Sparks fly over troop deployment to DRC
MASERU — Lesotho’s opposition leaders are livid that Prime Minister Thomas Thabane last month pledged to send troops to war-torn Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) without first consulting parliament.
The opposition leaders said sending troops to the DRC is an unnecessary and expensive exercise at a time when Lesotho has declared a state of famine and asked the international community to help.
They added that spending tax-payers’ monies in helping settle a dispute in DRC should not be the coalition government’s priority because 700 000 Basotho are staring starvation in the face after a poor harvest last farming season.
Thabane should have sought parliament’s approval before pledging to send troops to the DRC, they added.
Thabane pledged to contribute troops for the peace-keeping mission during an extra-ordinary Southern African Development Community (Sadc) summit held in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania, in mid-December.
Army spokesperson, Captain Ntlele Ntoi, last month confirmed that a standby company comprising about 150 soldiers was ready for an assignment.
The Sadc Heads of State Extra-Ordinary Summit pledged 4 000 troops for a neutral force to be deployed in eastern Congo, where M23 rebels have waged a bloody nine-month-long rebellion against the government of President Joseph Kabila.
But there is confusion as to how the peace-keeping troops will be funded. Ntoi said both Sadc and the United Nations had all been consulted with the aim of soliciting funding for the troops.
But Tanzania’s president, Jakaya Kikwete, told regional media that the troop deployment will be conditional on member states “coming up with both the troops and funding”.
This paper could not independently establish how much Lesotho will have to contribute to fund the deployment of the troops in the DRC.
In an interview with the Lesotho Times on Wednesday, Thabane said Lesotho’s contribution to restoring peace in DRC is not confined to sending troops although armed intervention could not be totally counted out as the LDF is part of the Sadc standby force.
Thabane said “we as Lesotho have joined the Sadc military force and keeping peace includes sending an army”.
“We are not keeping this as a secret.
“The troops are being prepared. If we decide to contribute to the peace-keeping mission by sending troops, we are not sending them there like sheep that are going to be slaughtered,” Thabane said.
“If Sadc says it needs military contribution to a peace-keeping mission anywhere in the region, we shall jump and contribute,” he said.
“We are not attacking any country.
“When Sadc says contribute, we will do so with our soldiers and of course with other means.”
But Basotho Congress Party leader and MP, Thulo Mahlakeng, said although the Sadc summit was held during the parliamentary recession it would have been wise for Thabane to call a special sitting of the August House to specifically debate the issue.
“I understand that parliament was in recession but it would not be wrong to convene parliament just to debate this issue,” Mahlakeng said, adding that he only learnt of the government’s pledge to send troops to DRC through the press.
“Who will pay for the costs associated with sending troops to a foreign country?” he said.
“There is no country whose leadership is sound that will volunteer to fund our sending troops to another country; we will have to finance the exercise ourselves.”
Mahlakeng said it is odd that Lesotho is sending troops to the DRC a few months after it declared a state of emergency over the food security Mahlakeng said it is odd that Lesotho is sending troops to the DRC a few months after it declared a state of emergency over the food security situation.
“Surely, Lesotho cannot afford to send troops to the DRC.
“Our parliament should have been given a chance to debate this issue,” he said.
Basotho Democratic National Party deputy leader, Pelele Letsoela, said it was a pity that parliament had been rendered powerless to decide on critical international affairs.
Letsoela said there is no law binding the executive to consult parliament before deciding on whatever the international community is discussing or is concerned about.
“The government is under no legal obligation to consult us,” he said.
Letsoela said the executive has for years made it a tradition to make decisions binding the nation without engaging the people through their representatives in parliament.
“The executive always assumes that by virtue of having the majority of seats in parliament it has the people’s mandate in whatever it does,” Letsoela said.
He said it is high time that the parliament enacts a law that will bind the executive to seek mandate from the people through parliament before signing any international convention or protocol.
Lesotho Workers Party leader, Macaefa Billy, however offered a different opinion.
Billy said there is nothing wrong with the government deciding to send troops to DRC without informing or consulting parliament because “at this stage Sadc has no other option but to rush to DRC’s aid”.
Billy said the UN peace-keeping mission has disappointed the Africans by standing aside while the rebels massacred people in various parts of the continent and “it is up to us as the African Union and Sadc to ensure the safety of our people”.
“I understand that sending troops to DRC is urgent,” he said.
He added: “People should not be left to die at the hands of armed groups while we wait to debate whether we should intervene or not.”
The main opposition Democratic Congress secretary general, Ralechate ’Mokose, said although Lesotho’s army does not work in isolation from other regional militaries it is still wise for Thabane to address parliament about the issue.
