By Mohalenyane Phakela
MASERU — Villagers in the crime-ridden village of Ha Abia plan to hold a walk on October 5 in a campaign against the worsening crime rate.
The Abia campaign against crime walk is aimed at creating awareness among residents of the village to find ways around deteriorating crime levels in their community, the Weekender has learnt.
“There is this new tendency that has been adopted by boys in our area of robbing people who get home late.
“We find it strange because it is something we never experienced until this past winter,” said Seeiso Letsie — the organiser of the walk.
“We are sure that the robbers are from around here because they also break into houses which I believe is something that thieves don’t do unless they know the whereabouts of the house owners.”
He further said he thinks the cause of all their problems is abuse of drugs which is becoming popular among the youth.
“Drugs that our children use nowadays are very expensive so in their failure to sustain their addiction (as they rely on their parents for money) some of them resort to crime so as to make a quick buck,” Letsie said.
He added: “I believe that through the walk we as the society of Abia will be able to discuss the crime affecting us and find means of ending the misery.
“It is important for parents to know what their children get up at night and who they hang out with because peer pressure can be dangerous in the development of a child.
“I am working with an organisation of Abia men called Arbitrary Cub House because its members are from different parts of our village.
“Our village has to retain the peace and harmony we were used to.
“We can’t continue to live in fear,” he said.
The event will be a 10-kilometre walk from Abia via Bypass to Masianokeng then back to Abia through Matala.
