Luanda — The Angolan MP, Eufrazina Teodoro Paiva, Friday in Luanda, appealed to religious leaders to actively participate in the process of elaboration of the new Constitution, particularly in aspects concerning the freedom of consciousness, religion and worship.

She made the appeal during a talk directed to members of the Religious Youth Forum, devoted to the clarification of the tree models summarised from the five constitution drafts produced by the political parties with Parliament seat.

Eufrazina Paiva stressed that some clauses of the drafts contain more religious freedoms than the Constitution in force, adding that once approved, no one will use a religion to impede the progress of other congregations.

She spoke of the need to guarantee the full exercise of religious and worship freedoms, consciousness objection, persecution or deprivation of rights, or exemption of duties, because of convictions or religious practises.

In his turn, the chairman of the Religious Youth Forum, rev. Antunes Fernando Huambo, expressed satisfaction at the presentation of the constitution models and appealed to the church leaders to contribute to making them richer.

"We want a Constitution that permits us to choose the religion we want and not to be coerced into joining a rite that has nothing to do with our culture", he stated.