Luanda – The remains of Alves Bernardo Baptista “Nito Alves”, Jacob João Caetano “Mostro Immortal”, Arsénio José Lourenço Mesquita “Sianuk” and Ilídio Ramalhete, victims of attempted coup of the 27th of May 1977, will be laid to rest next Monday ( 13), at Luanda’s Alto das Cruzes cemetery.
The information is expressed in a press note released by the Commission for Reconciliation in Memory of Victims of Political Conflicts (CIVICOP).
The document states that the tribute to these general and high ranking officers will begin at 5:30 am, with the departure of the remains from the Military Morgue in a funeral procession to the Army General Barracks.
Then, at 7:00 am, a mass will be held in this place (Army Headquarters), where the bodies will remain in a burning chamber.
The programme foresees the beginning of the wake at 09:00, with the laying of a wreath, which will be followed by the chanting of the national anthem, speech by the family, tribute to the holders of sovereign bodies, political parties, defence and security bodies and former fighters and veterans of the homeland.
At 11:00 am, the remains will follow in procession towards the Alto das Cruzes Cemetery.
The ceremony takes place after several stages of this process, which began with the delivery of death certificates to the families, location of the bodies, DNA tests and delivery of the mortal remains.
Created by Presidential Decree, in April 2019, the CIVICOP has the mission of drawing up a general plan to honour the victims of political conflicts that occurred in Angola, in the period from 11 November, 1975 to April 4, 2002.
CIVICOP is chaired by the Minister of Justice and Human Rights, Francisco Queiroz, and comprises representatives from various ministerial departments, such as Defence, Interior, Health, Telecommunications, Information Technologies and Mass Media.
