By Teboho Serutla
The Lesotho government has launched the diaspora policy at a function hosted in Maseru last week.
The policy was launched with the support of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM)
The document called Lesotho National Diaspora Policy addresses issues such as human trafficking, xenophobia and he treatment of Basotho nationals in foreign countries.
In an interview with the newspaper, the interim coordinator of Basotho Diaspora Association (BDA), ‘Matumelo Halieo Lelosa said the main objective of the association is to bring together Basotho nationals living in 41 foreign countries.
She said that Basotho migrate to various countries for numerous reasons such as job seeking activities. Some of them illegally cross to other countries thereby placing their lives at risk.
Lelosa said that the association is run by volunteers who come from different work sectors.
“We try by all means to ensure the welfare of Basotho nationals living in foreign countries. There are still many challenges that we face such xenophobic behaviour, racism, discrimination and abuse,” she said.
She said there were many associated memberships of their movement especially in the neighbouring South Africa in which many of the members live.
The association is entrusted with the responsibility to assist Basotho migrants who live in those countries.
She observed that many Basotho nationals illegally cross to South Africa and are not documented. Therefore, she added, such migrants are not included in the database.
Lelosa said that there was a need for all the nationals living in other countries to register with her association so as to bring together those nationals.
The association is determined to trace every Mosotho national living outside the kingdom.
She is satisfied that the policy is now in place as a tool to protect Basotho in diaspora.
The policy established the diaspora directorate that would oversee the association.
Prime minister, Moeketsi Majoro applauded all members of the association outside the country, who took action to ensure that the association is successfully established.
He said the policy would enable the protection of Basotho nationals in foreign soil.
“Lesotho is in the journey of reforms, therefore this policy is also playing a crucial role in the development of these reforms, and apart from sharing of skills, with this policy we intend to bring all Basotho together, despite the locations they may be in,” he concluded.
The minister of foreign affairs and international relations, ‘Matšepo Molise Ramakoae stated that in April 2018 her ministry approached IOM for fund in support on diaspora engagement forums in South Africa.
For the IOM regional director Charles Kwenin the diaspora is a sense of belonging to one’s country.
“It is not what your country does for you, but what you do for your country. Migration cannot be stopped therefore let us find ways of making it beneficial to all migrants,” he urged.
