From: wsargeant@IGC.ORG (Winslow L. Sargeant)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.african
Subject: IPS:Lesotho, looming famine overshadows
Date: 17 Apr 92 15:58:47 GMT

/* Written 12:03 am  Apr 17, 1992 by newsdesk in cdp:ips.englibrary */
/* ---------- "LESOTHO: LOOMING FAMINE OVERSHADOWS" ---------- */
Copyright Inter Press Service 1992, all rights reserved.  Permission to re-
print within 7 days of original date only with permission from 'newsdesk'.

Area: Europe, eastern
Reference: Africa, southern
Title: LESOTHO: LOOMING FAMINE OVERSHADOWS DEMOCRATISATION PROCESS


an inter press service feature

by khutliso sekoati

maseru, apr 14 (ips) -- fear of starvation and famine, resulting
from the crippling drought, has shifted the minds of many
basotho people and the government from the democratisation
process going on in their land-locked southern african country.

lesotho's military ruler, major-general phisoana ramaema has
declared the country a drought-stricken and food emergency area
and called for international food aid.

in southern africa, the drought has devastated crops in
several countries, including lesotho, raising fears of mass
starvation.

the tiny mountain kingdom of lesotho is completely surrounded
by south africa and the people's main subsistence crops are
maize, sorghum and wheat.

due to poor grain production this year, government will have
to import large quantities of food from the country's only
neighbour, south africa, which is also reeling under the impact
of drought.

lesotho's maize crop this season is estimated at 16 percent
below national requirement. wheat and sorghum output would also
fall short by 20 percent of normal consumption demand.

food import requirements for this year are estimated at
30,000 metric tonnes of maize, 28,000 metric tonnes of wheat and
31,000 tonnes of sorghum.

''government concern remain high about the ability of
vulnerable groups to purchase these basic commodities'', ramaema
told his people.

prices of basic food supplies are expected to escalate due to
the shortfall in local production and government maintains that
external assistance will be necessary to cushion the adverse
effects of the worst drought in 50 years.

''we have sought emergency food aid assistance from donors
and friendly governments to alleviate identified hardships and
health risks of the vulnerable groups, especially in mountain
and southern districts of lesotho'', ramaema said in a recent
national broadcast. (more/ips)


lesotho: looming (2)

as part of its plans to provide assistance to farmers,
government continues to monitor the actual and potential effects
of drought on livestock, horticulture, irrigated and cash crops,
farm credit and vulnerable groups.

government's shift from the democratisation process to the
''politics of hunger'' follows a call in march by lesotho's
united democratic party (udp) to declare the country a food
shortage and drought disaster area.

''the emergency situation currently in the country confirms
and justifies the appeal which i made to maj-gen. ramaema and
the foreign governments to secure enough food for the almost two
million people in the country'', udp leader charles mofeli told
ips.

''the government of lesotho and countries with which it has
diplomatic relations should not use preparations for general
elections as a convenient excuse to ignore the catastrophe which
the people are suffering'', said mofeli, a former minister of
water, energy and mining.

but ramaema dismissed the accusation as ''blatant lies and
malicious allegations orchestrated by politicians after
realising that their chances of winning the elections were very
slim''.

in spite of the drought and political jostling, lesotho
forges ahead with its democratisation process and over 550,000
eligible voters have been registered for the general elections
to be held later this year.

an electoral law is due to be gazetted before the end of
april to allow delimitation of constituencies in may.

a coup on apr. 30 last year brought ramaema to power as
lesotho's second military leader in five years. executive and
legislative powers of the country's monarch were suspended in
february 1990 after king mosheoshoe refused to approve changes
in the ruling military council. (end/ips/ks/ar/tvh/92)