Africa-Press – Angola. The black cloth has fallen on the mourning of former President José Eduardo dos Santos, but the tributes and the wave of solidarity continue, until 23:59 on Sunday, in Praça da República, informed, Friday, in Luanda, the spokesman for the National Funeral Commission.
Marcy Lopes explained that as of today, all restrictions imposed during the period of mourning are lifted, but the space will remain open to the public over the weekend: “On Monday, Praça da República will be closed for due treatment, as it is adjacent to the António Agostinho Neto Memorial”.
He added that the Commission continues to wait for more information on the outcome of the process that is taking place in Spain, regarding the transfer of the body of José Eduardo dos Santos.
Environment
At the public wake held in Praça da República, there were more than two thousand people, including diplomats, government entities, the Angolan Armed Forces, the National Police, sportspeople, plastic artists, musicians, actors, teachers, magistrates and civil society, who came to the place to pay tribute to the “Architect of Peace”, José Eduardo dos Santos.
At no time was the scenario created to honor the figure of the Former President empty. Buses arrived full of women, over 50 years old, young people and even teenagers, wearing sweaters stamped with pictures of José Eduardo dos Santos’ face. All with the same objective of paying tribute and signing the book of condolences.
In Praça da República, people greeted each other and in conversations remembered José Eduardo dos Santos and his deeds. For example, Desidério Costa, former Minister of Oil, who considered himself a friend of the former President.
GURN was the best Government
Desidério Costa considered that the best governance of José Eduardo dos Santos was at the time of the Government of Unity and National Reconciliation (GURN): “He managed to bring peace in Angola. An achievement that gave him merit, he did everything for the Angolan people. of José Eduardo dos Santos, I have first to remember Frederik De Clerk, former President of South Africa, Herman Cohen, former US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Durão Barroso, former Prime Minister of Portugal, and Pope John Paul II, but among all this José Eduardo dos Santos is the most important one who brought peace in Angola”.
Veteran Santana André Pitra “Petroff”, former Minister of the Interior, without words, revealed that José Eduardo dos Santos was a right companion for the leadership of the country, after the death of the first President of Angola.
“At this moment, he appeared as a leader. I honestly don’t know. We met in 1963 in Kinshasa, in the first group of the MPLA. They sent us abroad. I, in the other group, was part of the great military policy, and he was part of the bulk. José Eduardo dos Santos was the ones we chose, since we met. We have to maintain unity, peace and national reconciliation. We have to maintain the legacy left by Agostinho Neto, that the most important thing is to solve the problems of the people”, he confided.
Brito Sozinho, childhood companion of former President José Eduardo dos Santos, said that there are no words to describe the loss of a friend. “I will be missed. He was a companion, a brother. He is a person who gave everything for this country. At this moment, children have to be calm and have to respect, above all, this moment. I am still surprised by death” , lamented.
The politician Bento Kangamba confided that his life was driven by José Eduardo dos Santos. He found it difficult to describe his mentor, because words are few to honor him.
“He was a person who transformed me. Today I am a politician, I thank President José Eduardo Dos Santos. Paying homage to him is a very difficult thing and it is complicated, because he is a man who started very early in the struggle and then led Angola for 38 years. But in these 38 years we have had many benefits, such as peace and honor. Many things he has done for this country”, he recalled.
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