Tarnishing the good name of the armed forces

Richard Moleofe | Friday January 31, 2014 16:41

Batswana are becoming increasingly weary of a rising paramilitary force that is yet to be identified that acts in the name of the police and the

military while flouting every rule of engagement in the book,

writes Reverend RICHARD MOLEOFE

recent article carried in the Weekend Post newspaper in which the former Commissioner of the Police is reflective of the sentiments that many of us who have worked within the armed forces share. He was responding to the shooting of Costa Kalafatis purportedly by members of the Botswana Police Service.

The starting point in the debate of the rampant killings occurring in Botswana is that we are a country which is a member of the United Nations. Beyond that, we are a democracy and a republic. Botswana is a signatory to the Geneva Convention. This is a convention that carries articles that govern the use of arms, be it in peacetime or during armed hostilities.

There are clear Standard Operating Procedures that are laid down in black and white which are the responsibility of every soldier and policeman or woman to know and understand, whether they are on operational duties or they remain in the registries.

When any patrol is sent out, be it in an urban setting or along the borders of Botswana, each and every operative with a lethal weapon should be briefed clearly on what they may anticipate when they carry the weapon and beyond. Regardless of their knowledge and understanding of both the weapon and the operation, they have to be given new and clear rules of engagement by their immediate commander in the exercise. Understanding the rules of engagement reduces the risk of confusion in a case where a suspect or an enemy emerges.

Before engaging a suspect or enemy with live rounds, there is a requirement for the handler of a lethal weapon to do what is referred to as positive identification of the target (suspect) before engagement. In the case of Costa Kalafatis, assuming that he had snatched a bag as the version of the police has said, there was absolutely no need to fire even a single shot at the suspect. The police did not say he used a weapon to rob the mysterious woman of her handbag. It was a petty crime that did not require any lethal weapon to have been on site.

However, rules of engagement become elaborate when the suspect is armed. The operatives must first shoot the wheels to disable the vehicle in use. In the case where the armed suspect flees on foot, they are to be disabled by shooting them in the lower half of the body. At the time when the suspect is approached and they initiate use of lethal force, the operative will shoot to defend themselves, their colleagues or the property they are protecting.

Shooting a suspect comes after a thorough assessment of the situation. The team leader in charge has to go through a fast mental assessment of the situation in a matter of seconds and come up with a clear and defensible course of action. For the BDF, the first question is whether the target is of military necessity. For members of the police service, including the Special Support Group, the first question that the team leader has to address is whether the suspect is a security threat, particularly taking public interest into account.

The starting point is use of minimum force commensurate with the existing threat. If a suspect brandishes a stick, a police officer may choose to use pepper spray to disable the suspect. In the case where a suspect draws a lethal weapon, minimum force would be use of an equivalent or similar weapon to shoot the lower torso.

There are more questions than answers in both the John and Costa Kalafatis incidents. Members of the public are becoming increasingly weary of a rising paramilitary force that is yet to be identified that acts in the name of the police and the military while flouting every rule of engagement in the book.

In the process, this group tarnishes the good name of Botswana's respectable armed forces. Some of us are proud to have worn that uniform which commanded respect from members of the public. We still are proud to be associated with the disciplined forces, and we want to continue to do that with our heads up.

An elected government in a democratic country has an obligation to provide answers, lest people live in fear of this invisible force. In an election year like 2014, the answers are more urgent than ever. It is thus incumbent upon members of the public to begin probing.

Rev. Richard Moleofe is a retired military officer.

Recent article carried in the Weekend Post newspaper in which the former Commissioner of the Police is reflective of the sentiments that many of us who have worked within the armed forces share. He was responding to the shooting of Costa Kalafatis purportedly by members of the Botswana Police Service.

These are views that have been expressed by past generals and commissioners during their tenure of service at either the BDF or BPS. After the shooting of John Kalafatis, Lieutenant General Tebogo Masire hastily convened a meeting at which he publicly disowned the soldiers that were involved in the killing. He termed the killing of John Kalafatis illegal, immoral and indefensible. The starting point in the debate of the rampant killings occurring in Botswana is that we are a country which is a member of the United Nations. Beyond that, we are a democracy and a republic. Botswana is a signatory to the Geneva Convention.

This is a convention that carries articles that govern the use of arms, be it in peacetime or during armed hostilities. There are clear Standard Operating Procedures that are laid down in black and white which are the responsibility of every soldier and policeman or woman to know and understand, whether they are on operational duties or they remain in the registries. When any patrol is sent out, be it in an urban setting or along the borders of Botswana, each and every operative with a lethal weapon should be briefed clearly on what they may anticipate when they carry the weapon and beyond. Regardless of their knowledge and understanding of both the weapon and the operation, they have to be given new and clear rules of engagement by their immediate commander in the exercise. Understanding the rules of engagement reduces the risk of confusion in a case where a suspect or an enemy emerges.Before engaging a suspect or enemy with live rounds, there is a requirement for the handler of a lethal weapon to do what is referred to as positive identification of the target (suspect) before engagement. In the case of Costa Kalafatis, assuming that he had snatched a bag as the version of the police has said, there was absolutely no need to fire even a single shot at the suspect. The police did not say he used a weapon to rob the mysterious woman of her handbag. It was a petty crime that did not require any lethal weapon to have been on site.However, rules of engagement become elaborate when the suspect is armed. The operatives must first shoot the wheels to disable the vehicle in use. In the case where the armed suspect flees on foot, they are to be disabled by shooting them in the lower half of the body. At the time when the suspect is approached and they initiate use of lethal force, the operative will shoot to defend themselves, their colleagues or the property they are protecting. Shooting a suspect comes after a thorough assessment of the situation. The team leader in charge has to go through a fast mental assessment of the situation in a matter of seconds and come up with a clear and defensible course of action. For the BDF, the first question is whether the target is of military necessity.

For members of the police service, including the Special Support Group, the first question that the team leader has to address is whether the suspect is a security threat, particularly taking public interest into account. The starting point is use of minimum force commensurate with the existing threat. If a suspect brandishes a stick, a police officer may choose to use pepper spray to disable the suspect. In the case where a suspect draws a lethal weapon, minimum force would be use of an equivalent or similar weapon to shoot the lower torso.There are more questions than answers in both the John and Costa Kalafatis incidents. Members of the public are becoming increasingly weary of a rising paramilitary force that is yet to be identified that acts in the name of the police and the military while flouting every rule of engagement in the book. In the process, this group tarnishes the good name of Botswana's respectable armed forces. Some of us are proud to have worn that uniform which commanded respect from members of the public.

We still are proud to be associated with the disciplined forces, and we want to continue to do that with our heads up.An elected government in a democratic country has an obligation to provide answers, lest people live in fear of this invisible force. In an election year like 2014, the answers are more urgent than ever. It is thus incumbent upon members of the public to begin probing.Rev. Richard Moleofe is a retired military officer.