CCL Acting General Secretary Peter Potjo Potjo
Lekhetho Ntsukunyane
The Christian Council of Lesotho (CCL) celebrates its golden jubilee next month amid fears the country’s prevailing security and political challenges which began in January 2014 could eventually lead to religious intolerance.
The Council’s Acting General Secretary, Peter Potjo told the Lesotho Times this week that since its establishment in 1965 as “a prophetic voice in national unity and social development”, the CCL is now facing one of its greatest ever challenges in ensuring Basotho become a united nation once again.
“The CCL was established a year before Lesotho became independent (from Britain) in 1966. We are told through recorded history how there was massive religious intolerance where the main denominations, Lesotho Evangelical Church (Protestants) and Roman Catholic Church (Catholics), were deeply divided.
“The Catholics were politically associated with nationalists while the Protestants were said to sympathise with the congress movement. The two denominations could not see eye-to-eye at the time, and it was unacceptable for a Protestant child to attend a Catholic-oriented school and vice-versa…the division was that serious,” Mr Potjo said.
The introduction of the CCL, Mr Potjo said, provided a platform for the denominations to iron out their differences and ensure both political and religious tolerance.
“Religious tolerance was gradually established, and by so doing, the CCL gained trust from governments. Politicians began to see credibility in the Council because it had brought these one-time rivals into one big church.
“However, we are seeing a new challenge now where it appears the political challenges prevailing in the country could take us back to those dark days of hatred.
“It seems churches are going to be divided into certain political affiliations once again, when we had long moved from that polarisation. Congress and National intolerance has erupted again and even brought instability in the church. It is a genuine challenge which Lesotho faces now as the CCL approaches its 50th anniversary in September,” said Mr Potjo, adding the golden jubilee celebrations begin next month and run through to May 2016 in all the 10 districts of Lesotho.
A CCL team would soon be ready for a “brainstorming session for the possible promotion of ideas which will help create fruitful celebrations aimed at, among others, curbing a situation that will take us back to the days of political and denominational intolerance,” he reiterated.
Explaining how the CCL had fared over the years, Mr Potjo said: “The Council contributed in governance issues such as the respect for human rights, civic education, election-monitoring and observation, conflict-management, negotiating the return of BCP (Basotho Congress Party) political exiles, upkeep of refugees, taking over the electoral conflict facilitation role from Sir Ketumile Masire in 2008, and at the moment, is holding talks with government and opposition leaders who fled to South Africa in May this year fearing for their lives. The Council further successfully negotiated the return of the late King Moshoeshoe II from exile during military rule (in the 70s and 80s).”
Mr Potjo also highlighted the CCL’s role during the apartheid days of South Africa.
“South African politicians would flee to Lesotho and seek refuge through the CCL. The Council ran a specific desk where refugee issues were addressed.”
He also noted the Council’s mediation in ensuring politicians accepted the outcome of elections.
“Lesotho has not always been politically stable since independence in 1966. There were always problems, particularly after elections. Following the 2007 elections, we also saw chaos in 2008 where some foreign missions were even engaged to facilitate stability in the country.
“That was when the Council took over the electoral conflict facilitation role from Sir Ketumile Masire of Botswana following another mission led by Mr Pius Langa (of Zimbabwe) through SADC (Southern African Development Community). Immediately after Sir Masire abandoned his mission in 2008, the CCL took over with the technical assistance of local civil society, to solve the political impasse.”
The CCL, he added, spearheaded the mission “after SADC had dismally failed through the appointment of Sir Masire, up until the next elections in 2012”.
Heads of churches who were at the forefront of that mission included Archbishop Mohlalisi, Archbishop Lerotholi, Bishop Taaso, Reverent Mokhahlane, Reverend Rantle and Reverend Mafube, he added.
“The first pledge in which politicians undertook to accept the outcome of an election was facilitated by the CCL prior to the 2012 elections. These were the first elections in Lesotho after which political leaders wholeheartedly issued a statement to accept the outcome. The event was graced by Nobel Prize winner Bishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa through the invitation of the CCL.”
Following the 2012 election, Mr Potjo noted a coalition government comprising the All Basotho Convention (ABC), Lesotho Congress for Democracy (LCD) and Basotho National Party (BNP) was established, “but soon, there were problems in the government and the LCD was quick to seek the CCL’s intervention.
“And this was not an easy task for the Council because for the first time, we had to intervene within parties in government, when usually the CCL would be mediating between government and the opposition.
“The Council was reminded of its failure after it was invited by the LCD to resolve the party’s issues which culminated in a splinter party, the Democratic Congress, being formed in 2012. The then LCD leader, Dr Pakalitha Mosisili, had invited the Council for intervention. Because the LCD was then the only ruling party, its internal squabbles affected the stability of the government and the entire nation.”
According to Mr Potje, another challenge the CCL faces is mediation expertise.
“One other serious challenge we have as a Council is that we are not mediation experts. We don’t even have legal grounds to mediate on issues of governance. Our main and only weapon is the moral authority which the church commands within the Basotho nation. Politicians come to us purely through the moral obligation we have.
“We cannot do anything if the prime minister, or anybody in government, does not have a will to engage the Council. We really appreciate it that so far, both government and the opposition still have that kind of respect and trust for the church.
“With the current situation, we know that SADC has been engaged to help end the crisis. But as Council, we cannot just fold our arms and wait for SADC to complete the mission. Instead, we are saying SADC is a foreign mediator and all foreign mediators, everywhere, come and go and the buck stops with the nationals. Indeed, Ntate (Cyril) Ramaphosa (South African deputy president appointed SADC facilitator in Lesotho) came and left. His mission was closed shortly after the elections of 28 February 2015. And what happened after that? The very same security issues which were bothering the nation recurred.
“This led to the flight of three opposition leaders in May this year, who said they feared for their lives.
“Dr Thomas Thabane (ABC), Chief Thesele ’Maseribane (BNP) and Mrs Keketso Rantšo (Reformed Congress of Lesotho) fled the country on May 11, 13 and 18, respectively, and we were stuck. Where was Ntate Ramaphosa now as the foreign facilitator? He was gone.”
According to Mr Potjo, the CCL had proved that it was capable of mediating in such tough situations.
“We are saying if, as a church, we were able to offer shelter and protect foreign leaders running into our country from South Africa, why should we have a problem housing our own leaders when they have problems?”
Mr Potjo also said the CCL continued to care for vulnerable groups, and deliver education on gender equity and equality, HIV, AIDS and TB.
“The Council has promoted unity and ecumenism, continued inter-faith dialogue and defended the Christian faith. The CCL has travelled a long and difficult road; it has experienced downturns but was never destroyed. Along the way, there were challenges but it persevered. Our country is in pain, and so is the CCL.
“As the CCL celebrates this 50th anniversary, it also looks to the next 50 years with vigour, determination and more focus. It intends to strengthen and improve on its values of witnessing, protecting organisational integrity, being accessible, operating fairly and exercising transparency and accountability at all times.”
Meanwhile, the CCL membership consists of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, Anglican Church in Lesotho, Lesotho Evangelical Church in Southern Africa, Methodist Church of Southern Africa, Roman Catholic Church and Student Christian Movement.
