Angolan civil society groups on Tuesday urged the Argentine football federation and star player Lionel Messi Tuesday to scrap planning for a friendly this year after 30 people were killed in protests.

The football associations of both countries have been in talks to fix a date for a match in Luanda as part of celebrations in November of Angola’s 50 years of independence.

In an open letter addressed to the Argentine Football Association, the national team and Lionel Messi Foundation charity, four civil society groups accused Angolan authorities of “systematic repression”.

Refusing to participate in the planned match “would be a noble gesture of international solidarity and respect for human rights,” said the groups, which include Catholic, legal and pro-democracy organisations.

Angola is one of Africa’s leading oil producers but about a third of the population of nearly 38 million live in poverty, according to the World Bank.

Protests in late July against fuel-price hikes erupted into violence when people looted shops, prompting a backlash by police who opened fire with live bullets.

At least 30 people were killed, more than 270 wounded and around 1,515 arrested in what was the worst unrest in the southern African country in decades.

“While public resources are being channelled to large-scale sporting events, thousands of children and adults face chronic hunger, severe anaemia, and widespread food insecurity,” the letter said.

(vanguard)