Network focus and membership refined at KKM's 4th Annual General Meeting

By TMS Letela, Coordinator

On 08th December 2007, Kopano ke Matla held its fourth Annual General Meeting in the capital of Maseru, attended by delegates from the active country districts, Executive Committee (EC) members and staff, including the Companion Facilitator.

Reports from the districts and from EC members clearly indicated that the Network was not making a noticeable impact because its focus was too broad, its membership vaguely defined and its direction rather unclear. It was generally agreed that the Network should be reshaped and refocused. Consequently, the focus of the Network was redefined more specifically as Food Sovereignty and HIV/AIDS, since they closely link together. Members should then be organisations that deal with the focus areas only.

A new EC was elected for 2008, comprised of four men and three women coming from seven of the ten country districts. Each brings a wealth of experiences including farming, teaching, human resources, community development and management. In the latter part of January 2008 the EC was given an Orientation in the form of a three-day Retreat. Members had an opportunity to get to know one another, understand their functions and roles, both individually and collectively, and pray together. Interspersed were times to meet and discuss current and ongoing matters relating to the Network which, in the end, left us feeling that though there were still many things ahead of us to be done, we were united in our direction and efforts.

PHP International Coordinator Visits Lesotho

 by TMS Letela, KKM Coordinator

Following the EC Retreat and Orientation, Mr Lionel Derenoncourt from the PCUSA came to Lesotho to provide a two-day training for the EC, staff and members from several districts. The theme of the training was “Global Organising for Peaceful Social Change” which we all found very helpful at this particular time in our process of redefining who we are as a Network.

Before returning home, Mr Derenoncourt met with some NGO’s and individuals in Lesotho to learn about human rights abuse issues that have been on the internal media only since the announcement of a curfew on 15th June 2007, which was intermittent over several weeks’ time. Unsettled issues from the February 2007 elections and concerns about uprisings and assaults on certain government and opposition leaders led to the curfew.

Global Organizing for Peaceful Social Change Workshop - January 2008

by Hopolang Senekane, KKM Administrative Assistant

We started 2008 on a high note by attending a two-day training on Global Organizing for Peaceful Social Change led by Mr. Lionel Derenoncourt, International Coordinator for the Presbyterian Hunger Program. The training, which was attended by the leadership of the Network from all over Lesotho, was held at the Assisi Mission in South Africa on January 21 and 22. We were blessed also by the presence of Ms Matšeliso Ntsoelikane, the director of Transformation Resource Centre (TRC) and Reverend Maqebo Moshoeshoe from the Lesotho Evangelical Church (LEC).

Though Lesotho has a history of development projects which were/are intended to eradicate poverty, the failure rate is high and evident since there are still a very high number of the poor and the hungry even though the international community is funding most if not all the projects addressing this. We see duplication of efforts from both the government and civil society organizations in the process of addressing poverty. Everyone seems to be addressing scarcity rather than root causes of poverty, and the biggest question that was asked in that training was, “Are our efforts different from those that already exist?”

The workshop has opened our eyes and we have learnt that our work as a Network is to guide and encourage communities to fight unjust policies and practices that create poverty and promote dependency. Our work is not to campaign by ourselves but to mobilize affected communities to campaign against injustices and claim back their self worth and integrity as the body of Christ. We have acquired knowledge and skills necessary to equip and empower member organizations in their quest to eradicate poverty through campaign organizing.

The best thing that came out of this training is the understanding of our relationship with our partner presbytery. I know this time around that every one of us understands that Los Ranchos is here to pray and encourage us as we do it ourselves, and help us to raise international awareness and participate together in international advocacy on issues of hunger, poverty and justice.

I see this as beginning of wonderful things because we understand clearly who we are, and we say,

“Lord, if your presence does not go with us, do no send us out from here.”

Exodus 33:15

Lesotho Delegates Selected For July Conference

by Cindy Easterday, JH Companionship Facilitator

In addition to our Network Coordinator, TMS Letela, Lesotho will also be sending ‘M’e Malitlallo Majara to the July Joining Hands / Peacemaking Conference in July. A fairly new member to the Network, “Mali” as she is also known, is a person with a great passion for her people, for farming and agriculture and for healthy responses to HIV and AIDS.

Her Christian faith and support of the basic tenants and beliefs of the Joining Hands approach as well as her broad experience and skills developed over her long career in various government positions make her a natural contributor and asset to the KKM network.

Mali is looking forward to expanding her exposure to the JH family around the world through the time together, and to encouraging the partnership of KKM with Los Ranchos presbytery by personally getting to know our friends there.

"The Rule of Law is under threat in Lesotho"

by Cindy Easterday, JH Companionship Facilitator

A cloud of unspoken intimidation and harassment of citizens of Lesotho by misguided yet condoned military persons continues to hang over the country as if it is now considered part of the way of life here. However, a recent report by the Southern African Development Community Lawyers Association (SADC LA) is the shard of light that breaks through this to bring these unlawful and unjust activities out into the open.

Joining Hands response

Our Louisville-based Joining Hands colleagues, Lionel Derenoncourt and Alexa Smith, immediately responded to information received from KKM on this issue. On behalf of individuals we personally know to have been directly affected -- one of them having been brutally tortured -- and in support of local efforts to address the situation, they contacted several international human rights groups, including Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, etc. Using the influence of the Church to encourage their involvement has led to two delegates from Amnesty International now scheduled to meet with key role players in Lesotho.

As our JH partners from Los Ranchos presbytery continue to coordinate efforts with the JH staff and KKM, we have been linked to the International Justice Mission which has encouraged the submission of cases for consideration. Through it all, our hope is to bring justice to those wronged, reveal the perpetrators of these covert acts and hold them accountable for their actions, and influence future directions.

Disputes in the elections' aftermath

Very much intertwined in all this are the tensions relating to the still unresolved political issues around disputed parliamentary seat apportionment following the February 2007 elections. Efforts to ease tensions to date by SADC-appointed mediator, former Botswana President Ketumile Masire, have not worked. Following a 3-day visit in early February 2008, Masire said recent talks between the ruling Lesotho Congress for Democracy (LCD) and opposition parties had failed. "I'm disappointed that up to now nothing has been done," Masire told a news conference.

The power of solidarity
Though the Basotho know that they are the only ones who can bring the true democracy they desire to their country, they also know that external influences can bring power in order to bring about effective, long-term changes. So we stand in solidarity with them for truth and justice and pray for God's wisdom and guidance along this path we tread together. We ask you to please pray with us.