VZCZCXRO7069
OO RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHJO RUEHRN
DE RUEHMR #0452/01 2121540
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 311540Z JUL 07
FM AMEMBASSY MASERU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3228
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
RUEHMR/AMEMBASSY MASERU 3617

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MASERU 000452 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT ALSO FOR AF/S; 
GABORONE FOR RSO 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM ASEC PINS LT
SUBJECT: LESOTHO: RSA REPORTEDLY GRANTS ASYLUM TO ACCUSED COUP 
PLOTTERS 
 
REF: A) MASERU 439; B) MASERU 436; C) MASERU 428; D) MASERU 385 
 
MASERU 00000452  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY:  The Republic of South Africa has reportedly 
granted temporary asylum to six Basotho men accused by the GOL 
of involvement in alleged coup plotting.  Two of the men claim 
torture, and in a recent press interview all denied any 
involvement in attacks on ministerial residences.  The South 
African High Commission in Maseru told Emboff that they have not 
been officially informed of the asylum cases, but that they had 
no reason to doubt that temporary asylum had been granted.  On 
July 27, representatives of diplomatic missions viewed recently 
recovered weapons, including Israeli-made Galilee rifles stolen 
from LDF guards during the June 2007 attacks.  The asylum cases 
and aggressive reporting from media outlets may soon force the 
GOL to come to terms with fact that the Galilee rifles were not 
found in the hands of members of the opposition All Basotho 
Congress (ABC) party, but in the hands of more obscure groups 
with less explored grievances.  END SUMMARY. 
 
 
 
------------------------------------- 
 
South Africa Reportedly Grants Asylum 
 
To Six Accused in June 2007 Attacks 
 
------------------------------------- 
 
 
 
¶2. (U) According to published reports, six Basotho men whom the 
GOL accuse of involvement in alleged coup plotting have been 
granted temporary asylum by the Republic of South Africa.  The 
men deny involvement in the attacks, and two state that the 
Lesotho Defense Force (LDF) tortured them at Makoanyane Military 
Hospital (reftel D).  The men are Mokherane Tsatsanyane (age 
33); Khotso Lebakeng (age 45); Pakiso Semoli (age 46); Motlomelo 
Motlomelo (age 36); and two former soldiers and bodyguards for 
ABC leader Thomas Thabane: Makotoko Lerotholi (age 58) and Thabo 
Thantsi (age 36).  Local English-language newspaper "Public Eye" 
interviewed the six men in Bloemfontein, South Africa, and 
published their accounts on July 27.  All six denied any 
knowledge of or involvement in the June 2007 attacks on 
ministerial residences. 
 
 
 
¶3. (SBU) When contacted by post, South African Deputy High 
Commissioner Albert Wanich stated that the South African High 
Commission in Maseru had not been informed by Pretoria of the 
asylum cases, but that he had no reason to doubt that temporary 
asylum had been granted.  He noted that the South African 
Department of Home Affairs had jurisdiction over such cases, and 
that it would not be unusual for the High Commission to be "out 
of the loop."  Wanich stated that he would share word with post 
when the High Commission had received official word on the 
matter from Pretoria. 
 
 
 
------------------- 
 
The Maseru Gun Show 
 
------------------- 
 
 
 
¶4. (U) On July 27, the Lesotho Mounted Police Service (LMPS) 
invited the heads of Maseru's resident diplomatic missions to 
view weapons recovered by the police and the Lesotho Defense 
Force (LDF) during recent operations.  These weapons included 
the eight recently recovered Israeli-made Galilee rifles stolen 
from LDF guards at ministerial residences in June 2007 (reftel 
B).  Charge was joined by representatives of resident diplomatic 
missions, and the GOL was represented by Minister of Local 
Government Sekatle, LDF Commander Motanyane, Police Commissioner 
Letooane, and Deputy Police Commissioner Mhlakaza. 
 
 
 
¶5. (U) After a short briefing by Deputy Police Commissioner 
Mhlakaza, the diplomats viewed a collection of automatic weapons 
(including the Galilee rifles), semiautomatic weapons and 
handguns.  Mhlakaza stated that the non-military weapons 
displayed were illegal firearms confiscated from criminals in 
northern Maseru.  In addition to the guns, authorities also 
displayed confiscated police uniforms, and oddly, blankets and 
 
MASERU 00000452  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
mattresses. 
 
 
 
---------------------------- 
 
Inconvenient Inconsistencies 
 
---------------------------- 
 
 
 
¶6. (SBU) COMMENT:  If accurate, reports about the South African 
Government's provision of asylum, even temporarily, for men 
accused in the June 2007 attacks on ministerial residences in 
Maseru could prove to be an issue in the South Africa-Lesotho 
bilateral relationship.  Reportedly, opposition leader Thomas 
Thabane has strong personal ties to President Mbeki, and 
Thabane's election campaign received an unusual amount of 
attention in the South African press and support from Basotho 
residents in South Africa.  The GOL's display of recovered 
weaponry, while an obvious victory for the nation's security 
organs, raises the inconsistency of the continued arrest of 
individuals related to the nation's legal political opposition 
(the ABC party) while those caught with the weapons appear to 
come from different factions (the aging and, until now, 
seemingly defunct Lesotho Liberation Army).  The South African 
asylum cases and aggressive reporting from media outlets such as 
"Public Eye" may soon force the GOL to come to terms with these 
inconsistencies.  END COMMENT. 
MURPHY