Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07MASERU597
2007-11-05 22:03:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Maseru
Cable title:
LESOTHO: FRUSTRATED OPPOSITION RALLIES
how-toVZCZCXRO8419 OO RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHJO RUEHRN DE RUEHMR #0597/01 3092203 ZNR UUUUU ZZH O 052203Z NOV 07 FM AMEMBASSY MASERU TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3435 INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE RUEHMR/AMEMBASSY MASERU 3836
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MASERU 000597
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT ALSO FOR AF/S; GABORONE FOR RSO;
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM ASEC LT
SUBJECT: LESOTHO: FRUSTRATED OPPOSITION RALLIES
REF: A) MASERU 577; B) MASERU 500
MASERU 00000597 001.2 OF 002
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MASERU 000597
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT ALSO FOR AF/S; GABORONE FOR RSO;
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM ASEC LT
SUBJECT: LESOTHO: FRUSTRATED OPPOSITION RALLIES
REF: A) MASERU 577; B) MASERU 500
MASERU 00000597 001.2 OF 002
1. (SBU) SUMMARY: On November 4, Lesotho's largest opposition
political party, the All Basotho Convention (ABC),led an
opposition rally in Maseru at which ABC leader (and former GOL
minister) Thomas Thabane highlighted growing frustration with a
SADC-led mediation process aimed at resolving a post-election
impasse over the allocation of parliamentary seats. While the
primary tone of the peaceful ABC rally, which drew several
thousand supporters, was one of impatience with the dialogue
process, recent comments from Prime Minister Mosisili reflect
that the GOL does not view mediation as leading to any changes
to the allocation of seats. The impasse, therefore, is likely
to linger for the foreseeable future. END SUMMARY.
--------------
ABC Rallies
--------------
2. (U) Lesotho's opposition political parties, led by the All
Basotho Convention (ABC),held a rally on November 4 in part to
mark the first anniversary of the All Basotho Convention (ABC)
as a political party. Although several thousand party members
and supporters participated, attendance appeared lower than
previous rallies. The peaceful event featured ABC Leader Thomas
Thabane among other speakers and traditional musicians.
3. (U) During his keynote speech, Thabane expressed frustration
with stalled SADC mediation efforts in Lesotho, stating that
SADC had become a club of leaders devoted to keeping each other
in power. (Note: SADC, led by former Botswana President Masire,
has engaged in a dialogue process in Lesotho aimed at resolving
a protracted dispute over the allocation of seats following the
country's February 2007 national election. The dialogue has
been on hold for several months, pending resolution of a related
court case initially filed by an opposition party. End Note.)
4. (U) At the rally, Thabane also derided recent maneuvers by
the Maseru City Council to remove street venders from urban
roadsides; lambasted the Lesotho Defense Force for its role in
"abductions" during a curfew in June; alleged that the
diplomatic community supported the GOL despite human rights
concerns raised by the opposition; and ridiculed unnamed members
of his own party for attempting to sow dissent from within.
--------------
"If it Ain't Broke..."
--------------
5. (U) At a ceremony on October 29 to mark the opening of
construction on Lesotho's new Chinese-financed Parliament
building, Prime Minister Mosisili addressed opposition demands
to reallocate proportional seats in parliament by stating that
Lesotho's mixed member proportional (MMP) system is a well
respected model that has served the country well since first
implemented in 2002. "If it ain't broke, don't fix it", said
Mosisili, intimating that the GOL had no intention of
negotiating changes to either the model or to results of the
2007 election, which returned the governing LCD party to power.
--------------
Where Will the Frustrations Lead?
--------------
6. (SBU) COMMENT: Opposition leaders, including the ABC's
Thabane, told several members of the diplomatic corps on
November 2 that the political opposition accepts the LCD's
election victory and recognizes the governing party's leader,
Mosisili, as Lesotho's legitimate Prime Minister. The
opposition, however, refuses to accept the allocation of
MASERU 00000597 002.2 OF 002
parliamentary seats, accusing the GOL of manipulating the MMP
model with a dubious party alliance. The dialogue process, even
if it resumes, will pit a GOL unwilling to compromise on
election results against an opposition, which also formed a
similar alliance for the election, dissatisfied with anything
short of a revision of seat allocation. In true Lesotho
political tradition, the impasse, therefore, is likely to linger
for the foreseeable future. END COMMENT.
