Statement by the Leader of Opposition in Botswana

Statement by the Leader of Opposition, Botsalo Ntuane,
delivered on Tuesday 26 July 2011 in the National Assembly
on developments in Malawi and how the Botswana government should respond.

The Opposition Collective in the Parliament of Botswana joins the rest of the democratic community in condemning the cold blooded massacre, on 20th and 21st July 2011 of 18 demonstrators by the government of President Bingu wa Mutharika. This terrible act of violence against unarmed civilians, protesting the escalating cost of living, fuel and foreign exchange shortages, as well as repression and violation of human rights, is unprecedented in the history of Malawi. We note that even during the one party dictatorship of Hastings Kamuzu Banda, nothing on this scale was ever visited on the civilian population by the government. The economic problems in Malawi which precipitated the demonstrations have been authored by a stubborn President Mutharika whose deteriorating human rights record has forced donors to cut off much needed aid.

As the Opposition Collective, we can rightly proclaim we saw this coming.

The nation will recall that on 1 April 2011, the Chairman of the Botswana Movement for Democracy(BMD) and also Member of Parliament for Lobatse addressed a press conference in the precincts of Parliament announcing a boycott of the official opening of the Lobatse Stadium facility by President Mutharika. Hon Modubule’s stance which reflected the indignation of the Opposition Collective was premised on well founded concerns at a disturbing trend of developments in Malawi.

In a pattern of behaviour which suggested that state violence will soon be perpetrated against the citizenry, President Mutharika has in the past incited the youth cadres of his Democratic Progressive Party to assault opposition supporters who dared criticize him.

Another consideration which informed our boycott of President Mutharika was his display of intolerance to critical views, when he assented to Section 46 Penal Code Amendment Bill which grants the Minister for Information the power to arbitrarily close down publications, outside due process. To us this assault on the press, which we consider a critical guardian of democracy and good governance was unacceptable.

The delinquent conduct of President Mutharika knows no bounds. We noted with concern the sustained attacks on the Non Governmental Organisations, leading to some activists fleeing into exile because they fear for their lives.

Like the proverbial bull in a china shop, immediately after his departure from Botswana, President Mutharika expelled the ‘British High Commissioner for describing him in a diplomatic cable as ‘autocratic and intolerant of criticism”

We contend that President Mutharika is being aided and abetted in his campaign of repression by the government of Botswana which continues to treat him like a distinguished statesman when many in the international community are shunning him. It should be a source of shame that President Khama, in a display of bad judgment, and against our counsel, invited this dictator to our country. In its unbridled contempt for the Opposition, this government disregards all our advice, the consequence of which is a situation where our country is today associated with rogues like President Mutharika. It is shocking to many that a government with a predilection for playing to the international gallery on issues of democracy and human rights has remained silent in the face of the unfolding tragedy in Malawi. To us this silence means the government of Botswana condones the deplorable actions of President Mutharika.

We pose this question, how different is President Mutharika from Muammar
Gadaffi in Libya, Bashar Al Assad in Syria, Omar Al Bashir in Sudan, and all the other dictators that have attracted the sanctimonious wrath of the Botswana government over rights violations and atrocities against their own citizens?

The deafening silence, which can only be ascribed to the embarrassment felt by the Botswana government, amounts to a betrayal of the people of Malawi, particularly victims of the state sponsored violence. Indeed contrary of the grandstanding characterizing previous statements about how the Botswana government sides with the people against repressive regimes, the simple truth is that these expressions of support are mere lip service; and just like those it condemns, the Botswana government practices double standards, and will side with its friends in power, hence the tacit support given to President Mutharika on account of the ‘see no evil, hear no evil’ posture.

To this end the Parliamentary Opposition Collective demands the following from the Botswana government;

1. An unequivocal statement condemning the actions of the government of President Mutharika.
3. The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Hon Phandu Skelemani to summon the High Commissioner of Malawi to Botswana for a meeting at which he will convey the statement of condemnation.
4. To demand an immediate end to the ongoing harassment, detention and torture of opposition and civil society activists; many of whom are now in hiding.
5. To support an investigation by the International Criminal Court on the killings in Malawi, and for such support to be extended to prosecutions that will follow.
6. To apologise to both the people of Botswana and Malawi for hosting President Mutharika in April 2011.
7. To undertake to listen to the counsel of the Opposition Collective in future and undertake not to invite any dictators to Botswana.

Failure to do any of the above will give true meaning to the idiom that we judge you by the company you keep.

Botswana and the international community should henceforth judge this government by the friends it keeps in the form of President Mutharika and his murderous regime.
End.