The Southern African Centre for Constructive Resolution of Disputes (SACCORD) says it is inappropriate for the government to condemn Netherlands ambassador to Zambia Harry Molennar over his advise on the need for the government to consider resolving the impasse on the Barostseland agreement using the decentralization policy.
SACCORD executive director Lee Habasonda says what the Dutch envoy said is not different from what the people of Zambia want.
Mr. Habasonda has told QFM news that the decentralization policy is key because it will accord the people of Zambia an opportunity to participate in national development.
He adds that the people of western province have clearly indicated through the report submitted to government that they do not have any intentions of seceding from the rest of the country but that all they want is to see meaningful development in western province.
Mr. Habasonda notes that government also needs to reconsider its decision on the Barotseland issue and deal with the matter effectively to avoid instability in the country.
On Monday Netherlands ambassador to Zambia Harry Molennar said that the Barotseland impasse which recently led to a fracas in Mongu district could be resolved through implementation of the government decentralization policy.
But Foreign Affairs minister Kabinga Pande warned diplomats against commenting on internal matters of the country saying the people of Zambia are well- placed to handle such matters.
QFM
some of these fly by night organisations will open their mouths for the sake of justifying their existence. this ambassador is definately out of order, whether this is the opinion of most zambians or not. can you imagine the zambian ambassador getting in the mix of, say the health care debate in the states and advising that government about the merits or otherwise of including a public option in their health care bill? nonsense!!!
dambisa came upto with some very interesting out of the box views about the middle east/ north africa uprisings on a cbc interview just aired
#1 Webman, it is an interesting comment you have made about what our diplomats cant say in other countries while diplomats from other countries to zambia say things about our domestic politics. I am wondering whether that is part of the problem of our society – fear! I am no diplomat, but if Zambian ambassador to the US is invited to a pubic discussion debating Public health care Vs Private Health Care why cant they express their opinion? Are we so scared as a people? Maybe that is why Zambia is not that influential at world stage. Reminds me of our govt waiting for other govts reactions on Ivory Coast. Are we that scared?
What do you think?
Mwebantu #3, its not that we are scared. It is the lack of knowledge on the subject that makes us timid. Encouraging debates acdemic, political or otherwise encourages confidence and research on the part of participants. Zambia doesn’t encourage debate. Our society enourages docility. The government will appoint docile representatives who wont partcipate in the debates you are talking about because the norm is that being quiet or timid is being good enough for a political appointment. If you know what you are talking about you wont be scared of saying things that wont go down well with your hosts.
i think to put it simply it is the master servant relationship which seems to have developed a life of it’s own. somehow we cannot think of ourselves as being at par with these countries. we need to be breaking this psychological barrier first.
Habasonda’s organisation probably gets funding from the Dutch govt so make of that what you will. The issue of Barotseland is contentious and I think that sometimes diplomat should keep their opinions to themselves. I think as Africans we need to learn to solve our own problems. Europeans dont have all the answers, in fact they are usually the genesis of many of Africa’s problems BA64 being yet another example of a fine mess left by Europeans for us to deal with.
The difference between a Zambian Ambassador in Zaire and the Dutch envoy in Zambia is that the dutch government is still providing vast amounts of support in donor aid to Zambia, some of which targets the area of decentralisation. Therefore, the ducth envoy is very well placed to advise us. I think we are not ready to accept his advice because we have different motives over the issue at hand. That is both the decentralisation policy, and the barotse issue.
When a Zambian says anything in foreign countries, they deport us.
But here we let foreigners do as they please.
Very sad!
No comment honestly.
This diplomat needs to stop interfering in our internal affairs. Least we should also air our view about their problems including the racism particularly in The Hague, Netherlands. Til today, they still stop minorities of black origins from entering certain night clubs. I recall, when I had to take the matter all the way to the Mayor of the Hague for it to be resolved. And all students that have studied in the Hague are aware of this… So, let them sort out there racism in their country before they start talking about our internal affairs as its clear that these boers still have problems of their own that they need to address before they start offering advice to others.
Lee Habasonda…….Get Lost!!!! Fuserk!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You can go and do your bootlicking in The Netherlands. As a Zambian you have every right, Habasomething to discuss the BR Agreement but we don’t like it any bit when you encourage foreigners to poke their noses in it. It is these same foreigners (in the form of the British) who are behind the Saga of the BR Agreement as their government was part of it. We need a Zambian solution to the mess created by the Colonial Masters.
Who asked him for an opinion.
