7 April 2004
Benguela — More than 600 foreigners who were involved in illegally prospecting diamonds were arrested by the Angolan Armed Forces (FAA) as part of an operation launched two weeks ago by the command of the 7th Military Region that comprises the central Benguela and Kwanza-Sul provinces.
The operation called "Brilhante" aims at the detention of diamond and gold seekers in those provinces.
A source from the 7the Military Region, said the foreigners arrested, mainly from RD Congo, were operating from the districts of Bocoio and Balombo (Benguela), Seles, Waku-Kungo and Gabela (Kwanza-Sul).
After they are heard by concerned judicial authorities, the source added, the foreigners will be repatriated.
Meanwhile, the 7th Military Region Commander, gen. Lucas Paulo Kananay, will travel soon to various localities to outline strategies to guarantee security in the two provinces.
The detention of the foreigners comes at a time the 7th Military Region command reaffirms its strong commitment to the defence of the interests of the country, of the sovereignty and of all Angolans.
In a note supplied to Angop, on the occasion of the Second anniversary of the Peace and National Reconciliation Day (4 April), FAA officials, sergeants and soldiers rejoice at the accomplishment of the Memorandum of Understanding Complementary to the Lusaka Protocol that put an end to more than three decades of armed conflict in Angola.
On the other hand, the 7th Military Region calls on Angolan churches to combine effort to help with the consolidation of peace and of the country's democratisation process, after decades of war.
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