Teachers Union leader get death threats

On 27 February, the National Union of Higher Education Teachers (SINPES) in Angola started a strike demanding better working conditions and fulfilment of the promises made by the government. Since the beginning of the strike, union leaders - including general secretary Eduardo Peres Alberto- and their relatives have been the target of death threats. On 25 April, Eduardo Peres Alberto’s daughter was attacked on the street by unidentified men who used a toxic chemical. The Angolan authorities must promptly, thoroughly, impartially, independently, transparently, and effectively investigate both the attack and death threats and ensure the Union leaders’ right to unionize and strike is protected.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Eduardo Peres Alberto has been general secretary of the National Union of Higher Education Teachers (SINPES) since 2012. He holds a master's degree in history and bachelor’s in political science. He is one of the most prominent faces of the higher education teachers' strike that started on 27 February.

SINPES first went on strike in November 2021 and culminated in the signing of a «Memorandum of Understanding» between the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Technology, Innovation, henceforth (MESCTI), and the National Union of Higher Education Teachers' (SINPES).

As the government did not fulfill the promises made, by deliberation of its general assembly, the higher education teachers' union decided to resume the strike in January 2022, which lasted 3 months. The same strike was interrupted and resumed a few times during the year, in shorter periods lasting a few days, in April, October and November 2022. During this period, there were negotiations with the government that apparently did not bring any solution to the challenges presented by the union, which led to the resumption of the strike on 27 February 2023, now marking 3 months of strike and stoppage of classes in public higher education institutions.

The higher education teachers strike has resulted in public higher education students, led by the student movement (MEA), to organize demonstrations against school fees and also demanding the government to solve the impasses with of college teachers so they can return to school. Some of these demonstrations have been repressed by the police.

Peaceful demonstrations and other forms of protest are repressed in Angola, often leading to arbitrary arrests, torture, and threats and intimidation of dissidents.