Basotho an Amalgam of Many Nationalities

The Basotho, themselves an amalgam of many nationalities, have taken their  Founder Moshoeshoe I's exhortation to heart, carrying forward his policy of hospitality to people driven away from from their own  countries by forces beyond their control.

Speaking at the fourth commemoration of World Refugee Day in Maseru on June 18, the Minister of Justice and Human Rights, Mr. Refiloe Masemene said even after his own grandfather had been killed and eaten by a cannibal tribe, Moshoeshoe I had still asked that they not be discriminated against, but be enfolded in a hospitality that nourished and nurtured them.

Hon. Refiloe Masemene 

Noting that most of the refugees were from African countries, the Minister said the Southern African Development Community (SADC) was involved in efforts to resolve the problems that had caused the refugee problem in the first place. Peace talks were on going in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and countries in that region in an effort to bring about a solution and eventual repatriation of refugees.

In Lesotho, the fact that the refugee community is not segregated but lives among locals should teach them that on their return to their own countries, they should accept that people can live in diversity but still be united.

The refugee community should be commended for not involving themselves in acts of crime, Mr. Masemene said. "As Minister of Justice, I can attest to that," he said.

On behalf of the refugee community in Lesotho, Mr. Michael Laku, a Southern Sudanese, said commemoration of the day has helped enlighten the public of the various problems faced by refugees and also made people join hands in fighting for global peace.

The Lesotho government's policy of integrating refugees into society as opposed to placing them in camps has made their acceptance by the public much smoother, offering them a chance to play a role in the nation building process, giving them hobs they qualified for without showing any bias.

"Some members of our community have also been admitted to higher institutions of learning in the country, where they pay similar rates as locals. ..We strongly believe that education is a key to end violence, corruption and chaos in most parts of the continent. The government of Lesotho has an educational burden of its own and we thank them for what they have done for us in this regard," he said

Mr. Michael Laku, from Sudan, represented the refugee community

Mr. Laku said the refugee community recognises that the Great Lakes Region; the DRC, the Sudan and; Northern Uganda to mention but a few, have seen peace come close to being accomplished but then also watched it vanish into the abyss of war. They therefore appeal to the government of Lesotho, the United Nations, members of the diplomatic corps and NGOs to exert more effort in ensure lasting peace on the continent.

Lesotho is host to some 48 refugees from such countries as the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Uganda, Sudan, Eritrea, Burundi and Zimbabwe.

This year's commemoration comes a month after five members of the refugee community, part of  group of some 30 people of different nationalities, were accepted as new citizens of Lesotho. Another 24 people were accepted as temporally  registered residents.

Welcoming them into their new status, the Minister of Home Affairs, Mr. Motsoahae Thabane warned them that acceptance of citizenship had obligations, including full participation in local activities, such as attending national gatherings, and respect for national holidays.

The 54 were formerly residents of Bangladesh, Britain, China, the Congo, Ghana, India, Malawi, Mozambique, Myanmar Nigeria, Pakistan, Portugal, Russia, South Africa, Sudan, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. 

21 June 2004