Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07MASERU355
2007-06-18 17:28:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Maseru
Cable title:  

LESOTHO: DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER CLAIMS ATTACKS ARE COUP

Tags:  ASEC PINS PREL PGOV LT 
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DE RUEHMR #0355/01 1691728
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O 181728Z JUN 07
FM AMEMBASSY MASERU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3063
INFO RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE
RUEHMR/AMEMBASSY MASERU 3435
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MASERU 000355 

SIPDIS

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DEPT FOR AF/S, AF/EX, DS/IP/AF, CA; GABORONE FOR RSO

E.O. 12958: DECL: 6/18/2017
TAGS: ASEC PINS PREL PGOV LT
SUBJECT: LESOTHO: DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER CLAIMS ATTACKS ARE COUP
ATTEMPT

REF: A) MASERU 351; B) MASERU 340 AND PREVIOUS

MASERU 00000355 001.2 OF 002


CLASSIFIED BY: Charge d'Affaires a.i. W. Patrick Murphy, CDA
a.i., EXEC, DOS.
REASON: 1.4 (b),(d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MASERU 000355

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR AF/S, AF/EX, DS/IP/AF, CA; GABORONE FOR RSO

E.O. 12958: DECL: 6/18/2017
TAGS: ASEC PINS PREL PGOV LT
SUBJECT: LESOTHO: DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER CLAIMS ATTACKS ARE COUP
ATTEMPT

REF: A) MASERU 351; B) MASERU 340 AND PREVIOUS

MASERU 00000355 001.2 OF 002


CLASSIFIED BY: Charge d'Affaires a.i. W. Patrick Murphy, CDA
a.i., EXEC, DOS.
REASON: 1.4 (b),(d)

1. (C) Summary: Lesotho's Deputy Prime Minister, in a June 18
briefing for chiefs of diplomatic missions, said that the
violent security environment in the capital city of Maseru,
which deteriorated further following implementation of a daily
curfew on June 15, had taken on "political undertones, involving
individuals who have infiltrated our establishment and who want
to overthrow the government." He said the GOL had made several
arrests of military and police personnel, stating that members
of the Lesotho Defense Forces (LDF) are behind the string of
attacks and are attempting to "raise their own army" to do more
harm. End Summary.



2. (U) At the request of chiefs of diplomatic missions in
Lesotho, Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) Archibald Lesao Lehohla met
on June 18 with the diplomatic corps to discuss the GOL's
ongoing curfew and deteriorating security climate. Foreign
Minister Tsekoa and Minister to the Prime Minister's Office
Phooko joined the DPM. The Ambassadors of Ireland (acting Dean)
and the European Commission, the UN Resident Coordinator (UNRC),
and Charges from the U.S., Chinese, South African, and Libyan
embassies participated in the session, which lasted an hour and
a half.



3. (SBU) DPM Lesao, who also serves as Minister of Home Affairs,
said that the original rationale for the daily 6:00 a.m.-6:00
p.m. curfew, which security officials imposed on the evening of
Friday June 15, was to apprehend the "faceless criminals" who
had attacked the residences and vehicles of GOL ministers June
10 and 14 and to seize automatic rifles stolen from Lesotho
Defense Forces (LDF) guards by the armed assailants (refs A and
B). The DPM, who said the assailants has warned the LDF guards
that they intended to "murder the ministers," said the GOL had
initially expected to recover the weapons and lift the curfew

within "two or three days."



4. (SBU) The DPM said that the security situation deteriorated
significantly over the weekend of June 16-17. During the middle
of the night on June 17, a senior police inspector responded to
a report of LDF and Lesotho Mounted Police (LMP) personnel
"misbehaving at an unapproved security checkpoint" in southern
Maseru. An LDF soldier, realizing that the police inspector
recognized the soldiers, shot and seriously wounded the police
official and seized his vehicle. Also on June 17, GOL security
units in northern Maseru engaged in "heavy gunfire with armed
bandits," resulting in the seizure of seven LDF automatic rifles
and numerous official security vehicles (Note: Armed and
uniformed assailants carjacked a U.S. Mission vehicle in this
neighborhood the same evening; see septel. End Note).



