THE INTERMINISTERIAL COMMITTEE DISCUSS STATE OF REFUGEES IN LESOTHO
	The Principal Secretary for the Ministry of Home Affairs Mr. Tebello Metsing says ever since the demise of apartheid which was the main cause of the refugee problem in the sub-region, Lesotho is experiencing a significantly reduced refugee influx. Officially opening a two day workshop for the Interministerial Committee, in the Ministry of Home Affairs on behalf of the Minister at the Maseru Sun on Tuesday, Mr Metsing further showed that despite this, the Government of Lesotho remains fully committed to the 1951 UN Convention as well as to other regional conventions on the protection of refugees to which Lesotho is party. He said the 1951 UN Convention is today facing challenges which were not fully foreseen when the Convention came into force fifty years ago such as Xenophobia, International terrorism, the emergence of "Economic Refugees" and the increasing sophistication of criminals, some of whom pose as refugees to achieve their criminal ends. He also said that however the International Community must demonstrate its determination not to succumb to the temptation of using xenophobia or any other excuse as a pretext for denying asylum to those who deserve, but rather join hands with all stakeholders to frustrate those who seek to abuse asylum to achieve criminal objectives. The main purpose of the workshop was to provide necessary skills to the Interministerial Committee that determines Refugee status in Lesotho and to build a common understanding on issues related to the protection of refugees as enshrined in the 1951 UN Convention on the status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol, the 1969 OAU Convention governing the Specific Refugee problems in Africa as well as the 1983 Lesotho Refugee Act.
	SOURCE LESOTHO NEWS AGENCY(LENA)