The PADPA was officially established in 1995 (Noticias Lusofonas 9 Jan. 2004; ANGOP 16 Apr. 2003). The party is present in 15 out of 18 provinces that comprise Angola (ibid.), but it has no seat in parliament (Xinhua News Agency 7 June 2003; Reuters 28 Nov. 2001).

A 10 February 2004 report stated that an unauthorized demonstration planned by the Party for Democratic Support and Progress in Angola (PADPA) was blocked and demonstrators dispersed by police (Noticias Lusofonas 10 Feb. 2004). This demonstration was to protest against the lack of transparency in the Angolan government (ibid.). In its 9 January 2004 report, the same source indicated that the president of PADPA, Carlos Leitao, was questioned by police in relation to graffiti painted on the statue of Agostinho Neto, Angola's first president (Noticias Lusofonas 9 Jan. 2004). The report added that the president of PADPA was released after the interrogation, but he was asked to present himself before the police in the next few days (ibid.).

In June 2003, Carlos Leitao along with five other party officials, was arrested during another unauthorized demonstration against state corruption in Luanda (Xhinua News Agency 7 June 2003; ibid. 3 June 2003; AFP 3 June 2003). They were released two days later after the judge decided that they did not commit any offences (ibid.; Noticias Lusofonas 5 June 2003).

Various reports noted that eight PADPA members, including Carlos Leitao, were also arrested and detained in the capital Luanda, after staging a peaceful strike on 24 January 2001 (MISA 25 Jan. 2001; Diario De Noticias 25 Jan. 2001; HRW 2001). The demonstration was held to criticize the Angolan president Jose Eduardo dos Santos over mismanagement and corruption (ibid.; MISA 25 Jan. 2001; BBC 25 Jan. 2001).

In February 2000, members of PADPA demonstrated in Luanda against increase in fuel prices (AI Dec. 2000; Country Reports 2000 2001, Sect. 2.b). Some members, including leaders Carlos Leitao and Luis Silva Cardos, were among those who were arrested, beaten and briefly detained (ibid.; AI Dec. 2000).

Information on the treatment of family members of PADPA members and supporters could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Agence France Presse (AFP). 3 June 2003. "Arrestation lors d'une manifestation contre le president Dos Santos." (Courrier AFP)

Amnesty International (AI). December 2000. Annual Report 2001. http://web.amnesty.org/web/ar2001.nsf/webafrcountries/ANGOLA?OpenDocument [Accessed 19 Feb. 2004]

Angolan News Agency (ANGOP). 16 April 2003. "Un parti politique plaide pour les élections en 2004." http://www.angola.org/newsDetail.cfm?NID=12553 [Accessed 19 Feb. 2004]

Diario De Noticias [Lisbon, in Portuguese]. 25 January 2001. "Angola Calls on President To Answer Accusation of Corruption." (BBC Monitoring/Dialog)

Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2000. March 2001. United States Department of State. Washington, DC. http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2000/af/658.htm [Accessed 24 Feb. 2004]

Human Rights Watch (HRW). March 2001. "The Oil Diagnostic in Angola: An Update. Government Attempts to Limit Public Criticism Over the Use of Oil Revenues." http://www.hrw.org/backgrounder/Africa/Angola/index-07.htm [Accessed 5 Jan. 2004]

Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA). 25 January 2001. "Journalist Prevented from Covering Demonstration." (Dialog)

Noticias Lusofonas. 10 February 2004. "Manifestaçao convocada pelo PADPA impedida pela policia. http://www.noticiaslusofonas.com [Accessed 19 Feb. 2004]

_____. 9 January 2004. "President do PADPA interrogado pela policia." http://www.noticiaslusofonas.com [Accessed 19 Feb. 2004]

_____. 5 June 2003. Ministério publico reconhece que detençao de lider PADPA foi illegal." http://www.noticiaslusofonas.com [Accessed 19 Feb. 2004]

Reuters. 28 November 2001. "Angola Opposition Party Wants U.S Peace Role." http://www.angonet.org [Accessed 5 Jan. 2004]

Xinhua News Agency. 7 June 2003. "Arrested Political Party Leader Freed in Angola." (Dialog)

_____. 3 June 2003. "Leaders of Banned Demonstration Detained in Angola." (NEXIS)

Additional Sources Consulted

Africa Confidential

Africa Research Bulletin

IRB Databases

Jeune Afrique/L'Intelligent

Keesing's Record of World Events

Resource Centre country file. Angola

Websites, including:

Africatime

Allafrica

European Country of Origin Information Network (Ecoi.net)

MISNA

ReliefWeb