Martin Luther King JR said: “Our lives begin to end the day we remain silent about the things that matter most.” He is also remembered to have said: “Injustice here is injustice everywhere.” He was certainly not the first to have expressed these noble words. Many truth seekers before him have said the same although in different languages and perhaps different emphasis, and many more after him will continue to sing the same tune of truth to remind humanity of its duty to each other and to God. This article seeks to speak to the heart of YOU the reader with the earnest hope that its message will reach its intended destination. That message is this: We Batswana, and especially YOU the reader, are the architects of our own suffering. We create our own reality with our group consciousness. We have created a reality of suffering all as a result of YOUR silence in the face of falsehood and the injustice that accompanies it.
Evil has one purpose alone. It is to enslave humanity for the maximum possible benefit of the devil doers. This is exactly what domination of a people by another is all about. Enslavement has been part of human history for millennia. It is ongoing here in Africa and here in Botswana today as I speak to you. YOU the reader are a slave but you cannot see it. The only difference between you and the slave of the 1800’s is that you are given money instead of food in exchange for your sweat so that you may purchase the food for yourself rather than receive it from your slave master.
Other than that, there is really no difference. In fact the slave of the 1800’s may have been better off because he could easily identify the evil of slavery: It was grotesquely visible in every part of his being and because of that, he could deal with it to end his suffering. The present day slavery is hidden in disguise under philosophies such as “western democracy “ and “ Christianity” , both of which have been used as powerful tools of human oppression and cultural destruction by colonialists all over the world throughout history to this day. We must by now have all come to terms with the reality that western democracy is the greatest universal deceit of this century. It is being exposed for what it is elsewhere in the world as seen through revolutions in North Africa. YOU the reader must urgently wake up to the reality that the system of governance in Botswana which YOU call democracy is a FRAUD. It is exposing itself daily to be so, and more of such exposure is yet to come in the next few months. The elected leaders you call Government are in fact only puppets.
They are a puppet government and have been so since 1966. If you have any doubt about what I am saying then ask them who challenge what I say the following questions: (i) why are they (government) ruling you in a culture and laws which originate from the pre 1966 colonial masters?
(ii) Why are they doing so against the obvious wish and desire of the majority of Batswana who neither understand nor like such laws and culture? (iii) Why do they choose to copy statute laws from western cultures/ countries, instead of simply consulting Batswana as to the type of laws they Batswana desire? (iv) Why do they force upon Batswana policies of the United Nations without seeking the consent or at least consultation of Batswana? (v) Who really are these people called government serving? Why are they giving our land and wealth to foreigners? (vi) Why do they continue with an obviously raw deal of profit sharing on our diamonds with De beers? What allegiance do they owe De beers or foreign powers to warrant such unfair sharing in our own wealth? (vii) and interestingly , ask yourself this; what is it that (Sir) Seretse Kgama and (Sir) Ketumile Masire did, for her majesty the Queen of England, for them to deserve and be awarded such a royally prestigious award as the Queens knights?
This question in particular troubles me and those I speak to. On the Telegraph dated 23/02/2011 Rre D.K. Kwelagobe wrote an article titled “Sir Kitumile Masire; A prophet without honour in his own country.”
It also pains me if it pains Rre Kwelagobe to opine that Rra Gaone is not honoured in his own country but I will not apologise for telling the truth for only the truth shall set us free as said in our holy books that are gathering dust at our homes. An apology to Batswana would do him good once and for all. I can assure YOU the reader that your inquiry into these fundamental questions will lead you to one conclusion alone that your government is not serving YOUR interests but the interests of someone else. A Government that fits that description is called a puppet government. Take a ready example of the last three parliamentary sessions. Ask yourself this: members of parliament speak fancy rhetoric in parliament; but really whose views and values are they representing when they speak?
Have they sought the views of their constituents? Take for example the debates on homosexuality and prostitution? Has any member of parliament sought the views of his constituency before speaking on such an important issue that is likely to affect the entire value system of a people calling themselves Batswana? Whose interests really is YOUR government representing? I am saying to you that they are not serving the interests of democracy.
