Angolan troops 'raping, torturing'

2004-12-23 09:28

Johannesburg - Human Rights Watch on Thursday warned that Angolan troops were raping and torturing civilians with impunity in the oil-rich Cabinda region and called on Luanda to immediately stop the violations.

"In the past year, the Angolan army has subjected civilians to extrajudicial executions, arbitrary arrests and detention, torture and other mistreatment, as well as sexual violence," the New York-based rights watchdog said in a statement.

In late 2002, some 30 000 Angolan troops were deployed in Cabinda, an enclave between Angola, the Congo and the Democratic Republic of Congo, to end a lingering separatist conflict which began in 1963.

The Cabinda enclave gains its importance from the fact that it produces around 60% of oil in Angola, one of Africa's biggest fuel producers.

Angolan army continues to commit crimes

"While the conflict has died down, the Angolan army continues to commit crimes against civilians in Cabinda," Peter Takirambudde, executive director of Human Rights Watch's Africa division, said.

"The Angolan government must put an end to impunity and bring the abusers to justice."

Human Rights Watch interviewed civilians who said they had been detained and tortured by the Angolan army on suspicion of being rebel supporters.

"Detainees were frequently subjected to beatings. In one case Angolan army soldiers threatened to rape a male detainee and cut off his genitalia."

The watchdog called on the Angolan army to hold people only in recognised places of detention, to release anyone being held unlawfully and to transfer persons held for criminal offenses to civilian authorities.

"Both the Angolan army and the National Police have generally failed to investigate or prosecute abuses against civilians in which the Angolan army has been implicated," Human Rights Watch said.

"Fighting or no fighting, women and girls in Cabinda remain vulnerable to sexual violence by the Angolan army.

"Luanda cannot allow its soldiers to commit rape and other sexual violence with impunity."

- SAPA