22 Nov 2015

The Vice President, Mr Mokgweetsi Masisi, has condemned terrorists attacks that killed about 129 people and injured hundreds in France recently.

Speaking at a memorial service for the victims on Friday, Mr Masisi condemned the attacks, adding that saying such cowardly act could not be condoned. 

“We have always stood in the side of freedom and stood side of liberty and consciousness and no amount of aggression of violence, force will ever deter Botswana from standing by their beliefs,” he said.

Mr Masisi said Botswana was also against apartheid when the poorest countries in the world stood with South Africans.

“We told the apartheid regime in their faces that we abhor apartheid and liberty shall come where freedom will reign.” 

The Vice President also sent a message of condolences to the people of France and the victims of the terrorist attacks. 

“We say the same today with much more patiently, our sympathies and most sincerely goes to the people of France and to the families of the victims,” said Mr Masisi.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Dr Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi applauded nations that practiced democracy.

Dr Venson-Moitoi said nations that regarded themselves as too democratic spoke of inclusive societies.

“Because to demonstrate such, all people should be included in complete sharing of that democracy. We are not only talking about social services or economic benefits, also about human rights, protection and right to life,” she said.

Dr Venson-Moitoi said Botswana believed in and promoted multicultural societies, which preached and practiced multi-ethnic living and multi-religion tolerance because they were the basics that true democracies were built.

She also denounced terrorists acts, saying if people challenged such basic beliefs and practices they were against true democracies. 

“And when they claim to use religion they cannot be living on the side of truth, for those who go to church know God only believe in truth,” she said.

Further, she said the word of God lived in love but did not kill, hate or deprive family of their loved ones. 

She indicated that what happened in France was against religion and therefore could not be because of religion but a course other than religion. 

Ambassador of France, Mrs Anne de la Blache said the aim of the cowardly and despicable attack was to frighten France people. 

Mrs de la Blache said the objective of the attacks was to create fear and division and to prevent France from helping those who fought for their liberty and peace in the Middle East. 

“Since the beginning of this year, 10 countries on different continents have been struck by Daesh, the so-called Islamist State in Iraq and Syria,” she said.    

She said recent history of terrorism showed that the threat was not only viral but global, and thus there were no safe heavens anymore. 

 

“Our answer is that we are not afraid. We are going to fight these murderers and we are absolutely determined, with the help of our partners and allies, to destroy this terrorist group,” she said. Ends