VZCZCXRO7566
RR RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHJO RUEHRN
DE RUEHMR #0160/01 0751249
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 161249Z MAR 07
FM AMEMBASSY MASERU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2768
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
RUEHMR/AMEMBASSY MASERU 3119

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MASERU 000160 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT ALSO FOR AF/S 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM ASEC LT
SUBJECT: LESOTHO: OPENING OF PARLIAMENT ENDS WITH SIT-IN, EJECTIONS 
 
REF: A) MASERU 77; B) MASERU 124 AND PREVIOUS 
 
MASERU 00000160  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1. SUMMARY:  After His Majesty King Letsie III officially opened 
the 7th Parliament of Lesotho on Thursday, March 15, Lesotho's 
major opposition parties staged a "sit-in," and pledged not to 
leave the Parliament building until the government had addressed 
their demands for a redistribution of legislative seats.  Later 
in the evening, security officials, including members of the 
Lesotho Defense Forces (LDF), forcibly ejected the opposition 
parliamentarians.  Opposition party leaders have called for a 
three-day work stoppage from March 19-21 if the GOL does not 
meet their demands.  This situation represents an escalation of 
the opposition's tactics in pressing their complaints concerning 
the February 17 national election.  END SUMMARY. 
 
 
 
------------------------ 
 
A Speech From The Throne 
 
------------------------ 
 
 
 
¶2.  During his address, attended by the Ambassador and other 
members of the diplomatic corps, King Letsie III stated that the 
seventh Parliament will focus on implementing the country's 
"National Vision 2020 objectives" (NOTE:  "National Vision 2020" 
is a set of long-term development strategies which Lesotho 
commits to achieving by the year 2020.  END NOTE.)  The King, 
who focused exclusively on domestic matters, indicated that 
Parliament will be expected to pass numerous bills into law 
during the coming session, including several constitutional 
amendments as well as legislation dealing with the Penal Code, 
judicial administration, child protection and welfare, the 
environment, national heritage, and anti-money laundering. 
 
 
 
¶3.  The King pointed out that the GOL will strive to attain the 
7% growth rate which Lesotho requires in order to achieve the 
Millennium Development Goals.  He added that the GOL will 
redouble its efforts in the fight against HIV/AIDS, to create 
employment opportunities by developing tourism and attracting 
foreign direct investment, to protect the environment, to 
improve agricultural productivity, to develop and improve roads, 
water, and electricity supply to villages and towns, to improve 
access to information and communication technology, and to 
improve the status of youth and women.  He also thanked the 
nation for holding a peaceful national election, and wished the 
new parliament fruitful and constructive deliberations leading 
to the betterment of the lives of the Basotho people. 
 
 
 
¶4.  Preceding the royal address, 32 opposition parliamentarians 
were sworn-in (NOTE:  These parliamentarians did not attend the 
official swearing-in ceremony on February 23rd with ruling party 
parliamentarians, stating that they were not officially informed 
of the proceedings.  END NOTE.)  Also, Sephiri Motanyane was 
re-elected as the Deputy Speaker of Parliament.  He has 
previously held Cabinet portfolios as Minister in the Prime 
Minister's Office and as Minister of Law and Constitutional 
Affairs. 
 
 
 
¶5.  Several thousand political party members and supporters 
thronged the exterior of the Parliament during the opening 
ceremonies to support individual parties.  The boisterous and 
vocal crowds chanted for hours, primarily in support of 
opposition parties, and could be heard inside Parliament during 
the King's address.  The GOL's security presence was robust, and 
no incidents were reported. 
 
 
 
------------------------ 
 
A Sit-In and An Ejection 
 
------------------------ 
 
 
 
¶6.  Thomas Thabane, the leader of Lesotho's largest opposition 
party, the All Basotho Convention (ABC), took the floor shortly 
after the new Parliamentary session began to speak on behalf of 
the ABC, the Basotho National Party (BNP), the Lesotho Workers 
Party (LWP), the Alliance of Congress Parties (ACP), and the 
Marematlou Freedom Party (MFP). 
 
MASERU 00000160  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
 
 
 
¶7. Thabane, who has publicly attacked the GOL and the 
Independent Electoral Commission for alleged electoral abuses 
and incorrect distribution of proportional seats, offered the 
opposition's full support of the leader of the National 
Independence Party (NIP) leader in a case the latter has filed 
at the High Court against the governing LCD party (NOTE: The 
elderly leader of the NIP claims that his party improperly 
entered into an alliance with the ruling LCD without his 
consent, and the Lesotho's High Court sided with him before it 
was overturned on appeal; ref A.  END NOTE.)  Thabane added that 
opposition parties also demand a review of the manner in which 
proportional seats were allocated following the February 17 
election. 
 
 
 
¶8. Thabane announced that opposition parties would stage a 
"sit-in" in Parliament commencing on Thursday, March 15.  If the 
GOL does not respond to their grievances by Sunday March 18, 
Thabane said the opposition would encourage their supporters 
nationwide to embark on a work "stay-away" from Monday, March 
19, to Wednesday, March 21. 
 
 
 
¶9.  The sit-in came to an end late in the evening on March 15 
when members of the Lesotho Defense Forces (LDF) intervened, 
physically ejecting some of the MPs and moving them outside 
Parliament grounds.  Prior to the arrival of the LDF, the 
Lesotho Mounted Police Service (LMPS) had negotiated with the 
MPs, trying to convince them to leave the Parliament grounds, 
citing an order from the Speaker of Parliament.  These 
negotiations were ongoing when the military entered the 
Parliament. 
 
 
 
---------------------------- 
 
The Political System Strains 
 
---------------------------- 
 
 
 
¶10. COMMENT:  The unity displayed by opposition parties in 
supporting the NIP leader, demanding redistribution of 
legislative seats, and calling for a work stoppage presents new 
challenges for the Government of Lesotho.  The opposition MPs 
ejected from the Parliament building, as well some members of 
the public who called in to local radio programs, denounced the 
military action as illegal and a violation of parliamentary 
procedure and the immunity of MPs.  This unfolding crisis 
reveals cracks in Lesotho's otherwise model Mixed-Member 
Proportional parliamentary system, but also indicates an 
evolution of the ABC's Thabane, who may be abandoning the court 
system and using more populist means to address his grievances. 
END COMMENT. 
PERRY