Mmegi/The Reporter (Gaborone)
Ryder Gabathuse
8 October 2007
Francistown — Justice, Defence and Security Minister, Phandu Skelemani has denied reports that government secretly deployed soldiers to the war-torn Darfur region in Sudan. "That is not true and those who suggest that we have secretly deployed soldiers for a foreign mission without consulting them, should better read the Botswana Defence Force (BDF) Act for guidance," said Skelemani.
Allegations of secret foreign deployment of troops emerged recently following the death of BDF's Major Gaolatlhe Tiro after a surprise attack by rebels at a military base in southern Sudan. The attack killed a number of soldiers serving in a multinational force under the African Union (AU). There are claims that Parliament should have been consulted before Botswana sent troops to Sudan.
But Skelemani, who is the former Attorney General, explained that there is nothing in the BDF Act that suggests that MPs should be consulted before soldiers are deployed on peace-keeping abroad. "Unless BDF members are going on a war mission in a foreign land, that is when they (MPs) could be consulted," he explained.
He indicated that President Festus Mogae will inform the nation next month about some of the major decisions he made during the year. This includes the deployment of BDF soldiers to Darfur.
Skelemani denied that BDF soldiers on AU assignment in Darfur are 'denied' the Foreign Deployment Allowance (FDA), which is enjoyed by those from other countries on similar assignment.
"At some stage, I received allegations that some soldiers on AU missions were not receiving the FDA. I asked the BDF commander if this had any truth in it and the answer was in the negative," he said. He added that as far as he is concerned, BDF soldiers are getting all their allowances.
A Francistown-based private attorney, Phazha Kgalemang said last Friday that the BDF Act Section 6 and 7 give the President specified powers to deploy the army outside the country in certain circumstances without consultation.
"The Act (BDF) does not say there should be consultation with Parliament or any other body for that matter," stressed Kgalemang.
Tati-East MP, Guma Moyo, told Monitor last Friday that the deployment of soldiers on foreign assignment is an issue of governance. "Unless as Parliament we now want to teach the executive how they should run their affairs. I think the issue of deployment remains the prerogative of the government," he pointed out.
But Botswana Congress Party (BCP) MP for Gaborone Central, Dumelang Saleshando insisted that Parliament should have been consulted before deployment of Botswana soldiers on the Darfur peace mission.
"Even if a decision was taken at cabinet level, MPs who are accountable to the people should at least be consulted. In the event something like the fatal attack on the mission in Darfur that left 10 soldiers dead last Saturday and 40 others missing, we should have answers for the people," he said.
He was worried that as an MP, he was totally ignorant about the deployment of the BDF soldiers, except the information he read from the media, just like the rest of the public.
Saleshando indicated that government should in future consult Parliament on the issue to enable MPs perform their oversight function.
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