Opposition party demands president’s resignation

A small but vocal Angolan opposition party has called on President Jose Eduardo dos Santos to resign over a US $633 million arms scandal, the ‘Namibian’ reported on Tuesday. “We insist (on his resignation), and we are committing ourselves to peacefully forcing him to resign,” Carlos Leitao, president of the Party Supporting Angolan Democracy and Progress (PADPA), was quoted as saying.

PADPA, which is gaining a reputation for daring to challenge the authorities, has demanded that the government reveal what it knows about allegedly corrupt arms deals in which several well-connected French personalities, including Jean-Christophe Mitterand, the eldest son of former French president Francois Mitterand, are under investigation. The involvement of senior officials in Luanda has been alleged, but the Angolan government has denied any wrong-doing.

Last week, PADPA activists staged a hunger strike in front of the presidential palace to push their case. They were dispersed by riot police and six were arrested. But a court acquitted the six on 30 January and the party is reportedly considering legal action against the police for wrongful arrest. Diplomatic sources described the acquittal as an important judicial precedent regarding the application of the Law on Demonstration and Assembly. By declaring the accused not guilty, the court recognised that there is no need to obtain an authorisation before organising a peaceful demonstration, diplomats said.