“By virtue of being a member of the regional body Lesotho has made a commitment to take part in regional activities such as peace-keeping,” ’Mokose said.
“Where there is instability in the region Lesotho is expected to contribute to the regional efforts to restore peace because Lesotho is not an island, it works in partnership with other countries in Sadc,” he said.
“However, I understand that the relevant ministry will address parliament about this big issue.”
Comment by Sampo on 4 January 2013:
Le batla hore parliament e lule le tsebe ho qatha li-allowance akere? Lea pota, o nepile Thabane. Ha tsamaee masole a ee moo, khale ba re noesa habohloko libareng mona ka liphaka tsena tsa bona tse hlohlonang!
Comment by Linotsi on 4 January 2013:
Lesotho will have to pay their salaries, ad most likely contribute to some up-keep, but my experience is that African Peace Keepers are poorly paid, even within UN Peace keeping functions as their ‘battle pay’ is at the discretion of their home country, not a base which all countries share. I believe what is more worrying is that our soldiers have no experience with jungle war fare and fighting such groups as exist in the DRC; then again, what good are they at home? Maybe we should disband the military all together if we are so concerned about some famine (again, this is a WFP famine; has anyone ever seen anyone starve to death in Lesotho? 700, 000 people? I think not).
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Comment by Ponts'o on 4 January 2013:
Hana ha Mccd a lata masole a Sadcc ho tla hlasela Lesotho o ne a bolelle
paramente. Ka nnete ho buoa ha ho babe.
Comment by Khomo ea Molatelle on 4 January 2013:
Litaba tsa sechaba li tsoaneloa ho tsoaroa ka tlhompho e seng ho bakisa.Puso ha e tsoane le party.
Comment by madise on 4 January 2013:
Thulo ke mohanyetsi a hlolehang ho sebedisa kelello ka potlako!
Mr Thabane o tsamaya Aforika yohle ene o tshwanetse ho boloka seriti sa hae le sa naha ka kakaretso!!
Lesotho can’t be known as a begging nation but show some character when opporturnity like this arises.
Comment by man man on 4 January 2013:
Thank you>>>Ponts’o
Comment by Lefefooane on 4 January 2013:
On 22 September 1998 The South African Air Force deployed six Oryx transport helicopters, two Alouette III helicopter gunships, two Alouette III helicopters (in a command role) and a Cessna Caravan. In addition, a Botswana mechanised infantry company joined after a twelve-hour delay. According to the chief of the SANDF, General Siphiwe Nyanda, the operation cost the SANDF more than R24 million over the period 22 September to 2 November 1998. These costs included more than R6,2 million for personnel allowances, R13-million for civilian transportation and R2,7 million for air support services.39 In February 1999, it was revealed that the total expenses of the operation amounted to R36 million40 and that the Lesotho government would have to carry the costs.
Comment by madise on 4 January 2013:
what’s your point @Lefefoane?
Comment by Lefefooane on 4 January 2013:
Chaos reigned in the streets of the Lesotho capital Maseru on Wednesday [23rd September] as thousands of looters swarmed into stores to plunder goods while Southern African Development Community [SADC] troops were occupied elsewhere, attempting to subdue fierce resistance from Lesotho soldiers.
Because of the extent of resistance, SA [South African] National Defence Force [SANDF] troops were ordered on the second day of the military invasion of Lesotho to adopt a more aggressive approach, and to shoot to kill.
Comment by Rapuseletso oa Le-DC on 4 January 2013:
This decision by PM is malascious!!! How does he send bana ba Basotho in a war far frm our horizons? what benefit do we stand to gain from that? Amidst all d poverty he declared, is ds worth d cost? Mali a Basotho a ea halalela…
Comment by Caswell on 4 January 2013:
le pota hojoang ke bana ba bo mang ba ilo shoella lefela leo masaoana. Tsa mo oang koana.
Comment by Caswell on 4 January 2013:
masole a lesotho a tla shoela lesotho e seng DRC eo ea lona. Tsa mo oang koana.
Comment by semenekane on 5 January 2013:
A ka tsamaea Masole e seng a patalloe ka lits’enyehelo tsa rona. Hobaneng united Nation kapa SADC e sa nke boikarabello ba ho patalla lits’enyehelo ho kenyelletsa le metsuntsunyane e betere ea Masole?.
Comment by Oa Quthing on 5 January 2013:
Thank you again Ponts’o. Ba joetse.
Comment by Oa Quthing on 5 January 2013:
@Caswell – Butle, akere masole ke mosebetsi oa bona ebile ba entse likano. Joale o bolelang ha o re ba ilo shoela masaoana? Ke mosebetsi oa bona ho shoela ntoeng regardless of hore na kea Lesotho, SADC kapa eona ntoa ea lefats’e.
