by BNFA Publicity Wing

Following the repudiation of the unitary Treaty that created Zambia–the Barotseland Agreement 1964–the bankrupt and failed Zambian state is on a mission to enlist the Barotse Cultural Landscape as one of its world heritage sites through UNESCO. For this purpose, Zambia set up National Heritage Conservation Commission Office in Mongu with funding from World Wildlife Fund for Nature as a means to derail Barotseland self determination, cultural, economic and social development thereby use the enlistment as an excuse for failure to develop the region. Further, Zambia wants to use the deprived and oppressed people as a tourist attraction, means to get funding from UNESCO and use UNESCO as a front to exploit Barotseland’s resources.

The Zambian regime does not have the legitimacy to enlist any Barotseland territory. Neither does it have the mandate to represent Barotseland at any forum nor administer the territory. Their ill conceived mission has been rejected by the people of Barotseland but remain unrelenting in their efforts. Accordingly, we urge UNESCO to reject the proposal and not allow itself to be used as a tool of oppressing the people of Barotseland. As a people, we shall not honor nor respect it.