof of patriotism”.
“Destroying public or private property, outraging, offending or threatening death, no matter who, it is not manifesting, are condemnable acts”, said the Angolan head of state, stressing that “there is no need for physical or verbal aggression against authorities, against citizens or against journalists from organs that apparently do not support the demonstrations ”.
João Lourenço said that the forces of order must exercise the authority of the State firmly, whenever the situation advises, but also with some restraint, always trying to find points of balance between the need to establish order and the citizens’ right to demonstrate.
“They are not to accept gratuitous excesses from the forces of order, nor are they to accept gratuitous excesses on the part of the demonstrators,” he said.
According to the Angolan President, the ultimate aim of the demonstrations is to draw the attention of the authorities to situations that the citizens consider that can be improved, corrected, for the benefit of the communities, “there is no need to vandalize public goods or private ”.
Two events are scheduled for this Saturday, one organized by the National Union of Doctors of Angola and the second by the Angolan politician, Abel Chivukuvuku, who saw the legalization of his political project called PRA-JA Servir Angola failing the Constitutional Court. .
Full PR speech with military leaders
President of the Republic, João Lourenço, speaks at the meeting with officials from the Defense and Security Organs of the country
Luanda – Full of the Speech by the President of the Republic and Commander-in-Chief of the Angolan Armed Forces, João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço, at the opening of the meeting with High military and police ranks.
Minister of State and Head of the Security House of the President of the Republic,
Minister of National Defense, Former Combatants and Veterans of the Fatherland,
Minister of the Interior,
Mr. Chief of Staff of the FAA,
Commander-General of the National Police,
Dear National Directors of Intelligence Services,
Generals, Admirals, Commissioners and High Patents of the FAA and the National Police
On this Army anniversary day, to speak of the Defense and Security Forces of Angola is to speak of the patriotism, the heroism of those thousands of young Angolans who for decades have given their sweat and blood in defense of our national Independence and Sovereignty, fighting in this immense Angola, for each span of our homeland in the different battles that are recorded forever in the history of Angola.
The country lost some of its best children, the sacrifice was enormous but it was worth it, and perhaps that is why it was the military that best understood the scope of peace and national reconciliation among Angolans.
After 18 years after the end of the armed conflict and the achievement of definitive peace for our country, an objective for which the Defense and Security Forces have played a leading role, the great challenge today is, without a doubt, the creation of the premises for a better organization of the national economy, a fundamental condition for the economic and social development of the country and the consequent reach of the well-being of the populations.
But without national defense and security, there is no economy, no security for private investment. In fact, the fact that the greatest economic powers in the world are also the greatest military powers justifies the claim and applies to the universe of all other countries.
We intend to say that, although on the agenda of the Angolan State’s responsibilities, the economy is the first priority, we will nonetheless fail to pay due attention to the need to maintain the Defense and Security Forces, with a high capacity to respond to all potential threats. internal and external threats that may endanger national security.
Ministers Ministers
Generals, Admirals, Commissioners, FAA and National Police High Patents
The Defense and Security Forces are essential to the survival of any state, but they always represent a considerable expense in the budget of any country.
For this reason, although they are important in all circumstances, including in situations of peace and stability, their numbers must be permanently adjusted, depending on the greater or lesser imminence of conflict.
If, on the one hand, we must carry out this exercise of resizing the Angolan Armed Forces, while ensuring the maintenance of their operational capacity with less staff, better prepared and with more modern and efficient armaments and techniques, on the other hand, we are also called to find some self-sufficiency in the production of food, uniforms and boots, barracks utensils and other logistical goods of great daily consumption by the troops.
With a view to relieving the state coffers in some way, we encourage partnerships with the private business sector, for the production of a wide range of consumer products by the Defense and Security Forces.
Another concern that I would like to share with the military leaders, in order to find solutions together, is related to the need to find alternatives to the financing of the Social Security Fund of the Angolan Armed Forces, the Social Security Fund of the National Police and the Intelligence Services branch , organizations that have the responsibility to ensure a decent life for the pensioners of these military institutions, but that until now have been supported almost exclusively by the State Budget.
We know that the condition of retirement is not always well regarded by everyone, because we are not always prepared from the psychological point of view to face this new reality that, not being a fatality, someday ends up knocking on our door, but that the human he usually has a tendency to think that he only affects others.
