LINYUNGANDAMBO PRESENTATION
TO THE BAROTSE NATIONAL
COUNCIL
MONGU 26TH AND 27TH OF MARCH 2012
THE RIGHT HON. NGAMBELA
THEIR ROYAL HIGHNESSES, CHIEFS FROM THE DISTRICTS THEIR ROYAL HIGHNESSES,
THE VISITING CHIEFS THEIR EXCELLENCES,
THE DIPLOMATS WHO ARE HERE DISTINGUISHED INVITED
GUESTS MEMBERS OF THE CLERGY
MAY I SIMPLY SAY ALL PROTOCOL OBSERVED, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN MR. CHAIRMAN
SPEAKING FOR THE DELEGATES OF LINYUNGANDAMBO AS WELL AS FOR THOSE WHO HAVE
NOT COME AND INDEED ON MY BEHALF.
LET ME FIRST THANK THE RIGHT HON. NGAMBELA FOR HIS TOUCHING OR MOVING
OPENING SPEECH OF YESTERDAY'S BAROTSE NATIONAL COUNCIL.
1. WE ARE GATHERED HERE FROM DISTANT PLACES FAR AND NEAR ON ACCOUNT OF
BAROTSELAND OUR FATHER - LAND; NOT TO DEBATE, BUT CONFIRM OUR COMMITMENT TO
SECURE OUR COUNTRY.
WITHOUT WASTING MUCH TIME, I HAVE TO QUICKLY SAY THAT: AS BAROTZIS WE
OBVIOUSLY BELONG TO ONE ANOTHER; AND GOD HAS ENDOWED US WITH CONSCIENCE AND
REASON.
2. OUR EXISTENCE AS A PEOPLE AND AS A NATION DOES NOT DEPEND ON THE WISH OF
OR PERMISSION OF ANY MORTAL BEING. WE EXIST BECAUSE IT IS THE WILL OF THE
CREATOR; INDEED WE HAVE INHERITED THE TERRITORY OF OUR FOREFATHERS AND GRAND
PARENTS.
WE DO NOT KNOW ANY OTHER COUNTRY THAT BELONGS TO US; BUT DUE TO SOME EVIL
FORCES AT WORK, OUR NATION IS HEADING FOR TOTAL DESTRUCTION OR OBLIVION.
THAT IS WHY IT HAS BEEN EXPEDIENT TO TAKE APPROPRIATE MEASURES TO SECURE OUR
NATION FROM EXTINCTION.
3. CERTAINLY, THE PLIGHT OF OUR NATION IS REAL AND NOT IMAGINARY OUR FATE IS
A SAD STORY TO TELL. NONETHELESS WE DO NOT INTEND TO SIT BACK AND WATCH.
WE HAVE ALREADY LOOKED BACK TO CORRECT THE PRESENT AND THEN PREPARE FOR THE
FUTURE. MUCH HAS BEEN SAID OR SPOKEN ABOUT THE AGREEMENT ENTERED INTO BY
BAROTSELAND WITH UNSCRUPULOUS ZAMBIANS BUT WHAT IS IMPORTANT IS TO COME TO
TERMS WITH THE REAL ISSUE.
4. BAROTSELAND WAS A BRITISH PROTECTORATE DURING 1890-1964. WHERE AS THE
POWER OF THE GUN WAS USED TO COLONISED WESTERN NYASA {NORTH-EASTERN
RHODESIA} BAROTSELAND WAS NOT COLONIZED BY
EUROPEANS. MAY BE ONE MAY ASK: WHAT IS A PROTECTORATE? TWO (2) DEFINITION
ARE GIVEN AS:
i). A PROTECTORATE IS A TERRITORY THE SOIL OF WHICH DOES NOT BELONG TO THE
CROWN BUT FOREIGN RELATIONS OF WHICH ARE SUBJECT TO ITS CONTROL.
ii) A PROTECTORATE IS A TERRITORY NOT FORMALLY ANNEXED TO ANY TERRITORY; AND
IS TECHNICALLY A FOREIGN COUNTRY.
TO SOME GREAT EXTENT, THE STATUS OF A PROTECTORATE IN INTERNATIONAL LAW WAS
DETERMINED BY HER MAJESTY'S PRIVY COUNCIL VIZ IN CASE OF NYALI VS ATTORNEY
GENERAL OF KENYA 1956 (1QB1).
THE REPORT OF THIS CASE EXPLAINS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A PROTECTORATE AND A
COLONY. ON PAGE 14 OF THE REPORT, KENYA PROTECTORATE IS NOT UNDER THE
SOVEREIGNTY OF THE QUEEN OF ENGLAND BUT UNDER THE SULTAN OF ZANZIBAR.
GIVEN ALL THESE EXPLANATIONS IT IS OBVIOUS TO DEDUCE THAT SINCE BAROTSELAND
WAS A PROTECTORATE, HER SOIL DID NOT BELONG TO THE BRITISH CROWN AND
SECONDLY UNLIKE NORTHERN RHODESIA, SOVEREIGNTY DID NOT BELONG TO HER MAJESTY
THE QUEEN OVER BAROTSELAND; BUT TO THE KING AND BAROTZI PEOPLE.
SO LEGALLY AND RATIONALLY THERE WAS NO JUSTIFIABLE REASON ON PART OF BRITAIN
TO SURRENDER OUR TERRITORY TO A FOREIGN COUNTRY {ZAMBIA} OR ANY AFRICAN
STATE.
