BNFA speech at the funeral of Likando Pelekelo on August 18, 2020 in Senanga
by lutangu sinonge, Chairperson—Barotse Imilema
On behalf of Mukwae Wabei Siyolwe, BNFA Chairperson General, all BNFA members and indeed on my own behalf, I wish to convey my deepest condolences on this unfortunate event. Today we are putting to rest our hero Likando Pelekelo who sacrificed his life for the liberation of Barotseland. He died in a Kabwe Maximum Prison where he was serving a fifteen year sentence.
At the Universal Periodic Review for Zambia in Geneva in 2017 Mukwae Wabei Siyolwe pleaded for the unconditional release of Likando Pelekelo, his colleagues and all other imprisoned Barotse activists and the stoppage of all cases in Zambian courts involving Barotse freedom fighters.
Through the Mukwae Wabei, BNFA Chairperson General, we are going to report the passing of Likando Pelekelo, the plight of his colleagues and all other incarcerated Barotse activists to UNPO and the international community.
The people of Barotseland are oppressed by the Zambian government in our own territory. We came together through the Barotseland Agreement of 1964 which we accepted as invalid at the BNC of 2012. But Zambia is still clinging on us.
We call on the international community to speed up the recognition of Barotseland statehood and independence to avoid violent uprising, deaths and suffering. We also call on the people of Barotseland to work together towards the achievement of their independence. We have one common enemy so we should be united to defeat the enemy. Those who work with our enemy to oppress us and deny us our human rights should be considered as our enemies. United we stand, divided we fall. Any one of us who works with our enem