On May 27th, 43 years after 1977, whilst
the world continues to count the tenths, hundreds and thousands of humans who
succumbed to this pandemic, the thousands if not millions of others equally
humans, but not as much, who are starving, being tortured, assassinated or violated
continue to be ignored. Simply put, we have been exquisitely conditioned to the
idea that some lives matter more than others, that some truths are more worth
telling than others, that some individuals deserve more justice than others,
that for the good of a few, many millions must pay the price of indifference, misery,
and often death itself.
On May 27th 1977, in the name of a
so called moderate and pacific transition to an alleged democracy, over 30 000 Angolans
were imprisoned, tortured, brutally murdered, and then vanished without a trace.
Proud and dedicated Angolans who had fought against Portuguese colonialism, who
had dreamt of an African country belonging to the majority, to African people.
Angolans who sacrificed their personal health and safety for ideals they
believed every single African should be entitled to: freedom, justice, economic
empowerment, access to equal opportunities. Ideals that had been penned at the very
core of the Declaration of Human Rights.
On May 27th 1977, thousands of
Angolans became orphans, widows, family less, left to their own wounds, scarred
for life, unable to burry their loved ones, incapable of understanding the betrayal
of their once companions in the fight for sovereignty. As History does so well,
silencing the rabbles for the benefit of the sturdiest, day after day, week
after week, month after month, the propaganda machine of affluence and authority
ensured that no enquiry was ever made, that no investigation was ever conducted,
that no legal proceedings ever emerged, in the hope that somehow those manslaughters
would fade in the mist of that ocean we call History and Time.
On May 27th 43 years after 1977, the
truth is slowly but surely emerging, voices are rising, revolt is brewing, because
as we so like telling children, truth always ends up comes to the surface. Those
orphans, brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, uncles and aunties, friends and
family have not forgotten, will not forget, and will now ensure no one forgets
what happened. As the Past has so well taught us, you can kill the dreamer but
you can’t kill the dream.
Some values will never die: justice, fairness and
courage.
Some dates never die: May 27th is
here to stay.