Comment by 'muso on 5 January 2013:
butleng hleng akere masole ha lo lwana mpa ho lo namolwa nd if lesotho z part of they hv 2 go thr.sadac z meant 4 peacemakin nt 2 fight plz ska sebelisang polotiki hampe le moo ho sa hlokahaleng ebile le e sebelisa hampe.unless lesotho z nt part of sadac.athe mosebetsi wa masole ke ofeng
Comment by LEO-TY on 5 January 2013:
It is their responsibility to go to DRC to fight . We pay them to either kill or get killed . My only problem is the question of funding , surely it is high time that our leaders sit down to solve this problem of funding .
It is the responsibility of both AU and SADC to fund these conflict resolution missions from right across our continent .
I do not think is necessary to debate the sending out of forces in parliament , surely this is not one of the functions of parliament .
Remember even when Mosisili called in the SADC to mitarily intervene in Lesotho even The King complained that he was not informed of the desicion in advance .
Comment by Lekhoakhoa on 5 January 2013:
@ LEO-TY I am not sure I understand you point “I do not think is necessary to debate the sending out of forces in parliament , surely this is not one of the functions of parliament .” What do you think the function of parliament is then? Do you think they go there just to warm up the benches? I do not see how the Prime Minister can decide on sending our military personnel to foreign countries without consulting parliament first! In a democratic country surely he must consult first. We do not pay them to go and fight unnecessary war, which has been ongoing for years, why do you think the Super Powers are not interfering? The only good thing is that if they come back in body bags then we can hold the prime minister responsible and boot him out come next elections.
Comment by Mabina-bina on 6 January 2013:
Masole ha a tsamaee hle aeo disciplina marabele ano, abe le botho, hao ba sheba ke bana ba banyane bao e kang ba nkiloe strateng. Ba hloka thuso hle. Eeang lona masole a rona, molimo otla le tsireletsa
Comment by LERATO on 6 January 2013:
Ke ipotsa feela hore potsanyane e Lesotho e nahana hore li naha tse liphaka tsona ha li kene litabeng tsena hobaneng! Ha u bitsa mabotho a tsoang from big countries ho tla namola ka ho nanyetsa, u tla rerisa parliament joang. Empa for peace keeping ea DRC that’s being planned/decided by a body like AU &/or SADC, parliament e ka ‘tsebisoa’ ha mohlomphehi joale a se a pledgile koana moo a tsoang teng.
As for funding, I wonder who should be responsible! I wish AU and SADC take financial responsibility, while the soldiers’ salaries are paid to families back home.
Comment by Lekhoakhoa on 6 January 2013:
I am just watching it will end in tears! You are facing starvation and yet you are going to spend money policing other countries?
Comment by Jomalet on 6 January 2013:
Ntate Thabane and his friends of bnp must as
why mccd never send the soldiers in the last fifteen yrs of mccd,s reign ,Again that issue must be debated in parliament.
Comment by Jomalet on 6 January 2013:
Ntate Thabane and his friends of bnp must ask
why mccd never sent the soldiers in the last fifteen yrs of mccd,s reign ,Again that issue must be debated in parliament.chelete e ngata e tsoang mekhatlong ea machba the problem ke hore e fuoa muso e seng masole,but iam not sure about lesotho. Linaha tse ngata li fuoa chelete ha li rometse masole but iam not sure hore lesotho eona e sebetsa joang,ke nahana hore is not an ideal idea ho romela masole hobane ha ba na experience ha ke naha e hole .
Comment by Lekhoakhoa on 6 January 2013:
They will soon learn, they will be fighting all sorts of things including deceases, not so nice people? AIDS what more can you wish for?
Comment by Lefefooane on 7 January 2013:
@Rapuseletso oa Le-DC, One good turn deserves the other. MCCD called the SANDF on September 22 and Lesotho taxpayers had to pay around M40 000 000. Joale ke makala hore kajeno ha Lesotho le “thusa” DRC u utloahala u maketse.
Read the extract below:
On 22nd September 1998 the deaths of Captain (DR.) Johan Nel and Corporal Jerome Sax were revealed.
Later the same day the deaths in action of the following soldiers were announced:
Lance Corporal Mothupi
Private Tshweu
Rifleman Magwazana
Rifleman Mangogape
On 25th September the deaths in action of Lance Corporals Mtengwane and Mafuta were made known to the public.
These names account for the eight SANDF members who died in action.
Subsequently a ninth has died as a result of an accident involving a Ratel infantry fighting vehicle.
Then ask yourself why the South Africans had to die in Maseru?