If they did, they would have long passed laws that are known worldwide to strengthen democracy such as a law setting up the human rights commission, whistle blowers legislation, freedom of information law and laws that force government’s accountability to the people. Instead they caucus to thwart the passing of such similar laws. I am saying to you that they are not serving the interests of the various cultural groups making up Botswana because if they did, they would not be suppressing culture at the rate we see, including pertinently, the suppression of indigenous languages.
Look at what they have done to Basarwa of CKGR !
They kicked them out of their ancestral land, away from the graves of their forefathers so that they Government, and those they represent can dig out for more and more diamond that have proved not to benefit Batswana. Look at what they have done to Ngamiland. A tourist to Ngamiland books his vacation in South Africa or America and all the payments are received in those countries with nothing or very little benefiting YOU the reader. This is ludicrous. It is a nightmare that is only getting worse, especially where the last hope, the judiciary and the Rule of law , have now fallen prey to the corruption of Government. If YOU still entertain any comforting doubt on this one, ask yourself why and how our Kgosi Kgolo Kgafela was imprisoned for seven days by the magistrates Court, even before his trial had begun and why it is that the murderers of kalafatis and numerous other victims of extra judicial killings took so long to be prosecuted. I know it is difficult to accept this but the reality is that the RULE of law has collapsed and very few people have faith in the justice system. This false depressing reality we call Botswana is a reality that has been created by YOU; YOU the reader, and all those Batswana who like YOU keep quiet and watch wrong things happen around YOU. YOU expect that someone someday is going to make the nightmare go away. He too, that person somewhere expects that YOU will do something to make the nightmare go away.
If you do not do anything and he similarly does nothing it will not go away. YOUR inaction and bystander stance is killing this country. It is giving the evildoers the ammunition to continue oppressing YOU, your children and YOUR countrymen.
The system of oppression is thriving on your ignorance, your appetite for ignorance, YOUR individualistic attitude towards life, your greed, selfishness and envy. Envy is describes as a feeling of unhappiness for other peoples successes and happiness for their downfall. Mahatma Gandhi classified it as the top most of the seven deadly sins of this world. In Botswana we call it the “ pull him down syndrome “ or “ Go-tswana “ . It is not surprising therefore as to why we are called “ Ba- tswana”.
YOU the reader must fast plug yourself from these negative forces, the worst of which is fear of what other people may say of you when you stand up and advocate for truth and justice. It is only through your silence that our lives as Batswana will begin to end as they have started to so end. Bontle bo a itirelwa.
The Egyptians, Tunisians , Kenyans etc have engineered their own change. They have created their new reality. YOU the reader must not fool yourself to believe that anybody is going to do it for you. Stand up to speak. Don’t be afraid, or envious of those who have started to speak. Don’t pull them down; rather assist them if you do not have the courage to do what they do. The END is here for false rule. It is only a matter of a few months or years but can be even shorter if YOU throw in your stone. Start to demand a new constitution for Botswana that will return Botswana back to Batswana as should have been in 1966. YOU must refuse to settle for anything less than a brand new constitution. Don’t be fooled by those who talk of constitutional reform aimed at mere cosmetic amendments which do not address the core and most essential features of our destiny as Bakgatla , Bangwaketse, Balete, Basarwa, Bakalaka, Bayei etc.
Once the end becomes visibly present here , your puppet government will make last minute attempts to deceive you with an appearance that they seek to do your wish when in the end it is the same old trick of having a few so called elite people deciding the future of this country for YOU and everyone without your meaningful participation.
Remember that just a few months ago both the president and vice president unequivocally told Batswana that there is no need to change the constitution.
Beware of their sudden change of stance if it does take place! Start to read widely and start to promote discussions of transformation rather than sticking to the usual low intellect topics of who did what, when and the latest news of BDP, BMD, BCP; the BBB’s of this country’s corridors and cheap beer talk. My Dear reader, i hope this message has struck home well and good. Get serious. Good luck in your individual spiritual revolt against falsehood. Modimo/God/Allah/Jah is great. Trust in him; for, his truth shall set you free. Remember this: the duty of this government is to do evil. The only way to stop the evil is for you to get up out of your comfort zone. “Stand up. Get up. Stand up for your rights. Don’t give up the fight!”: Bob Marley. Ke nako!
