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Jonas Savimbi's remains to be exhumed without State Honors

Luanda, ANGOLA, January 10 - The minister of State and head of the President?s Security Office, Pedro Sebastião, announced on Wednesday in Luanda that the remains of the former leader of the opposition UNITA party, Jonas Savimbi, will be exhumed without State honors. ,

Speaking in a press conference on the fringes of the assessment meeting of the ongoing “Operation Transparency” the official said the conditions to exhume the remains of the deceased politician have already been created.   

 

According to the official, this will not be an official funeral, taking into account that by the moment of his death Jonas Savimbi was not part of the governmental body.  

 

Last December, the Angolan president, João Lourenço, explained during a collective press conference, that the government is ready to aid the holding of the exhumation, but waits for Unita’s decision.

 

In this regard, UNITA vice-president, Raul Danda, said on Wednesday in the private television broadcaster "TV Zimbo" that his party did not request for a funeral with State Honor, demanded only the remains of the former leader to hand it back to his family.

 

 In addition, he said that UNITA and the family of its first leader agree with the way the funeral is to be held in his birthplace.

 

The exhumation was to take place on December 20, however did not occur due to the fact that UNITA demanded DNA tests to be conducted in three different laboratories at its choice outside the country, so as  to certify whether the remains belongs to its former leader.   

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