WINDHOEK – The Namibian Embassy in Angola remembered the late Dr Agostinho Neto – the founding president of Angola – by participating in activities organised by the Agostinho Neto Foundation at Dr Neto’s hometown of Catete, Bengo Province, Angola.
The activities took place to remember 10 September 1979, the day that Neto passed on.
The Namibian Embassy exhibited products like popular Namibian beer and dairy products, as well traditional Namibian cuisine. The exhibition featured displays by other countries’ embassies in Luanda and was graced by Maria Eugenia Neto, the widow of Neto, a statement from the Namibian Embassy in Luanda said.
Dr Antonio Agostinho Neto, born on 17 September 1922 in Catete, Bengo Province, was a revolutionary, a poet, doctor, guerrilla and statesman. On 11 November 1975, then President of the People Movement of Angola Liberation (MPLA) and Head of State, Neto “on behalf of the Angolan people that the MPLA central committee proclaimed solemnly before Africa and the world the independence of Angola.”
“Dr Neto was the man who changed the face of Angola’s armed struggle and his heroism made the independence of Namibia become a reality for his unwavering support to the liberation movements in Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe. A legacy that was maintained by José Eduardo dos Santos, President of [Angola] who succeeded Dr Neto,” said the statement.
The statement went on to quote two prophetic phrases by Neto, when he said: “Angola é e será por vontade propria trincheira firme da Revoluçao em Africa” (Angola is and will be by its own free will a firm trench of the revolution in Africa) and “Na Namibia, no Zimbabwé e na Africa do Sul está a continuaçao da nosa luta” (In Namibia, in Zimbabwe and in South Africa there is the continuation of our struggle).
“Upon Angola’s attainment of its independence in 1975, the Government of Angola under its first President Neto, immediately and without wavering offered to render support to SWAPO of Namibia to establish military bases and set up Namibia Health and Education centres for Namibians who were seeking refuge from the colonial repression and brutality of the minority white apartheid regime,” said Grace Ushona, the Namibian Ambassador of Namibia to Angola.
Ushona affirmed the unconditional and unwavering support by the government and people of Angola rendered to the people of Namibia during the long and bitter liberation struggle by mentioning that “the Angolan people had to endure barbarous and cowardly attacks by the then South African Apartheid regime that killed so many people mostly innocent women and children in Angola under the pretext of pursuing what they termed “SWAPO” terrorist”.
“Many children became orphans; dispersed and disabled. As a result, many schools, clinics, houses, villages, roads and other infrastructure were destroyed. Despite this horrific action, Angola stood firm until the total eradication of the apartheid system in the region fulfilling the vision of Dr Neto, which is visible today. The people of Namibia will forever remain thankful and indebted to the revolutionary people of Angola and for the solidarity and assistance they rendered during the difficult years of the liberation struggle for freedom and independence. This is indeed the bedrock our history, our bilateral relations, our ties and our brotherhood solidified and cemented in blood,” said Ushona.
By Staff Reporter