Maseru - Lesotho enjoys a climate of pacification, said Thursday the chairperson of Supervision Committee for Peace of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) in Kingdom. ,

 

Angolan Matias Bertino Matondo assured the national journalists that the tension had eased due to effort to bring together the coalition (Government) and opposition.

 

Also chief of Preventive Mission in Lesotho  (SAPMIL), Matondo said that the work, started three months ago, focuses on reconciliation of political forces.

 

The task include the professional training between the armed forces and police, as well as the inclusion and awareness among civil society on the need to obtain and maintain peace in the country.

 

Praising the progress of the mission and the expectations, the SADC official described assistance by Lesotho authorities and partners on the peace process, as satisfactory.

 

According to him, upon the mission’s arrival in Lesotho the climate was very tense among politicians, the military and the police.

 

This was  due to the assassination of two military commanders in two years.

 

He said that the mission, expected to last until May 20, has reached about 40% of mediation, seeking converging the Government and opposition toward speeding up the local process.

 

The four-party coalition government had  adopted a draft roadmap for constitutional reforms, public services, security (police, armed forces, intelligence). But contribution from different political actors and civil society is required in search for consensus.

 

Matias Matondo considered the roadmap, recommended by SADC, crucial for implementation of reforms and lasting peace in the Kingdom.

 

He recalled that the mission aims to ensure peace, security in the country, technical and professional training of armed forces and police personnel, promotion of dialogue between Government and opposition.

 

The mission is tasked with helping implementing institutional reforms to achieve  last stability of the kingdom of Lesotho.

 

 

SAPMIL comprises 217 military (162 from Angola), 24 Police, 15 intelligence and 13 civilians, totaling 269 members from seven, of the 15 member countries of SADC.

 

The Kingdom gained its independence from England in 1966.

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