lesotho: life worse for communities after water projects

While it is seen as a project that has brought some remarkable economic prosperity to the Mountain Kingdom of Lesotho and an engineering feat surpassed by none of its kind in the whole world, the Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP) has left a trail of destitution, uncertainty and hopelessness amongst the communities affected by it in the Mohale area.

"Our Lives Have Become Worse Since We Were Resettled By the LHDA" -
Communities Affected By LHWP
Mopheme/The Survivor (Maseru)
March 13, 2003
Posted to the web March 13, 2003
Thabo Thakalekoala
Maseru
While it is seen as a project that has brought some remarkable
economic prosperity to the Mountain Kingdom of Lesotho and an
engineering feat surpassed by none of its kind in the whole world,
the Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP) has left a trail of
destitution, uncertainty and hopelessness amongst the communities
affected by it in the Mohale area.
These communities from different villages in the Mohale area were
resettled in the villages of Ha Ratau, Nazareth, Ha Seoe-hlana, Ha
Mosuoe, Ha Makotoko, Ha Makhale and Ha Moji on the foothills of the
Machache mountain range in the Maseru district to make way for the
construction of the Mohale dam as part of the Phase 1B of the Lesotho
Highlands Water Project which sells water to the neighbouring
Republic of South Africa.
Destitution, uncertainty and hopelessness amongst the resettled
communities came to the fore during the week-long formal inquiry into
the complaints against the LHWP by the affected communities conducted
by the Ombudsman, Sekara Mafisa and his team that ended at the
Molengoane Lodge on Friday, March 7, 2003.
The resettled communities from the seven villages all had the same
complaints against the custodian of the LHWP. The complaints included
delayed and inadequate compensation for communal assets, threshold
payment, provision of schools, clinics and clean water. What emerged
from different speakers at the formal inquiry was that the LHDA has
made the economic status of many resettled families move from bad to
worse.
They sent a clear message to the Ombudsman and the LHDA that despite
the economic upliftment promised them by the giant multi-billion
dollar water scheme, their lives have gone from bad to worse.
A representative of the community resettled at Ha Ratau, Moeketsi
Lakabane indicated that in 1995 when the Project informed them that
they would be resettled at Ha Ratau it promised that they would
receive training in vocational skills in order for them to engage in
income-generating activities in their adopted villages.
"However, nothing has happened as far as this is concerned. And the
Project does not communicate with us about this," he told the inquiry.
Lakabane disclosed that only five families out 34 families relocated
at Ha Ratau have received compensation for their assets such as
gardens since their arrival in the area in February 2002. "When we
ask for compensation for the remaining families, the Project gives us
unclear and ambiguous answers. Every time we ask for our compensation
Project officials tell us that it will soon pay us. And again, those
five families which were paid their compensation got inadequate and
unsatisfactory amounts of money for their property taken over by the
Project," he said.
He also indicated that, when paid out, compensation arrived late and
that inconvenienced many families as it hindered their plans and
plunged them in unnecessary debts which could have been avoided if
the LHDA paid out their compensation in time.
Lakabane pointed out that the houses built for them by the Lesotho
Highlands Water Project were in a terrible state and were starting to
crumble, and had leaking roofs and cracking walls.
"Despite being too small, the houses have a lot of structural
deficiencies and the equipment installed in the houses such as coal
stoves are malfunctioning and have become a threat to our lives and
we are in danger of contracting respiratory diseases. We have, on
several occasions informed the LHDA authorities about these problems
but they have done nothing," he said.
He disclosed that before they were resettled at Ha Ratau in the
Thaba-Bosiu area, the LHDA had promised them top-up money of
M3,960.00 but they [LHDA] have now reneged saying that people whose
belongings and property exceeding M3,960.00 would not receive any
top-up money.
"Another thing is that LHDA discriminates against some people when
paying out compensation for fields and other property. The LHDA also
promised us that they will release compensation for our communal
assets.
But, now the LHDA wants us to form a cooperative and pay M10.00
towards opening of a bank account into which our compensation for
communal assets will paid," he said.
Lakabane said the installation of clean water taps that the LHDA
promised to do in their homes have not been effected and they had to
walk long distances to fetch water.
'Mathato Takatso of Ha Ratau told the inquiry that the yards around
the houses built for them by LHDA were too small and did not allow
for extension of buildings. "These yards are so small we cannot even
build enclosures for our livestock," she added.
To the amazement of the Ombudsman and his officials, Molefi Sello
disclosed that the Chief of Ha Ratau, Lerotholi Theko threatened
resettled people with law suits if they continue demanding
compensation and other services from the LHDA.
"He refuses to write letters for us detailing our demands from the
LHDA saying that we have no right to bother the LHDA with our
demands," he said.
The Chief of Ha Ratau, Lerotholi Theko refuted the allegations and
said he was working in close collaboration with the resettled
communities in his area to make sure that they get their compensation.
"What the boy is saying is false. I am happy that these people from
Mohale resettled at my place. They have brought several developments
with them because the LHDA made sure that developments which were not
there before at Ha Ratau were initiated. These include provision of
clean drinking water," Chief Theko added.
Sello further told the inquiry that one LHDA official by the name of
Maile told them that LHDA's promise that they would get development
projects such as roads, schools and clinics was just a ploy and a
tactic to make them move away from their original homes in the Mohale
area to make way for the construction of the dam.
"In essence our lives have become miserable since we left our
original homes at Ha Mohale. We have become poorer because the LHDA
has reneged on its promise of providing better lives for us," the
young man added.
Complaints leveled against the LHDA by communities affected by the
Project and resettled at places like Ha Seoehlana, Ha Mosuoe, Ha
Makotoko, Ha Makhale and Ha Moji were all very similar and centred
around compensation for their various properties and the unfair
treatment meted out to them by the officials of the LHDA.
The LHDA will respond to the complaints and concerns of the affected
communities on March 20 to 21, 2003.

Ryan Hoover
Africa Program
International Rivers Network
1847 Berkeley Way
Berkeley, CA 94703
USA
Phone: (510) 848-1155 Fax: (510) 848-1008
www.irn.org
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Lori Pottinger, Director, Africa Program,
and Editor, World Rivers Review
International Rivers Network '})))>>
1847 Berkeley Way, Berkeley, California 94703, USA
Tel. (510) 848 1155 Fax (510) 848 1008
http://www.irn.org
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