A man’s dignity is not limited to the material and financial assets that the retirement pension can provide; he needs to be engaged in something socially useful, in this case, in a different activity or, at least, of lesser intensity in relation to the time he was on the job.
It is in this context that one should think about the possibility of taking advantage of the availability of those who manifest the intention of dedicating a few hours a week of their time to work, to teach subjects of their specialty at the Escola Superior de Guerra, at the Instituto Superior Técnico-Militar, in the Military Academies of Ramos, in the National Police Academy and in general in the different military and police education establishments.
Even retired, we can continue to transmit the knowledge of our specialty acquired over the years and, with this, gradually replace foreign cooperation and, with it, reduce foreign exchange expenses, therefore, reducing the country’s external debt.
Another area where we would also like to see a greater contribution from retired Angolan Armed Forces is in the elaboration of military history and organization of museums, monuments and military sites, which cannot be limited to the Fortaleza de Luanda, Kifangondo and Cuito Cuanavale.
We also need to perpetuate the history of the battles of Ntó, in Cabinda, of Ebo, in Cuanza Sul, of Cangamba and Luena, in Moxico, of Cahama, in Cunene, of the cities of Huambo, of Cuito, in Bié, and of others not less important, while many of the protagonists of these battles are alive and in a position to report the glorious experiences.
Dear Ministers
Generals, Admirals, Commissioners, FAA and National Police High Patents
The country is experiencing a moment of great democratic openness, where the fundamental rights and guarantees of the citizens are effectively exercised, except for some temporary limitations imposed due to the need to contain the expansion of the new coronavirus, the SARS-COV-2.
Among the fundamental rights of citizens, contemplated in the Constitution and in the Law, the one that was more conditioned by the anti-Covid-19 measures is the right to demonstrate, which entails some risks to public health, as it involves population gatherings in the public way advised against by the competent health authorities of the country and the World Health Organization.
The misleading information is often passed that the Angolan authorities have banned demonstrations, something that is absolutely false because, with the limitations of Covid-19, what the Executive has done, within the scope of its responsibilities, has been to limit the number of people in gatherings on the public road.
During the demonstrations, the State, through the Forces of the Order, has the responsibility to guarantee the safety and tranquility of the citizens who do not adhere to it, the safety of the demonstrators themselves and the protection of public and private goods that are along the way. used by the protesters.
The forces of the Order must exercise the authority of the State firmly whenever the situation advises, but also with some restraint, always seeking to find the balance between the need to establish order and the right of citizens to demonstrate.
It is not acceptable to accept gratuitous excesses from the Forces of the Order, nor is it to accept gratuitous excesses on the part of the demonstrators. The ultimate aim of a demonstration is to draw the attention of the authorities to situations that citizens believe can be improved, corrected, for the benefit of communities.
There is no need to vandalize public or private property, there is no need for physical or verbal aggression against the authorities, against citizens or against journalists from bodies that apparently do not support the demonstrations.
Destroying public or private property, outraging, offending or threatening to death no matter to whom, it is not to manifest, are condemnable acts.
The country watched with indignation the outrage and desecration of the figure of Agostinho Neto, Father of the Nation, committed by some young demonstrators. This attitude in no way dignifies the Angolan youth, which throughout our history has shown good education, respect for national symbols and historical figures, has shown proof of patriotism.
It is possible to carry out orderly demonstrations that achieve their objective, to carry the message that is intended to the authorities and to society.
I appeal to all compatriots to enjoy the rights and freedoms to which we are entitled with responsibility and civility.
I invite everyone to accept the challenge of showing that it is possible in Angola to have a possible cohabitation between the Forces of the Order and the demonstrators, making sure that during the demonstration each one fulfills his role without harassing the others.
Ministers Ministers
Generals, Admirals, Commissioners and High Patents of the FAA and the National Police
In this militant milieu, I cannot fail to draw attention to the need to monitor the international situation in terms of defense and security, to analyze the old and new conflicts that arise around the world, drug trafficking, weapons, currency and human beings, money laundering and financing of terrorism and illegal emigration.
Particular attention must be paid to the spread of terrorism on our continent and the situation of instability in the Great Lakes Region, at a time when, for the second time, Angola has just assumed the presidency of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region.
I take this opportunity to wish you all a happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year, free from Covid-19.
Thanks
