Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06MASERU260
2006-06-02 13:52:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Maseru
Cable title:  

LEADING OPPOSITION PARTY BRIEFS U.S. AMBASSADOR AND DONORS;

Tags:  PGOV PREL KDEM LT 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO6133
PP RUEHDU RUEHJO
DE RUEHMR #0260/01 1531352
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 021352Z JUN 06
FM AMEMBASSY MASERU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2081
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
RUEHMR/AMEMBASSY MASERU 2355
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MASERU 000260 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

AF/S

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM LT
SUBJECT: LEADING OPPOSITION PARTY BRIEFS U.S. AMBASSADOR AND DONORS;
LEADERSHIP LATER SUSPENDED FROM PARLIAMENT

REF: MASERU 035

MASERU 00000260 001.2 OF 002


UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MASERU 000260

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

AF/S

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM LT
SUBJECT: LEADING OPPOSITION PARTY BRIEFS U.S. AMBASSADOR AND DONORS;
LEADERSHIP LATER SUSPENDED FROM PARLIAMENT

REF: MASERU 035

MASERU 00000260 001.2 OF 002



1. (SBU) Summary: The Ambassador met with General Metsing
Lekhanya, the leader of the largest opposition party, the
Basotho National Party (BNP),on Thursday May 18, 2006. He was
accompanied by party Secretary General, Ranthomeng Matete. The
meeting was held at the request of the BNP leadership, which
wanted the Ambassador to intervene on their behalf against the
impending action by the Speaker of National Assembly, Ntlhoi
Motsamai following recommendations by the Parliamentary
Privileges Committee to suspend the senior members of the BNP
including the leader. Lekhanya gave a brief background on the
Speaker's unilateral action to nominate a rebel BNP member to
attend a Southern African Development Community (SADC)
Parliamentary Forum Meeting in Gaborone, Botswana without
consulting the BNP leadership. The Ambassador stressed the need
for dialogue in order to resolve this matter diplomatically not
through political action but compromise. Based on donor
information received May 31, it appears the BNP misrepresented
development partners' recommendations for negotiations emphasis
on compromise and their stated non-intervention stance. End
Summary.

Opposition Views Presented to USG
-------------- --------------


2. (SBU) During the Embassy meeting, Lekhanya noted with
concern that the impending action by Parliament, which is
dominated by the ruling party, the Lesotho Congress for
Democracy (LCD),has no legal standing. He stressed that his
party had not violated any parliamentary procedures by
protesting against the Speaker's actions.


(Note: In September 2005, the Speaker of Parliament (a member of
the ruling party, LCD),nominated a rebel BNP Member of
Parliament (MP) to attend a SADC Parliamentary Forum Meeting,
which focused on the harmonization of the region's electoral
laws. Outraged by this nomination, Lekhanya wrote a letter to
the Speaker requesting her to reconsider the nomination and make
proper consultations. The BNP leader was of the opinion that the
Speaker's nominee did not meet the specification of the meeting,
which required political parties in Parliament to send

Secretaries General and Chief Whips, and the Speaker's nominee

SIPDIS
did not fall within that category. The Speaker did not reply to
Lekhanya's letter. Subsequently, the BNP Youth League, took up
the matter in a petition to the Speaker. According to Lekhanya,
the petition was presented through a protest march permitted by
police, who escorted the marchers to the Parliament, where the
Clerk of the National Assembly duly received the petition. He
said a couple of days after the petition, the Speaker responded
by making a statement in the National Assembly. Among other
things, she took the opportunity to reprimand the BNP leadership
for writing letters to her complaining about various issues. She
also referred to the petition by the Youth League. The Deputy
Prime Minister who is also Leader of the House, Lesao Lehohla,
moved a motion condemning the "BNP elements" responsible for the
petition to the Speaker. The motion also referred the matter to
the Committee on Privileges whose majority comprises of members
of the LCD. End note.


3. (SBU) Although the committee's recommendations have not been
made public, reliable sources indicate that on May 18, 2006, the
Committee on Privileges recommended that the BNP leader be
suspended from Parliament for ten (10) months, and the other
senior party members (including the Secretary General, Treasurer
and Youth League Chairman) for six (6) months.


