Civil Servants’ Three-day Strike in Angola Occasioned by “lack of listening, dialogue”: Catholic Bishop

The Angolan member of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit under the protection of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (CSSp/Spiritans/Holy Ghost Fathers) said, “We don't listen to each other. Jesus' silence is not that cowardly silence, a silence of fear, which leads us to remain silent in the face of injustice, or violence against the weak, against the destitute, as we are witnessing throughout these days in our land.”

Bishop Camuto went on to condemn the reported police brutality against the striking civil servants.

“We even see our brothers in the police using violence against our brothers who are striking. The police themselves also know and recognize that the conditions are not good, but they violently attack their brothers,” he lamented.

The Spiritan Bishop, who has been at the helm of Caxito Diocese since his Episcopal Consecration in August 2020 added referring to police brutality against peaceful demonstrators, “It's not right. The civil servants are demanding a right enshrined in the Constitution: decent working conditions and fair wages. Who doesn't want that?”

“Even the police officers themselves want that. We also have relatives; we have family members in the police and they complain; they also want to see their salaries improved; they also want to see their working conditions improved,” the catholic Church leader said.                  

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He continued, “If the others are complaining, they're going on strike, it's for everyone; it's for everyone's benefit; we should help them; we should support them and not use violence against them.”

João Vissesse is an Angolan Journalist with a passion and rich experience in Catholic Church Communication and Media Apostolate.