Human Rights Watch denounces Angola’s expulsion of 400,000 Congolese

Global rights watchdog Human Rights Watch (HRW) called on Angola to halt mass deportations after more than 400 000 migrants mainly from the Democratic Republic of Congo fled or were expelled from Angola in just weeks.

Without producing any evidence, the government of President Joao Lourenco claimed that migrants organized and controlled diamond smuggling.

The migrants have accused Angolan security forces of physical and sexual abuse that feed a climate of fear and intimidation. HRW pointed to UN reports that Angolan security forces and allied youth militias from the ethnic Tshokwe group, shot dead at least six Congolese last month during an operation in Lunda North province bordering DRC. (Angola and DRC share a 2,500km land border, the longest in Africa.)

The government has vehemently denied that its security forces committed abuses.

[AFP]

This entry was posted in Humanitarian Aid, International Cooperation by Grant Montgomery.