Comment by Pat Maseko on 7 January 2013:
The issue of Prime minister Thabane sending troops to the DRC must not be turned into a political football by the kingdom’s people. Yes, there is hunger and poverty in Lesotho. But as a member of the UN, AU and SADC, Lesotho is obliged to contribute – in cash or kind – in efforts by these bodies to keep peace, make peace and so on in countries where there are skirmishes.
Comment by Goduka on 7 January 2013:
I may not have seen or heard these news from the horses mouth, my point is however on the basis of how the PM reached to that conclusion of sending troops to support the government but not the rebels in the DRC. Whether Lesotho is a UN member or belongs to any other organization is one thing- the fact is how did we reach at the decisions as a country? whose war will we be fighting? what is our current foreign policy? and lastly how much money goes to the military each year and how is this going to impact on our next budget?
Comment by S'bongile on 7 January 2013:
@ Rapuseletso oa Le-DC
at least they have something to do for a while.
Comment by NTJA E QHOMA on 8 January 2013:
mccd never called in foreigners 2 come 2 punish our soldiers,but tommy did, te old tommy has done it again
Comment by mamoqato on 8 January 2013:
Kabila eena honeng a le liulong maren’a ka?
Comment by Oa Likoetseng on 8 January 2013:
Ka ‘nete ho bua ha ho babe!!!!
Ka ‘nete lilemo tsee tseo Ntate Mosisili a li busitseng le tlare ha le tsebe hore Ntate Tom o ne a mo khutlisetse Litulong ka eona tsela ee??
Bohloko ba lona ke hore ha le shebe moo taba eleng teng.
Taba kholo hape ke hore le moqolotsi ha a re bolelle hore naa, nthla ea tsamaiso e reng ka taba ee tjena haholo linthleng tsa Paramente, joale hose ho ntse ho ngoapanoa..heee!!heee!! le DC….hee, ka mona….hee hee Tom, ABC.
Comment by Oa Likoetseng on 8 January 2013:
Kabila ha a ts’ireletsoe le eena, Sechaba sa mono se tla mo theola ka menoana joalo feela ka Tau ea Thaba, ha nako ee fihlile.
Comment by Khomo ea Molatelle on 9 January 2013:
Ho ntse ho hlaka hore paramente hase tabe ea bohlokoa ho PM, ho latela sena se etsahetseng ho romela sesole sa naha ntle le paramente. tsehetso u inkile kae?
Comment by zuko on 9 January 2013:
Kaha sesole ke thepa ea sechaba ebile hoka etsahala hore bashoelle moo, ka botho le ha molao o sa tlame, ntate Tom o ne a kabe a nepile ha a tlisitse taba eno ka paramenteng hore ho buisanoe ka eona.
Comment by Matlopotlopo on 9 January 2013:
Pele ho ile hoa isoa bo ntate moholo ntoeng. Ka nako eo ho ne ho thoe ke masole hoba re ne re so be le LDF. Ba ile ba loana ntoa ea pele le ea bobeli ea lefats’e, ba bang ba ile ba shoa ha ba bang ba ile ba holofalla ntoeng.
Ele hore ha se mohlolo ho isa masole ntoeng ha ntoa e qhomme!!
Comment by haochaocheche on 9 January 2013:
SADC, haena thuso hona hoo ke sa batleng le ho utloa ka yona, e tseba feela ho t’sireletsa ba busi le metsoalle ka masole.DRC ha se jwale e lona SADC e ne tholetseng?.Hona tje keng etsang hore banke masole a lo loana moo..? the main reason ba bona hore motsoalle oa bona aka nna a wela joale.
Comment by Antonio on 9 January 2013:
Hantle mapotoana a tsekang, ha bake ba re joetse hore na naha e lahleheloa ke bokae ho lefa masole a India a esale a tla Lesotho ka 1998.bona bane ba consult mang haba romella sesole sudan. Haba tlohe mona!
Comment by Pokhompa on 9 January 2013:
Lona Masole le lokela ke hoa iponts’a hore leka re ts’ireletsa daar. Tsamaeang lelo loana koana, hale re thaeka mona ekare le beterenyana, ke baane bo ‘mate oa lona bale blometse DRC.
Comment by the mountainkyndom on 11 January 2013:
mmuso oa tom ha ona 2/3 majority, ke ka lebaka lena o tla lula o tsaba paramente ho fihlela. halala manasi halala! halala national LCD halala!
Comment by kingo on 14 February 2013:
Let’s them go there and undergo battery from M23 who is experienced in guerrilla wars as well as urban combat from 1990 up to now against many countries intervention, Lesotho will be full of orphans and widows from its defence ministry. Ok go ahead.