Press Statement on the meeting of Civil Society representatives on 16th June 2009

Formation of the Citizens for Justice Forum (CJF)

On Tuesday 16th June 2009, representatives of Civil Society in Botswana met at the Botswana Network on Ethics Law and HIV and AIDS (BONELA) and resolved to form the Citizens for Justice Forum (CJF) to lead in the pursuit of justice and truth in Botswana.  This meeting was convened by Kgosi Kgolo Kgafela II to deliberate on the incidents of extra judicial killings and torture, allegedly perpetrated by state security agents in Botswana in recent times and agree on a unified common approach by civil society to deal with and deter such occurrences.

CJF will in due course announce a CJF Fund, in which the public would be asked to contribute both financially or otherwise. This venture is expected to be very costly and as such citizens who value the rule of law and justice are expected to volunteer their skills, finances, human resources, but most of all their commitment to the course of justice.

Civil Society representation at this meeting included Dikgosi (represented by Kgosi Kgolo Kgafela II and Kgosi Kgolo Kgari III Sechele), the Botswana Council of Churches (BCC), private legal practitioners, members of the Law Society of Botswana, the Botswana Council of Non Governmental Organisations (BOCONGO), DITSHWANELO – The Botswana Centre for Human Rights, Media Institute of Southern Africa – Botswana Chapter (MISA Botswana),  BONELA, Ineeleng Trust, the Botswana National Front (BNF), the Botswana Congress Party (BCP), members of the media and concerned private citizens.

Civil society representatives exchanged information on actions which they had taken with regards to the recent killing of John Kalafatis and other allegations of state sponsored killings and torture to date.  Information shared revealed, amongst others, that there have been several other incidents of alleged extra judicial killings and maiming of civilians by security forces which have not as yet been reported.

Participants also shared information on proposed strategies to prevent the recurrence of similar human rights violations in the future, which include lobbying for legislation such as a Human Rights Commission for Botswana and a Freedom of Information Act, critically necessitated by the present ‘blackout’ of information by Government.  The majority of African countries which espouse similar democratic values to Botswana all have Human Rights Commission legislation.  There have been recommendations from the Office of the Ombudsman in the past that the establishment of a Human Rights Commission is long overdue.

The constituent members of the CJF will each hold urgent consultations with their members to gain a wider national mandate which will guide the development of a programme of action towards the establishment of legal and institutional mechanisms to preserve the rule of law and deter human rights abuses perpetrated by state security agents in Botswana.

A working committee was constituted from among the representatives.  The working committee is led by Kgosi Kgolo Kgafela II and comprises BOCONGO, BCC, DITSHWANELO, MISA Botswana and the Law Society of Botswana.   DITSHWANELO is the Secretariat for the Citizens’ Justice Forum. The working committee will meet in 1 weeks’ time to receive reports from members, which reports, will be collated into a unified strategy. 

17 June 2009
Gaborone

or more information, please contact DITSHWANELO – The Botswana Centre for Human Rights at Tel: 267 390 6998 Fax: 267 3907778, Website: www.ditshwanelo.info.bw, Email:admin.ditshwanelo@info.bw/ditshwanelo-myfuturetoday@info.org.bw