VZCZCXRO5301
PP RUEHMR
DE RUEHMR #0172/01 0970623
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P R 070623Z APR 06
FM AMEMBASSY MASERU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1981
INFO RUEHOR/AMEMBASSY GABORONE 0219
RUEHSA/AMEMBASSY PRETORIA 0549
RUEHGO/AMEMBASSY RANGOON 0004
RUEHMR/AMEMBASSY MASERU 2248

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MASERU 000172 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
FOR AF/FO, DS/FO, AF/S; RANGOON FOR PATRICK MURPHY 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL:  4/4/2016 
TAGS: ASEC PREL LT
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR'S QUARTERLY SECURITY REPORT 
 
REF: (A) 05 MASERU 628 AND PREVIOUS (B) MASERU 124 AND PREVIOUS 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: JUNE CARTER PERRY, AMBASSADOR, EXEC, STATE. 
REASON: 1.4 (b), (d) 
 
 
 
Overview and Background 
------------------------------------- 
 
¶1.  (SBU) The crime threat level in Lesotho remains at the 
critical level. The resources of the police have not increased 
and donors are receiving renewed requests for assistance.  In 
light of the situation, international community representatives 
are seeking a meeting with the Deputy Prime Minister who also 
holds the Security/Home Affairs portfolio to express concerns of 
foreigners in Lesotho.  The United Nations has assigned a full 
time RSO with assistants as well as a 24 hour detail for its 
Resident Coordinator. 
 
¶2.  (C) The January shooting of the Foreign Minister (Ref B) 
following a fractious political party conference is yet 
unresolved.  The impact of the attack continues to reverberate 
with charges and countercharges still in play.   Public and 
private sector representatives have expressed their dismay with 
such an occurrence coming a year before national elections.  The 
political conflict within the ruling LCD has been compounded by 
opposition party protests against potential extension of 
Independent Electoral Commissioners' terms; a firebombing 
incident against a member of parliament; and political youth 
leagues' distribution of inflammatory literature directed 
against the government. 
 
¶3.  (C) The level of discord among political parties has added 
to the degree of insecurity already existing due to the near 50% 
unemployment rate and concomitant risk of criminal attack. 
Against this backdrop, post reinforces its request for 
assignment of a full time RSO to provide professional security 
support to the official USG employees and their families now 
representing several agencies.   Concentrated guard force 
training, residential security review and upgrades (with new 
personnel being assigned) are essential to achieving a proactive 
security posture.  USG regional defense and other agency 
officers are attempting to increase training for local military 
and intelligence entities as part of long term regional capacity 
building.  With impending elections, these efforts become even 
more important to stability. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Post looks forward to Department's action on RSO 
assignment and appreciates DS's consideration and AF Bureau's 
support. 
 
PSO Security Incidents Report 
--------------------------------------------- --------------- 
 
¶5.  The following crime incidents occurred during the first 
quarter 2006: 
 
-- Monday, January 2, 2006 at approximately 9:00 am, three 
traders were robbed of over Maloti 142,000 during an armed 
robbery incident that occurred at the Standard Bank Branch in 
Mafeteng on Monday.  Three unknown armed men entered the banking 
hall and ordered all customers to lie down, while the other 
three suspects were outside threatening and beating the security 
officer.  The bank contacted the police by phone and alarm, and 
allegedly the police did not respond to the call until one of 
the bank staff went to report the matter to the police after the 
suspects had fled with the money. 
 
-- Wednesday, February 15 at approximately 7:40 am, three men 
robbed a Mosotho woman of her suitcase near the UN Volunteers 
Compound.  Security Unlimited (SU) guards heard a woman crying 
next to their post (UN Volunteers Compound) and on 
investigation, they saw three men robbing a woman of the 
suitcase she was carrying.  The SU guards immediately called the 
reaction team and then attempted to chase and recover the 
suitcase.  However, the thieves threatened the SU guards with 
their weapons, so our guards allowed them to escape.  The 
reaction team arrived and assisted the victim to report the case 
to the police. 
 
--  Sunday, February 26 at approximately 9:30 pm, a man and is 
wife (both American citizens and ex-Peace Corps volunteers; she 
works for the World Bank) walking from Kingsway Cinema (Victoria 
Hotel) to the local prep school houses were held up near the 
traffic circle at the Prep School by two men wielding knives. 
They were robbed of their money (R60) and a cell phone.  No one 
was injured.  They reported the incident to the Security 
Unlimited guards at the prep school houses, who called their 
 
MASERU 00000172  002 OF 002 
 
 
reaction team, who took them to the police station to open the 
case. 
 
--  Saturday, February 25 at approximately 6:30 am, five men 
broke into a house in the Lower Thetsane area (where two U.S. 
Embassy officers reside and which has a large diplomatic 
residential presence) that is occupied by technicians working in 
the textile factories.  The house has a panic system, but not an 
intruder detection alarm.  Whilst most of the technicians had 
already left for work, two had remained in the house.  The 
intruders gained entry into the house by lifting the sliding 
door out of its guide rails (the sliding door was not burglar 
proofed).  The intruders demanded money from the two occupants, 
who said that they did not have any money with them.  The 
intruders then beat one of the men, and stabbed the other man in 
the shoulder.  While the house was being ransacked, one of the 
occupants managed to press the panic button.  The men fled with 
two ATM cards and some small items.  By the time the Security 
Unlimited Reaction team arrived, the incident was already over. 
The injuries sustained by the two men were not serious and the 
men were released from the hospital after receiving medical 
attention. 
 
--  On Saturday, March 25 at approximately 10:15 pm, three or 
four gunmen entered a Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) restaurant 
(in Maseru) which was very busy.  They ordered every one down to 
the ground and demanded money from the cashiers.  The manager 
quickly cut all the lights in the restaurant.  Customers fled 
through the front door.  In the confusion, the suspects grabbed 
as much cash as they could and then exited with the crowd. 
According to Security Unlimited, the police arrived quite 
quickly.  However, they were unable to distinguish the gunmen 
from the crowd.  No arrests were made nor was anyone injured. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) The following Embassy security meetings were held the 
first quarter of 2006: 
 
--  Daily security meetings were held at 7:45 am with LGF 
contract Operations Manager, SD Coordinator and FSNI. 
 
--  Weekly security meetings were held to discuss implementation 
of guard orders and procedures; monthly meetings address policy, 
contract issues, etc. 
 
--  Post's PSO initiated a bi-monthly meeting of security 
officers from all diplomatic missions and NGOs to discuss mutual 
problems and concerns.  The first meeting was held at the 
Embassy on February 2 and attended by RSO Robert Hornbeck.  The 
second occurred on March 2, hosted by the EC delegation to 
Lesotho.  Of greatest mutual concern is the high crime rate. 
Other priorities included sharing of crime information with each 
other, sharing ideas on how to enhance personal safety in the 
home and office, and forming a radio network for use in a 
disaster or emergency evacuation.  Next meeting is set for May 4 
at the U.S. Embassy. 
 
-- COM, PC, DCM, CONS and IMO met to review EAP communications 
systems (March 2). 
 
¶7.  Visitors:  RSO Robert Hornbeck visited post for one week 
January 30 to February 3.  Two ESC Engineers from Pretoria 
conducted a quarterly visit to post March 3 - 10. 
PERRY