(MISA/IFEX) – On 3 November 1998, Naleli Ntlamahad, regular columnist of the “Public Eye” newspaper, had his house attacked and broken into by soldiers belonging to the South African National Defence Force (SANDF). The soldiers entered Lesotho in September this year, ostensibly on a peace-keeping mission. **Updates IFEX alerts of 3 November and 1 October […]
(MISA/IFEX) – On 3 November 1998, Naleli Ntlamahad, regular columnist of the
“Public Eye” newspaper, had his house attacked and broken into by soldiers
belonging to the South African National Defence Force (SANDF). The soldiers
entered Lesotho in September this year, ostensibly on a peace-keeping
mission.
**Updates IFEX alerts of 3 November and 1 October 1998**
Ntlama, who lives alone, left his house in Khubetsoana on the eastern
outskirts of the capital, Maseru, at around 11a.m. (local time). Neighbours
informed him that shortly afterwards, two armoured cars arrived, heavily
armed soldiers surrounded his house and started searching. They did not ask
if there was anybody in the house, which indicates they knew Ntlama was
elsewhere.
When he arrived at home in the afternoon, Ntlama found his store room doors
broken, his windows broken, and the house in a mess. He was informed by
neighbours who saw the incident that the soldiers broke the windows to get
into the house, where they spent about two hours searching. Apparently they
did not remove anything from the house.
Ntlama says he has always been under surveillance by the Lesotho police but
he was surprised as to why the foreign soldiers had searched his house in
his absence and without a warrant. Ntlama believes he is being harassed
because of his writings.
In his recent “Public Eye” column entitled: “Eyeing Through Naleli Ntlama”,
the columnists wrote: “…When I saw SANDF choppers and mechanised ground
forces entering Lesotho at 0500 hrs in the morning, that was an INVASION of
our territory. Nothing more nothing less. The aerial onslaught and the
subsequent bombardment of our bases by the SANDF was a naked ATTACK.
“The capture and subsequent OCCUPATION of the most strategic places in
Lesotho by the SANDF were through the barrel of a gun. The establishment of
a Botswana Defence Force (BDF) – SANDF (or is it SADC?) Headquarters and
military bases at Ejametalana Airport is an INVASION of our country.
“When LDF [Lesotho Defence Force] soldiers are ordered to hand over their
weapons by the SANDF that is an order for CAPITULATION. When armoured cars
of foreign armies roam freely in out streets that is an OCCUPATION. When
Meneer [Thabo] Mbeki addressed the world on the state of our nation
(although later he said he was misinformed…) one sees a man talking about
his subjects, not sovereign people.
“All these actions by one giant neighbour are called INTERVENTION by the
perpetrators and propagandists of such acts. If that be it (INTERVENTION
surely) then someone needs a head transplant.”
Background Information
“Public Eye” newspaper was one of the independent newspapers whose offices
were ransacked and looted of all their equipment during the political mayhem
which followed the invasion of the foreign forces. Ntlama says he suspects
the looting of the newspaper may not have been spontaneous. It may have been
targeted by supporters of the ruling party.
Recommended Action
Send appeals to authorities:
and urgently requesting an explanation
search
was conducted without anyone at home, the act constituted an illegal action
and that those responsible should be swiftly brought to justice
action,
the conclusion that the action was linked to the journalist’s writing is
unavoidable, thus constituting a gross infringement of his right to freedom
of expression.
Appeals To
President Nelson Mandela
Office of the President
Pretoria
Private Bag X83
Pretoria 0001, South Africa
Fax: +27 12 323 8246 / +27 21 461 4987Mr. S. Mufamadi
Minister of Safety and Security
Fax: +27 21 4612594 / +27 12 3392819/20Mr. R. Kasrils
Deputy Minister of Defence
Fax: +27 12 3470118 / +27 21 455870Mr. T.S. Yengeni
Chairperson, Joint Standing Committee on Defence
Fax: +27 21 4032074Mr. P.J. Groenewald
Chairperson, Portfolio Committee on Defence
Fax: +27 21 4622153
Please copy appeals to the source if possible.
