Lesotho marks 40 yrs of freedom
2006-10-03 08:43
Maseru - The tiny southern African kingdom of Lesotho celebrates its 40th anniversary of independence from Britain on Wednesday by unveiling a new flag to replace a martial one introduced after a 1986 coup.
Deputy prime minister Lesao Lehohla said the flag - whose unveiling would cap national celebrations - showed "a nation at peace with itself and at peace with its neighbours".
The new flag had three colours: blue for rain, white symbolizing peace and green indicating prosperity. It would also sport a cone-shaped hat, worn by the country's indigenous Basotho people.
The present flag was designed by a military government after a 1986 coup. It sported the same colours, but also portrayed a shield, a knobkerrie and spears.
Lesotho 'provider of migrant labour to SA
With a population of roughly 1.8 million, landlocked Lesotho gained independence from Britain on October 04, 1966 after almost a century.
Since the late 19th century, Lesotho had been a major provider of migrant labour to South Africa's giant mining industry.
This led to neglect of Lesotho's agricultural resources and the subsequent downsizing of SA's mining industry had exacerbated unemployment in a country completely surrounded by South Africa.
The independence celebrations began on Monday in the capital, Maseru, with King Letsie III planting trees at the foot of the statue of the founder of the Basotho nation, King Moshoeshoe I.
The monarch was a figurehead in Lesotho until the military junta, which staged the 1986 coup gave the then king Moshoeshoe II executive powers.
But a year later, the king fell out of favour with the military and went into exile. His son was installed as King Letsie III.
Lesotho 'wracked by acute poverty'
In 1994, Letsie III staged a coup with the help of the military to demand his father's re-instatement.
A year later, his father was re-installed, but died in a car crash the following year, only to be succeeded by Letsie III again.
Lesotho had been wracked by acute poverty, with a per capita GDP of $402. About 29% of the adult population was HIV positive and the country had more than 100 000 orphans, most of whom lost their parents to Aids.
Aids killed nearly 70 people each day in the country.
However, on the political front, Lesotho had emerged from a period of unrest. General elections in 2002 were peaceful and led to a 10-party parliament.
Lesotho's textiles industry accounted for nearly 20% of its GDP and nearly half of its formally employed workforce. Nearly all its textiles were exported with 90% or more going to the United States market in 2004.
But, the sector had been hit by products from low-cost Asian subsidiaries and uncertainty over continued duty-free access to the giant US market.