An abomination stains Christmas
Mmegi Editor | Friday December 20, 2013 12:46
We can recall that in that winter night, agents of the Government of Botswana disregarded all tenets of natural justice and murdered John Kalafatis in a manner befitting gangsters of the worst order. And in defence of this atrocity, the then Vice President of the Republic Mompati Merafhe scornfully retorted Batswana were mournfully mistaken if they thought one or two deaths could tarnish international image of Botswana.
Botswana has been to a proponent and adherent of the rule of law, which is entrenched in the Constitution of the land in an aspect that echoes the United Nations Charter. “The concept of rule of law is deeply linked to the principle of justice, involving an ideal of accountability and fairness in the protection and vindication of rights and the prevention and punishment of wrongs,” says the Charter. “Long before the United Nations, states were working towards a rule of justice in international life with a view to establishing an international community based on law.”
We are alive to the revelations by President Ian Khama’s brother, Minister Tshekedi Khama, that Botswana has adopted a shoot-to-kill policy against poachers, pronouncement that we immediately condemned as scandalous. We are now at a loss for words after he perpetrated the same scandal recently. Yet international busybodies continue to sing the praises of the plainly and admittedly murderous government as a “beacon of democracy and stability.”
What these organisations are aiming at cannot be good for anyone in our country that is sinking to the depths of all manner of deprivation that includes abjection and lawlessness. But what the police did to Costa two nights ago is an abomination and a desolation beyond words, following - as it does - the death of the two young brother’s father last March after he was brutally assaulted by unknown assailants in 2010.
It is so far unknown what may have prompted the attempted murder, but whatever it is, nothing can justify gangland by agents of the state in a country that has a Constitution that upholds due process. Each and every suspect must be brought before the courts where assumption of innocence takes precedence until proven otherwise.
As we have said before, violation of human rights must one day result in the appearance of the perpetrators and traitors before the International Criminal Court. In our view, it is never too late for a government, no matter how depraved, to recommit democracy and the rule of law. Afterall, President told a judicial conference three years ago nothing less. That is the way to go, Mr President. And you would do well to keep it in mind that Christmas is a time for giving and clemency. Our thoughts are with what remains of the Kalafatis and ask God to restore the health of their son. Today’s thought
“The rule of law is better than that of any individual.”
- Aristotle