Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07MASERU630
2007-12-12 18:22:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Maseru
Cable title:
LESOTHO: OPPOSITION CALLS OFF LIGHTLY OBSERVED GENERAL
how-toVZCZCXRO0153 PP RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHJO RUEHRN DE RUEHMR #0630 3461822 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 121822Z DEC 07 FM AMEMBASSY MASERU TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3477 INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE RUEHMR/AMEMBASSY MASERU 3878
UNCLAS MASERU 000630
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT ALSO FOR AF/S, AF/RSA;
GABARONE FOR RSO
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL ASEC LT
SUBJECT: LESOTHO: OPPOSITION CALLS OFF LIGHTLY OBSERVED GENERAL
STRIKE
REF: MASERU 628
UNCLAS MASERU 000630
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT ALSO FOR AF/S, AF/RSA;
GABARONE FOR RSO
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL ASEC LT
SUBJECT: LESOTHO: OPPOSITION CALLS OFF LIGHTLY OBSERVED GENERAL
STRIKE
REF: MASERU 628
1. On December 12, the second day of an opposition-led general
strike (reftel),Lesotho's five major opposition parties held a
press conference to announce the suspension of the "stay-away"
and launch further complaints against the Government of Lesotho.
All Basotho Convention Leader Thomas Thabane spoke for the five
major opposition political parties at the event at which he
denounced the GOL's removal from the airwaves of "People's
Choice" FM, an independent radio station, during the strike. He
named certain local retailers and taxi companies who he claimed
violated the strike and called for boycott of their services.
Thabane also stated that the general strike would resume in
January, and that further unspecified "mass actions" would take
place at that time.
2. COMMENT: Meanwhile, normalcy returned to Maseru's bustling
streets on December 12. Despite the fact that the opposition
"stay-away" remained in effect, commerce largely resumed. The
opposition strike, designed to demonstrate the opposition's
political muscle, disrupted public transportation over the
course of two days -- but was largely a bust. END COMMENT.
MURPHY
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT ALSO FOR AF/S, AF/RSA;
GABARONE FOR RSO
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL ASEC LT
SUBJECT: LESOTHO: OPPOSITION CALLS OFF LIGHTLY OBSERVED GENERAL
STRIKE
REF: MASERU 628
1. On December 12, the second day of an opposition-led general
strike (reftel),Lesotho's five major opposition parties held a
press conference to announce the suspension of the "stay-away"
and launch further complaints against the Government of Lesotho.
All Basotho Convention Leader Thomas Thabane spoke for the five
major opposition political parties at the event at which he
denounced the GOL's removal from the airwaves of "People's
Choice" FM, an independent radio station, during the strike. He
named certain local retailers and taxi companies who he claimed
violated the strike and called for boycott of their services.
Thabane also stated that the general strike would resume in
January, and that further unspecified "mass actions" would take
place at that time.
2. COMMENT: Meanwhile, normalcy returned to Maseru's bustling
streets on December 12. Despite the fact that the opposition
"stay-away" remained in effect, commerce largely resumed. The
opposition strike, designed to demonstrate the opposition's
political muscle, disrupted public transportation over the
course of two days -- but was largely a bust. END COMMENT.
MURPHY