LESOTHO: GOL APPEALS FOR HELP IN DEALING WITH OPPOSITION

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MASERU 000401

SIPDIS

NOFORN
SIPDIS

DEPT ALSO FOR AF/S

E.O. 12958: DECL: 7/9/2017
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM LT
SUBJECT: LESOTHO: GOL APPEALS FOR HELP IN DEALING WITH OPPOSITION

REF: A) MASERU 389 AND PREVIOUS; B) MASERU 367

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

1. (C) SUMMARY: At a briefing for resident chiefs of mission on
July 6, Foreign Minister Tsekoa reiterated his desire that the
international community support the "government of the day" and
desist from taking a neutral stance toward the political impasse
between the GOL and the political opposition. Tsekoa called on
diplomats to "whisper into the ears" of "those (in the
opposition) who would disrupt Lesotho's democracy." Minister of
Communications Metsing belittled Lesotho's opposition in
response to a suggestion the GOL should not dismiss public
complaints of human rights abuses. The desire of senior
technocrats to move beyond the impasse and return to the
pressing business of governance and development evokes sympathy,
but hardliners within the cabinet who seem accepting of
confrontation at the expense of dialogue suggest that Lesotho's
unease will persist for the foreseeable future. END SUMMARY.

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Foreign Minister's Briefing
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2. (SBU) During a July 6 briefing by Foreign Minister Tsekoa for
Maseru's resident diplomatic corps, also attended by Minister in
the Prime Minister's Office Phooko and Minister of
Communications, Science, and Technology Metsing, Tsekoa touched
on three topics: 1) the recent AU Summit; 2) the GOL's
relationship with the diplomatic corps, and 3) the current
security situation in Lesotho. Chiefs of Mission from the
Irish, EC, South African, U.S. (Charge plus poloff note taker),
Chinese, Libyan, and UN missions attended.


3. (C) In regard to the AU Summit in Ghana, at which Tsekoa
joined PM Mosisili in attending, the Foreign Minister noted the
divide between nations pushing for immediate political
integration and those, like Lesotho, who foresee a United States
of Africa "maybe in our grandchildren's time." He noted that
the AU supports the strengthening of regional unions such as
SADC, and that a ministerial executive council will present its
finding on possible benchmarks for further integration at the
next Summit in January 2008.

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You Are Not Neutral, And Should Whisper
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4. (C) Minister Tsekoa, noting that the resident diplomatic
missions are "physical representatives of international
cooperation" with Lesotho, once again stated his dismay that
foreign diplomats in Lesotho could consider themselves neutral
(ref B) in the face of an opposition which "attempted to remove
this government by coup." He observed disapprovingly the
dialogue which several foreign missions maintained with the
political opposition, stating that such contact should be
instead aimed at the "government that was elected freely and
fairly." He asked, however, that the assembled heads of mission
"whisper in the ears of those (the opposition) who would disrupt
stability." Tsekoa added that it is the duty of diplomatic
representatives to dissuade those who want "to go down the path
of destruction."


5. (C) Irish Ambassador Fay, acting dean of the diplomatic
corps, responded that resident diplomats were committed to
working with the GOL and to achieving peace in Lesotho. He
reiterated previous views (ref B),however, that the
international community would remain neutral vis-a-vis the
impasse between the governing LCD and other political parties as
well as on other partisan issues. Resident UN Representative
Haji-Mohammed added that no path exists for the international
community's development work in Lesotho that did not involve the
GOL.


6. (C) Commenting on the current security situation, Minister
Phooko noted that a July 5 opposition march, which the GOL had
initially signaled to diplomats its intent to prevent, was "well
controlled by both sides" (police and opposition). Charge
opined that the fact the march and protest took place, and
peacefully, helped to strengthen Lesotho's democracy and was at
least a partial result of the diplomatic community's dialogue
with the GOL and with the opposition to head off a
confrontation. Phooko and Tsekoa concurred.

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The Hard Line Minister
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7. (C) In contrast to Minister Tsekoa's measured and
conciliatory tone, Minister Metsing maintained a hard line,
painting Lesotho's opposition as implacable, deceptive, and
violent. Charge noted that, while the diplomatic community
would continue to "whisper suggestions" for peaceful dialogue

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into opposition ears, the GOL should also listen and ensure that
public complaints of human rights abuses are not dismissed, but
rather taken seriously and addressed. Minister Metsing
responded by insisting that Lesotho's opposition was consciously
spreading disinformation about the GOL and was aiding and
abetting coup plotters. After citing the behavior of opposition
groups, he categorically dismissed opposition grievances, asking
the rhetorical question, "What kind of opposition do we have in
this country?"

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"They'll Lose Me"
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8. (C/NF) At the Embassy's Independence Day reception on July 4,
Minister of Finance and Development Planning Timothy Thahane,
one of the GOL's most respected figures, expressed appreciation
to Charge for remarks that called for dialogue and adherence to
the rule of law by all elected representatives, regardless of
ideology or party affiliation. Thahane said that unless the
GOL, and especially hardliners such as Minister of Local
Government Sekoane, deals with human rights issues, "They'll
lose me and others like me." On July 7, All Basotho Convention
(ABC) party leader Thomas Thabane called Charge to express
concerns over the military's efforts to surround a police
station and seize five men implicated in coup plotting and
ordered released by Lesotho's High Court (septel). Charge
advised Thabane, who said he had not spoken with security
officials, to dialogue directly with the GOL in order to express
his concerns and ensure that the security situation does not
deteriorate.

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Divides
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9. (C) COMMENT: The GOL would clearly like to see the political
opposition go quietly, and quickly, into the night. Frustrated
by recent attacks and alleged plots against the government, the
GOL is equally flummoxed by ABC Tom Thabane and his ability to
mobilize broad urban support for mass action and protests. The
desire of senior technocrats, like FM Tsekoa, to move beyond the
impasse and return to the pressing business of governance and
development evokes sympathy, but hardliners within the cabinet
who seem accepting of confrontation at the expense of dialogue
and compromise suggest that Lesotho's unease will persist for
the foreseeable future. END COMMENT.
MURPHY