NOLAN
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT ALSO FOR AF/S; GABORONE FOR RSO;
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM ASEC LT
SUBJECT: LESOTHO: FRUSTRATED OPPOSITION RALLIES
REF: A) MASERU 577; B) MASERU 500
MASERU 00000597 001.2 OF 002
1. (SBU) SUMMARY: On November 4, Lesotho's largest opposition
political party, the All Basotho Convention (ABC),led an
opposition rally in Maseru at which ABC leader (and former GOL
minister) Thomas Thabane highlighted growing frustration with a
SADC-led mediation process aimed at resolving a post-election
impasse over the allocation of parliamentary seats. While the
primary tone of the peaceful ABC rally, which drew several
thousand supporters, was one of impatience with the dialogue
process, recent comments from Prime Minister Mosisili reflect
that the GOL does not view mediation as leading to any changes
to the allocation of seats. The impasse, therefore, is likely
to linger for the foreseeable future. END SUMMARY.
--------------
ABC Rallies
--------------
2. (U) Lesotho's opposition political parties, led by the All
Basotho Convention (ABC),held a rally on November 4 in part to
mark the first anniversary of the All Basotho Convention (ABC)
as a political party. Although several thousand party members
and supporters participated, attendance appeared lower than
previous rallies. The peaceful event featured ABC Leader Thomas
Thabane among other speakers and traditional musicians.
3. (U) During his keynote speech, Thabane expressed frustration
with stalled SADC mediation efforts in Lesotho, stating that
SADC had become a club of leaders devoted to keeping each other
in power. (Note: SADC, led by former Botswana President Masire,
has engaged in a dialogue process in Lesotho aimed at resolving
a protracted dispute over the allocation of seats following the
country's February 2007 national election. The dialogue has
been on hold for several months, pending resolution of a related
court case initially filed by an opposition party. End Note.)
4. (U) At the rally, Thabane also derided recent maneuvers by
the Maseru City Council to remove street venders from urban
roadsides; lambasted the Lesotho Defense Force for its role in
"abductions" during a curfew in June; alleged that the
diplomatic community supported the GOL despite human rights
concerns raised by the opposition; and ridiculed unnamed members
of his own party for attempting to sow dissent from within.
--------------
"If it Ain't Broke..."
--------------
5. (U) At a ceremony on October 29 to mark the opening of
construction on Lesotho's new Chinese-financed Parliament
building, Prime Minister Mosisili addressed opposition demands
to reallocate proportional seats in parliament by stating that
Lesotho's mixed member proportional (MMP) system is a well
respected model that has served the country well since first
implemented in 2002. "If it ain't broke, don't fix it", said
Mosisili, intimating that the GOL had no intention of
negotiating changes to either the model or to results of the
2007 election, which returned the governing LCD party to power.
--------------
Where Will the Frustrations Lead?
--------------
6. (SBU) COMMENT: Opposition leaders, including the ABC's
Thabane, told several members of the diplomatic corps on
November 2 that the political opposition accepts the LCD's
election victory and recognizes the governing party's leader,
Mosisili, as Lesotho's legitimate Prime Minister. The
opposition, however, refuses to accept the allocation of
MASERU 00000597 002.2 OF 002
parliamentary seats, accusing the GOL of manipulating the MMP
model with a dubious party alliance. The dialogue process, even
if it resumes, will pit a GOL unwilling to compromise on
election results against an opposition, which also formed a
similar alliance for the election, dissatisfied with anything
short of a revision of seat allocation. In true Lesotho
political tradition, the impasse, therefore, is likely to linger
for the foreseeable future. END COMMENT.
NOLAN