5. (C) The DPM said that as a result of the latest attacks, and
a "new dimension" of unauthorized checkpoints manned by renegade
security units, the situation had taken on "political
undertones, involving individuals who have infiltrated our
establishment and who want to overthrow the government." He
said the GOL had made several arrests of military personnel,
stating that members of the LDF are behind the string of attacks
and are attempting to "raise their own army" to do more harm.
"We don't know if we are mopping up a mess," he added, "or
preparing for a big war yet to come."



6. (U) In addition to the carjacking of a U.S. mission vehicle
raised by Charge, other diplomats reported the assault of local
employees and drivers at checkpoints, harassment of diplomats on
the first night of the curfew, and reports of nighttime gunfire
throughout the weekend of June 16-17.



7. (C) Minister Phooko, responding to inquires from the
diplomats about permits for circulating during curfew hours,
said that the GOL did not want to expose any residents,
including diplomats, to the security threats. "We appeal for
your restraint," he said. Charge pressed for GOL accommodation
and/or assistance in the event of medical or security
emergencies, and the UNRC reminded the ministers of the GOL's
responsibility for the security of diplomatic personnel and
property. The DPM gave assurances of GOL protection, and FM
Tsekoa said he would endeavor to establish a call center for

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diplomatic missions requiring assistance during curfew hours.
(Note: The FM committed to providing information on the call
center and written notification of the curfew to missions on
June 18; post had received nothing by COB. End Note).



8. (C) The EC Ambassador criticized the DPM for not mentioning

MASERU 00000355 002.2 OF 002


the June 14 violent attack on the residence of leading
opposition figure Tom Thabane, and offered that if GOL forces
"overreach" in imposing the curfew, it will lead to a negative
reaction among the general public. The UNRC added that Thabane
had approached her about the attack on his residence, and she
requested that the GOL be responsive to him. The DPM, who
initially said he hadn't heard about the attack on Thabane but
subsequently acknowledged an ongoing police investigation,
replied that the attack "doesn't make any sense. We (GOL) are a
target for weapons; does this mean Thabane also has weapons?"



9. (C) The EC Ambassador also pressed for a legal basis for the
curfew, to which the DPM replied that Lesotho's "Internal
Security Act" defined the ability of the Police Commissioner to
declare and enforce a curfew. Charge raised rumors that the GOL
had declared a "State of Emergency." (Note: According to
Embassy sources, the curfew was an outcome of an emergency GOL
cabinet meeting on June 15. End Note.) The DPM, who said he
planned to make a public announcement later in the day on the
security deterioration and the involvement of renegade military
and security personnel, denied the rumors, pointing out that
such a declaration would require the action of the Government
Council and the approval of the King. He added, however, that
the situation in Lesotho is "very abnormal" as the GOL is facing
a serious threat from a "well orchestrated effort" to disarm the
LDF. "Our temptation is to shoot," he concluded, "but
curiously, it is the other side that is shooting at us."


Comment: A New Challenge



10. (C) Although the GOL has faced high profile armed attacks
and assassination attempts (several successful) against senior
officials and political figures over the past two years, the
recent spate of brazen assaults and disarming of police and
military personnel has clearly flummoxed authorities. The
Deputy Prime Minister offered no identity or political motives
of the alleged coup plotters, and it is noteworthy that the DPM
has had difficult relations in the past with senior military and
police officials. His curious comments on ABC leader Thabane
give some credence to local speculation that the GOL also
believes the political opposition is involved with the attacks
on GOL personnel. At the same briefing offered by the DPM on
security, the FM gave the diplomats a readout on the recent
visit of SADC envoy former Botswana President Masire and his
efforts to mediate between the GOL and the opposition (septel).
That the ministers would brief on both the alleged coup plotting
and the mediation efforts further suggests that the GOL sees a
connection between the country's post-election political impasse
and recent violence. End Comment.
MURPHY