Human rights being trampled in Lesotho

ON March 17 last year Pakalitha Mosisili was sworn in as prime minister of Lesotho. He was nominated by a coalition of seven political parties after elections the previous month had failed to produce a clear winner.

Mosisili pledged to guide Lesotho as a constitutional monarchy and uphold democracy. The human rights of every person in Lesotho would be respected and protected, as enshrined in the constitution of 1993. Everyone would be equal before the law.

Lesotho has attracted regional and international attention since then — and not because the prime minister is fulfilling his lofty pledges.

Instead, human rights violations and the abuse of power have become worrying hallmarks of Mosisili’s government.

The killing in June last year of Maaparankoe Mahao, a former army commander, illustrates Lesotho’s continuing violations of human rights. He was killed by four members of the defence force ordered to arrest him after he was accused of leading a mutiny. They insist Mahao died resisting arrest.

His alleged killers have been suspended but there has not been a thorough and independent investigation into his death and his wife and children are still demanding answers.

The Southern African Development Community’s commission of inquiry into Mahao’s death found that “on balance of probabilities, evidence shows that Brigadier Mahao did not resist arrest” and that “excessive force was used”, resulting in his death.

But the findings received a less than enthusiastic reception from Lesotho’s leaders, who were reluctant to make a commitment to follow up the commission’s report.

The Lesotho government’s failure to the release of only seven of the soldiers and despite a court order on October 5 ordering their release on “open arrest”, 16 remain in detention.

Human rights lawyer Khotso Nthontho was also arrested and briefly detained in Maseru on February 12.

Respecting the supremacy of the rule of law in Lesotho is the best solution to the ongoing human rights crisis. The government must ensure the independence of the judiciary and must establish a human rights commission.

As his government enters its second year in power, Mosisili must show strong leadership and foster a culture that upholds full respect for human rights — and the rule of law.

Muchena is director of Amnesty International’s southern Africa office