By Henrique Almeida. For the half a million residents of the impoverished territory, the oil has brought few benefits. FLEC, or Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda, has been locked in three decades of mostly low-level insurgency against the government. Heavily armed police have been seen patrolling the streets of Cabinda months after the rebel attack.
His urgency has a reason: both FLEC rebels and ordinary Cabindans claim to see little of the money that comes from their land. The ambush on the Togo bus triggered a police crackdown that led to the arrest of several prominent figures in Cabindan society, including a university professor, a human rights activist and a priest.
All three have been held for months without a trial and are being accused of committing crimes against the state. Human Rights Watch has repeatedly accused authorities in Cabinda of violating human rights. A spokesman for the Angolan police denied the police were guilty of any abuse. The detentions prompted some Cabindans to call for a massive street protest last month.
But the march was called off at the last minute, after police increased their presence on the streets. While a small number of FLEC separatists in hiding are unlikely to pose an immediate threat to order in Cabinda, frustration is rising among ordinary citizens. N , among others, are all involved in oil exploration activities in Cabinda.
But oil companies have little to fear, said Nombo, the former vice governor of Cabinda. Oil Report Updated. By Henrique Almeida 4 Min Read.