4. (SBU) Lekhanya and Matete informed the Ambassador that
neither the BNP Youth League nor party leadership itself
violated any law or any existing code of ethics. Lekhanya
indicated that presenting a petition is a democratic right. He
warned that the Speaker's unilateral action set a dangerous
precedent that desecrates the independence and integrity of
political parties. General Lekhanya observed that the new
multi-party dispensation in the National Assembly in still in
its infancy, and needs to be nurtured. He added that his party
is largely responsible for the peace and stability that prevails
in the country today. The BNP leader pointed out that democratic
expression is being sacrificed for political expediency and
hidden agendas and the repercussions of this action may affect
stability of the country and the 2007 national elections.

Ambassador Emphasizes Open Dialogue
-------------- --------------


5. (SBU) In response, the Ambassador, urged Lekhanya to seek
dialogue with the Speaker or with the Leader of the House, who
is also Deputy Prime Minister and Deputy Leader of the LCD. She

MASERU 00000260 002.2 OF 002


emphasized that exchange of letters is good for the record but a
face-to-face meeting with the Speaker would be more important
and fruitful. Matete informed the Ambassador that the BNP's
numerous requests to meet the Speaker or the LCD leadership have
fallen on deaf ears hence, the need for the intervention of the
Ambassador. The Ambassador stressed that a crucial step is being
omitted by not giving dialogue a chance. She promised to
consult with her colleagues in order to facilitate dialogue and
provide pre-electoral traning. The Ambassador, the UN Resident
Representative and the Irish Ambassador jointly counseled the
opposition to seek a democratic, negotiated solution and also
requested the GOL to seek same. (reftel)

Parliamentary Response
--------------


6. (SBU) On May 31 2006, The National Assembly, after several
days of debating whether to adopt or reject the recommendations
of the Committee on Privileges, decided to suspend the BNP
leadership. Before the National Assembly took a decision, the
Leader of the House, Lesao Lehohla, who is Deputy Prime Minister
and Minister of Home Affairs and Public Safety made a statement
urging the House to take a tough stance against the BNP
leadership. In his statement, Lehohla indicated that they had
been getting information from outside the country "accusing "
them of expelling Members from the House. (Comment: The Donor
community's request was not for specific action, but to obtain
the GOL's view point since only the opposition's had been
brought to their attention. The Deputy Prime Minster was
specifically advised by donors that the international community
was not there to intervene in internal affairs, but to stress
the necessity for dialogue and the democractic process as well
as to ensure an atmosphere in which donors could function. He
added that this was far from the truth. Lehohla also pointed
out that the local diplomatic community questioned him about
Members of Parliament who said they were due to be expelled and
he asked where they had obtained such information. Donors
indicated members of Parliament had called them. End Comment)
He stressed that " in any case, the Parliament of Lesotho has
the authority and sovereign rights to do as it pleases", and he
was not the one to stop it. The leader of the BNP was suspended
for ten (10) months without pay. The other senior members
including Secretary General, Treasurer, Youth League Chairman
and Party Second Whip, were suspended for six (6) months without
pay.


7. (SBU) Comment: The suspension of senior members of the BNP
from Parliament for up to ten (10) months, may be counter
productive due to the possibility that the party may choose to
withdraw all its members from the National Assembly. As the
largest opposition party and a potential alternative to the
incumbent government, this may have adverse effects of the
stability of the country ahead of the national elections, which
are scheduled to take place in May 2007. To some observers, this
is merely a strategy by the ruling party to divide and weaken
the biggest opposition party ahead of the elections. At the same
time, it appears the BNP misrepresented its case to the Speaker
suggesting donors supported their case - a completely false
charge which was refuted by the UN Resident Representative in
her June 01 exchange with the Speaker. Clarification of the
parliamentary discussion is expected in the near future. Donors
(and government) have agreed that further education of all
political parties is essential over the coming months. The
Prime Minister has requested such assistance for the country.
PERRY