Angola Petrol Protest: Justice and Peace Commission Appeals for Prayer amid Deadly Unrest

Luanda, 01 August, 2025 / 8:31 PM

The Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP) of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Angola and São Tomé (CEAST) has appealed for peace and prayer in the wake of violent protests and looting that have gripped parts of Angola since Monday, July 28.

In a statement issued Tuesday, July 29, CCJP members call on Angolans, expatriates, and all people of goodwill to reject violence, refrain from inciting hatred, and to join in prayer for the country. 

The violence, which followed a nationwide taxi drivers’ strike over fuel price hikes, has left at least 31 people dead, hundreds injured, and widespread destruction in Luanda and other provinces.

The CCJP officials warn that the protests “threaten our collective peace, consume innocent lives, and endanger the little property still remaining.”

“Say no to violence, no to looting, and no to incitement to hatred,” CCJP members say in the statement shared with ACI Africa.

Regarding social media, they encourage restraint, saying, “Avoid inflammatory messages that incite anger and revenge,” and instead, “spread messages of tolerance, harmony, and nonviolence.”

“Strikes and the right to peaceful protest—yes. But violence—no,”  CCJP members add.

While affirming the legitimacy of peaceful protest, they caution that “the escalation of violence undermines the social fabric and worsens collective suffering.”

CCJP members further invite all faith communities in the country to unite in prayer, and for Catholics in particular, to pray “wherever possible, before the Blessed Sacrament, pleading for the gift of peace during this time of deep collective anguish and distress.”

“Let us implore the gift of peace in our communities and cities through the intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Patroness of Angola and Queen of Peace,” they add.

The unrest, which began in Luanda spread by Tuesday to the provinces of Huambo, Benguela, Malanje, and Huíla. 

On July 31, Isailda Sambalanda, President of the Association for the Promotion of Women in the Angolan Catholic Church (PROMAICA) in the Catholic Archdiocese of Luanda, offered words of faith and hope amid the crisis.

Mourning the death of a mother during the violence, she urged Angolan families to remain calm and trust in God.

“We want to stand in solidarity with the family in this tragedy,” Mrs. Sambalanda said in her message on the International Day of the African Woman, and added, “Let us ask God, who is the Lord of life, to lead us, transform us, and help us love one another despite our pain.”

She continued, in her interview with Rádio Ecclesia, “To all Promaica mothers, I say: remain calm, stay peaceful. Everything passes, especially when we trust in our good God.”