Luanda - The speaker of the National Assembly, Carolina Cerqueira, Thursday in Luanda, urged Angolan MPs to respect the rulebook, parliamentary decorum and avoid hate speech in the parliament.
Speaking at the year-end greetings ceremony at the National Assembly, Carolina Cerqueira said lawmakers should use language that dignifies the nobility of politics, avoiding hate speech.
The Speaker recalled that hate speech was strongly rejected at the 54th Plenary Assembly of the SADC Parliamentary Forum held in November in Porto Louis, Mauritius, where Angola was represented at the highest level.
The Angolan politician underlined that member countries of the SADC Parliamentary Forum made a proposal for parliaments to pass a law to prevent "hate speech and affronts to the dignity of each one of us".
"We are the guardians of concord and democratic vitality, an example for young generations and of tranquility for families and society in general, we have to set an example and I am convinced that we will leave this legacy," Cerqueira said.
Political differences must be capable of creating safe bridges of dialogue, concord and consensus, the Speaker said, underlining that only this way political peace can be achieved as well as the well being of the people.
The politician underscored that parliament is a plural institution with voices that are not always consensual, however, everyone is motivated by the public interest and respect for the people they represent.
The Speaker appealed to parliament staff to give themselves selflessly to their work, with a sense of responsibility, ethics, secrecy, institutional loyalty and solidarity with one another. DC/VIC/DAN /AMP