Mr Habasonda’s and many similar other NGOs are always quick to pander to foreign countries. The reason is simple, those are their true masters and thats where their primary interest lies. Donor support or not, foreign nationals have no right to appear wiser over issues they clearly do not understand in full context. Like someone has said, these foreign forces are responsible for ,ost of the conflicts in the world.
so are u telling me no zambian suggested that,zambia chalochesu fak the ambassador he has no say in zambian issues dont 4get so many countries in this world have been destabilized by foreigners please trade carefully twapapata.
Well let me just add on what has been said…This Diplomat maybe right but if he really meant well he should have represented his views to Mr Pande. Diplomats are not allowed to discuss internal matters of the countries they represent in the media. Its not that Zambian diplomats are less educated, its jus that they know how they are suppose to behave. This is why no diplomat in china discusses the Tibet issue, they dont talk about those refugees that were expelled from France, they dont Discuss public health care of the US, nor do they condemn Russia’s handling of the Chechnya issue. So our very honorable diplomat would do well to keep his mouth shut on the barotse issue. This is a very sensitive issue to most Zambians as was witnessed by the debate that was going on on this blog.
Zambia is not an island. Immediately you kill your child in the home the neighours will take you to police. International community is pressuring Gaddafi to stop killing his people but him feels its a domestic issue. BA ia an international treaty between three countries, there, the international community is free to comment
On the other hand, Mr Habasonda has no right to say anything on behalf of Zambians…Which Zambian does Mr Habasonda represent, he is in Charge of an NGO that has clearly no use in Zambia as we do not have any conflict to resolve up until the Barotse issue. What this guy has been doing is always antagonizing the illegitimate elected govt when no one ever chose his to represent us. Mr habasonda has created more conflicts more than he has resolved.
# 4 you are a genius you have hit the nail on the head, in zambia docility and timid is an attribute of loyalty . if we were to form an organisation for boot lickers to be Known as Zambia Insititute of boot lickers you will find that most MPs, ministers, managers and traditional rulers will be fellow members. I wonder whether this is genetic cowadise.
When a Zambian ambassador participates in debates in developed countries, GRZ will recall him because he might become more popular than the ‘big man’ (‘small minded’). Our govt promotes docility. The result is evident even on this forum.
#1 webman – Why didnt you condemn the ambassador from war torn Serbia when he INSTRUCTED ZAMBIANS TO VOTE FOR RUPIAH. You MMD looters dont understand democracy as long as it doesnt favour you.
its a pity that we hav pipo like //1 in zambia, yo govt cn be ready to receive money from Dutch people for decentralisation but dnt expect them to make opinions on the same.
wise people learn from others, pande should not have been quick to dispel off the ambassadors suggestion on those funny grounds he was quoting. you want their donor funds and not their advice. shame on you. Mr. Habasonda has been consistent on conflict resolution and they have done studies on thesame and they have agiven good advise to the political parties and the government at large.
@18
Nalu- We only complain over a beer and when we sober up we forget all that we were complaining about. Arabs dont drink so they have all facaulties 24 hour per day.
The diplomat comes from the hague, which houses the International Court of Justices. He is just preparing Zambian minds so that when our leaders are arrested for crimes against humanist (committed in Barotseland) he could just say ” I told u so.”
It seems most Zambians are naturally very dull people looking at most comments on this thread. Can you people please remind yourselves at which confrence he uttered these comments? What was the context?No wonder Zambia is in a state it is. Backward, ignorant, intolerant and diseased. There are very few people who are able to think!
Mr Dzadza (No.25) you sound like someone who is prepared to sell their soul to the highest bidder! You are the type who praises anything foreign, shame on you. What makes you think that agreeing with foreign imperiarists is being intelligent? My friend go to other countries and you will be amazed how they value what is theirs. Now you? wanting to be a muzungu wanna be!!
poor and forever we will remain,very dull and lazy people,what a shame of human beings
can someone plz displine this so called diplomat. in their countries, do u think u can say such things?
malabishi……………………..
No.27: Poor and lazy yes, because you spend most of your time complaining instead of making something out of your sorry lives. Always looking for someone to blame for all your personal failures. Those that are serious are making it big and the rest of you just moan and moan
Lee Habasonda is an ***** who survives on Dutch aid!
What is inapproriate is for Dutch ambassador to interfere in our internal affairs with his unsolicited comments. Diplomatic etiquette is well understood by everybody, if this ambassador is not well taught where he comes from, let him get some lessons from Hon Pande. So what can this Habakondandalama tell us?
Shouldn’t we be talking about the Red-Light District in Amsterdam? What about the freedom to carry and smoke pot in Holland in public? How nice!