JOHANNESBURG, 24 February 2009 (IRIN) - International rights watchdog Human Rights Watch (HRW) has urged reform of Angola's electoral body ahead of a presidential election scheduled for 2009.

According to a new HRW report, Democracy or Monopoly? Angola's Reluctant Return to Elections, the ruling Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) party had failed to address the irregularities that marred Angola's parliamentary elections in 2008, the first in 16 years.

"The government needs to reform the electoral commission to ensure credible and independent oversight of all future elections. As part of that process, the promised inquiry into the 2008 election flaws should be rigorously carried out and its results published," HRW's Africa director, Georgette Gagnon, said at the launch of their report on 24 February.

HRW has accused the MPLA of abusing state resources, endorsing repressive media laws and moving to postpone the scheduled vote beyond 2009. "Uncertainty over whether presidential elections will take place in 2009 is not an excuse for letting the problems highlighted by last year's elections go unremedied," Gagnon said.

For the full report, , click here: Democracy or Monopoly? Angola's Reluctant Return to Elections

http://www.hrw.org/en/reports/2009/02/23/democracy-or-monopoly-0

tdm/he

© IRIN. All rights reserved. More humanitarian news and analysis: http://www.IRINnews.org

IRIN news