IG GRAPHEL MUSAMBA SHOULD STOP CRIMINALIZING THE BAROTSELAND ISSUE BECAUSE IT IS PURELY CIVIL AND BORDERS ON HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATED BY THE ZAMBIAN GOVERNMENT.
….. Barotseland Nationalists Youth alliance responds toinspector general of Police
26th February, 2024.
Greetings:
Fellow countrymen and women, we, the Barotseland Nationalists Youth Alliance, have noted with great concern the threats from the Inspector General of Zambia Police , Mr Graphel Musamba , who has warned that pursuing self-determination is criminal and treasonous .
Our dear Barotseland Nationals, , We find it un ethical to respond to Mr Musamba because he was warning a no body . He was using indirect language, keeping us guessing whether he was referring to Umodzi Kumawa , Barotseland Nationalists Youth Alliance,
Linyungandambo,BFNA , or the Barotse Royal Establishment who have hoisted a UNPO flag at Naliele palace and who have also submitted the Privy Council Resolutions about Self-determination of Barotseland to Mr Hakainde Hichilema the president of Zambia.
In his press release, Mr Musamba stated that ” With immediate effect,police will begin arresting people promoting and inciting any form of uprising or secession in any territory considered to be part of the unitary state of Zambia.
Assuming that the Inspector General of Zambia police was referring to the people of Barotseland, then he is poking his nose into matters beyond him.
Looking at Barotseland from a broader spectrum,namely, biblically,rationally, politically, cultural, economically and legally, we note that Barotseland was destined to be ruled by her own people and not to be occupied illegally by Zambia as a new found land without people.
Graphel Musamba should know that Zambia is a signatory to the UN Charter on Human Rights which recognizes self-determination as a Human Right . Barotseland has a right to Self-determination; by virtue of that , they are free to determine their political status and freely pursue their economic , social and cultural development. The resolutions to separate Barotseland from Zambia which the Privy Council deliberated upon are within the framework of law.
Therefore, threatening to arrest or kill people who are pursuing their rights to Self-determination is violating international law and it can attract sanctions on Zambia , the country which is already struggling even without sanctions.
Since Mr Musamba is a police officer who understands law better than anybody , let him influence his government to compensate more than 100 Barotse who were arrested in 2013 and released on nolle prosequi and the families of those killed by the same police he is in charge of. Not being on nolle prosequi for 11 years . The IG should go back to court and inform the Zambian judiciary that police has failed to find evidence and not promising the world to arrest a group of Barotse and again end up with another nolle prosequi. In fact , the Inspector General of Zambia police is not intending to arrest but to kill us, we have received several death threats from Zambia intelligence officers. This time , if you kill the Barotse, you will be dragged to the international criminal court, no jokes.
Fellow countrymen and women,as Barotseland Nationalists Youth Alliance,we do not accept the misleading interpretation that the future position of Barotseland within Zambia alluded to unitarism .The Barotseland Agreement 1964 just intended to preserve Barotse autonomy, but if the interpretation of the Barotseland Agreement is that it made Barotseland part of Zambia, then it is essential to realize that the same agreement did not enter into force, and according to the law of treaties,the agreement that did not enter into force is not legally binding, besides, its abrogation means rejection of Barotseland and the corallary of abrogation is Barotseland independence.
As we conclude, the Nigerian political analyst , in his book , ” Politics of collaboration” 1810 to 1914 states that Barotseland emerged in the 20 th century with more sovereignty than any other group in the sub – continent , what he called Barotse Social Order.
The foreign office, London instructions to Coryndon No. 184 of 1 st May 1897 acknowledge Barotse as a nation . Furthermore, the pre-colonial and colonial era speaks volumes about the sovereignty of Barotse. The secretary of state for colonies , sir P. Cunliffe Lister wrote in December 1931 as follows:
” The intention of the agreement of 1900 must be kept clearly in view. There can be no doubt that the essence of this agreement was that the Barotse nation should preserve their individuality , their territory and self government.
if the IG feels Zambia is holding on to Barotseland legally, we challenge him to tell his Boss, President Hakainde Hichilema to sign the permanent court of arbitration forms which are being prepared by our international lawyers so that the matter of Barotseland can be determined by an independent and impartial Court.
Finally, we challenge Mr Graphel Musamba to arrest the Barotse or even kill them and prove to the world that self determination is a crime according to the penal code of Zambia. We also challenge Zambia to withdraw her signature from the UN Charter on Human Rights, if at all self determination is a crime.
Thank you very much. May the Almighty God bless our King.
I do not think it is difficult to seat down with Zambian’s holding green Zambian registration cards and convincing them that they are actually Zambians
The bemba saying: ” mumbwe ukulila , ninshi pali uko ashintilile amatako”. These boys are being incited by some big fish right here in lusaka.
When you are killing a snake , you need to strike the head for it to die quickly. As long as the big fish in Lusaka are not identified and connered , this dead issue of Barotseland will never disappear.