The Hungry Can't Stay Silent – Exploring Deadly Protests in Crude-Abundant Angola

Residents in parts of the Angolan capital remain apprehensive to discuss publicly about the incidents in July, when protests paralyzed urban life and unrest impacted multiple provinces.

Initially launched as a call among cab operators to resist surging energy expenses evolved into 72 hours of hostilities, leading to at least numerous casualties and thousands of arrests.

Roads were blocked with flaming tires, shops were looted, and skirmishes broke out between protesters and security forces.

This marked one of the most impactful surges of protest since the termination of the national strife in 2002.

Root Causes: Poverty and Imbalance

Ahead of resource-abundant Angola celebrating 50 years of autonomy from Portugal, the protests underscored persistent concerns about need and economic disparity.

Within communities where protests were strongest, scarce residents are prepared to share views publicly, concerned over reprisals or harassment due to mass arrests during and after the events.

"Events might have spun out of hand, but we required to protest loudly to wake up those in power," stated a youthful peddler from Luanda who requested anonymity.

Having left school before concluding high school, he now sells beverages along one of the capital's most crowded thoroughfares to support his family.

This individual represents numerous citizens striving to survive amid towering buildings erected by energy wealth.

Joblessness Among Young People Propels Discontent

For the vendor, taking part in the initial phase of demonstrations was a way to demonstrate that "we can be heard" and that people like him are entitled to a portion of the resources of a country that is "affluent for a few, but bleak for numerous of us."

Youth unemployment has been a primary cause of public demonstrations in this young nation where the median average age is under 16.

Unemployment among 15-to-24-year-olds reaches 54%, according to government statistics. Out of 18 million young people of working age, only three million have jobs in the official workforce – indicating they obtain regular wages and contribute to public funds.

Across urban centers, many jobless young people who are no longer in school emphasize the state's struggle in addressing their aspirations.

"I only sell on the street when I can obtain adequate cash to buy the soft drinks," the informal merchant noted. "Periodically when I have zero income because business is so poor. Myself and many others live like this, and nobody pays attention us. That’s why we can't stay silent."

Sociological Perspective

Researcher Gilson Lázaro was unsurprised by the summer protests. He believes that those at the heart of the demonstrations were the "dispossessed."

"They represent young people, the bulk, who have no alternatives but their lives. That is why they took to the streets without fear," he observed.

The protests started spontaneously in some of Luanda's more crowded and underprivileged districts, where some residents lack access to fundamental amenities as well as other critical facilities.

Gradually, protesters moved into the capital's central roads, causing disorder and "revealing a societal issue that has persisted for years but which the leadership has opted to neglect," according to the analyst.

"Over recent years, Angola has been heading towards a profound social, financial, and, most importantly, leadership trust crisis. The primary reason is the faulty way the country has been administered since the end of the civil war in 2002," Dr. Lázaro noted.

Official Reaction

The Angolan government has adopted a different view.

An authority representative did not acknowledge a request for input on the events and their aftermath, but in a national address, President João Lourenço made his position clear.

He denounced the protests as "acts committed by irresponsible citizens, manipulated by anti-patriotic domestic and international organizations through digital networks, bringing grief, ruin of public and private property, restricted entry to essential goods and services, and job losses for Angolans."

Financial Struggles

Regardless of repeated promises to diversify its economy, Angola remains concentrated in oil and gas, which are by far the country's main exports as well as the primary provider of government revenue.

"Mineral wealth are valuable, but the problem lies in how earnings are utilized," national analyst Francisco Paulo commented. "Had Angola adopted examples like Norway or Saudi Arabia, using oil wealth to bolster non-oil sectors and improve its workforce, it would be a advantage. Unfortunately, revenues here are wasted on superficial expenses with no real benefit."

Following the ouster of former President Dos Santos, Angola underwent five consecutive years of economic decline between 2017 and 2021.

Expansion only returned in 2022, primarily propelled by non-oil sectors. But current progress has had minimal effect on the daily reality of citizens.

In a report this year, the World Bank estimated that more than a 33% of the population live on less than $2.15 per day.

Experts noted that while the economy was expanding, it was not keeping up with population growth, meaning that, on average, people were getting poorer.

Future Outlook

With national festivities nearing, plans including music festivals, official recognitions, and a soccer game including renowned athlete Messi are in active preparation.

But student Lea Komba questions the old socialist slogan "single populace, unified country," popularized during the one-party Marxist-Leninist regime of the late 1970s.

"This is inaccurate that we all share the same reality. There is massive disparity. Young people in underserved regions are almost condemned to extreme poverty, without proper schooling or good work, even if they study hard and earn a degree," she stated.

"This demographic think with their basic needs, because food insecurity leaves them with nothing to lose. They are the ones who took to the roads."

Ms. Komba added that "the authorities must look at fundamental reasons, not just consequences."

"Vandalism was simply the way young people found to attract notice from those in power."

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