MASERU – THEY have been in detention for the past three months with the army trying to rehabilitate them.
Now the Lesotho Defence Force (LDF) boss, Lieutenant General Mojalefa Letsoela, believes the 74 youths, who include two females, are ready to “rejoin society”.
The youths were part of a gang called Manomoro (belonging to gangs identifying themselves with certain tattooed numbers or by other symbols signifying their chosen number).
The youngsters, aged between 16 and 34 years, have been held at the Makoanyane Military Barracks since April after being rounded up and arrested in various villages of Maseru.
Speaking at a joint sports function organised for the gangsters by the LDF and the state-owned youth radio station, Ultimate FM Radio, Lt Gen Letsoela asked the Ministry of Gender, Youth, Sports and Recreation to organise development programmes for the youths.
“Looking at the talents portrayed by some of them, we can put them on the frontline (of the national development programmes) if they reach where we want,” Lt Gen Letsoela said.
“Love and good behaviour should be instilled in these youth so that they know God and start being humble towards other human beings.”
Lt Gen Letsoela said a culture of respect for human rights starts in the army adding that is why the detainees now know about human rights.
“We do not condone human rights violations,” he said.
“We are the ones who protect human rights. We cannot fail to honor human rights.”
His remarks come after human rights defenders raised concerns about the detention of the youths in April.
Lt Gen Letsoela said they had travelled a very difficult road with many challenges. Despite criticism that could have demoralised them, they pushed on to help bring the gangs under control, he said.
He said at some point they even thought that they had made a bad decision by rehabilitating the gangsters that were holding communities hostage.
“This parade has been done in such a way that it marks the ultimate pinnacle to the rehabilitated as they will remember everything they were taught,” he said.
Lt Gen Letsoela said every country has population and resources that include its youth “therefore what we see is where the power of the nation is”.
“We are happy that part of the nation understands and appreciates our job as the Lesotho Defence Force,” he said.
He said as the army every child is theirs, adding that they “like the youth so much”.
“Our plans are dominated by the youths because those who are old are a spent force, that is why they cause confusion for the youths,” he said.
He said their job includes correcting the people who err.
“We take people from where they are and make them to do what is right.”
One of the rehabilitating officers, Warrant Officer Matobole, said the young men and women undergoing rehabilitation had changed from being Manomoro to becoming Makoanyane rangers.
He said the sporting event was meant to accept the detainees so that in the end they go out and meet the entire community back home.
The army did not specify when the detainees will be released.
Nkheli Liphoto