IT IS ESSENTIAL TO KNOW THAT BRITAIN WAS ALSO A PROTECTORATE DURING
1653-1659; THEN CAME RESTORATION PERIOD; VIZ THE RE-ESTABLISHMENT OF THE
MONARCHY IN ENGLAND IN 1660 WHEN CHARLES II BECAME KING. SO WE EXPECT THE
BRITISH TO UNDERSTAND BETTER WHAT OUR CONCERN IS.
BAROTSELAND ISSUE/CASE
THE ISSUE OF BAROTSELAND HAS BEEN DISTORTED, FALSIFIED AND TRIVIALIZED BY
THE ZAMBIAN GOVERNMENT AND HER PEOPLE OUT OF ILL WILL;
WHAT IS THE BAROTSELAND CASE, IF ONE MAY ASK?
THE BAROTSELAND CASE IS NOT A DISPUTE, A CONTROVERSY OR A CONFLICT.
i) THE BAROTSELAND CASE IS A QUESTION OF DEPRIVATION OF THE BAROTSE PEOPLE'S
RIGHT TO SELF RULE AS PROVIDED BY THE BAROTSELAND AGREEMENT 1964 ACCORDING
TO THEIR PREFERENCE.
ii) THE BAROTSELAND CASE IS A QUESTION OF DEPRIVATION OF THE BAROTSISH
PEOPLE'S SOVEREIGNTY BY ARTIFICE, RESULTING INTO COLONIZATION OF OUR COUNTRY
BY FELLOW BLACKS.
iii) THE ISSUE OF BAROTSELAND IS EQUALLY A QUESTION OF ILLEGAL OCCUPATION OF
BAROTSELAND BY ZAMBIA AND HER PEOPLE.
QUESTION: WHAT REALLY GIVES THE ZAMBIAN GOVERNMENT THE LEGAL RIGHT TO
POSSESS BAROTSELAND IN DEFAULT OF THE BAROTSELAND AGREEMENT OF 1964?
IT GOES WITHOUT SAYING THAT WE ARE QUESTIONING THE LEGAL POSSESSION OF
BAROTSELAND BY ZAMBIA TOGETHER WITH ANIMUS POSSIDENDI VIZ THE DESIRE TO OWN
INDEFINITELY.
PRESUMPTION
BAROTSELAND AND NORTHERN RHODESIA CAME TOGETHER TO MAKE A UNITARY STATE OF
ZAMBIA; WELL THIS IS A REBUTTABLE PRESUMPTION.
EXPLANATION:
5. UNITY IS A STATE OF AFFAIRS, OR STATE OF BEING UNITED.
6. TO UNITE IS TO MAKE OR BECOME ONE; OR JOIN.
7. UNITED; IS AN ADJECTIVE WHICH RESULTS FROM ASSOCIATION FOR A COMMON
PURPOSE.
8. UNITARY STATE IS ONE THAT IS MADE OF UNITS OR A COUNTRY BASED ON UNITY.
WHERE TWO OR MORE NATIONS UNITE, THEY FORM UNITED NATIONS OR A UNION.
SOME COUNTRIES THAT ARE UNITED POLITICALLY ARE SUCH AS:
i) UNITED STATES OF MEXICO
ii) UNITED STATES OF BRAZIL
iii) UNITED STATES OF NIGERIA
iv) UNITED STATES OF AMERICA {U.S.A.}
EXAMPLES OF A UNION OF COUNTRIES:
9. UNION OF SOVIET SOCIALIST REPUBLICS (USSR)
10. UNION OF ENGLAND AND SCOTLAND
11. THE UNION OF TANGANYIKA AND ZANZIBAR
THE GOVERNMENT OF GREAT BRITAIN IS UNITARY RESULTING FROM THE UNION OF
CROWNS, HENCE UNITED KINGDOM WAS FORMED BY UNION ACT 1801 {ENGLAND,
SCOTLAND, WALES, AND NORTHERN IRELAND WERE LEGISLATIVELY UNITED AS U.K.
N.B. THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA PROVIDED AS FOLLOWS:
"WE THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES IN ORDER TO FORMA MORE PERFECT UNION DO
ORDAIN AND ESTABLISH THIS CONSTITUTION FOR UNITED STATES OF AMERICA."
THE KEY WORD IS FORM A MORE PERFECT UNION; SO A UNION WAS MADE.
(A) THE UNITARY STATE OF ZAMBIA AS PROCLAIMED IS BOGUS; NO UNION WAS
ESTABLISHED, EXCEPT FOR THE INHERITANCE OF POWER AND OBLIGATIONS OF THE
QUEEN BY MR. KAUNDA IN 1964. SURELY THERE IS NO UNITED, "BARO-ZAM" AS A
COUNTRY; SO THERE WAS AN ELLIPTICAL FORMATION OF THE ZAMBIAN STATE PARALLEL
TO NONE.
REALITY
(B) IT IS QUIET EVIDENT THAT BAROTSELAND HAS NEVER BEEN FORMALLY ANNEXED TO
ANY TERRITORY TO DATE; AND IT HAS NEVER BEEN AN ENCLAVE. THE LEGALITY OF
ANNEXATION OF BAROTSELAND TO ZAMBIA
COULD ONLY DEPEND ON THE ENTRY INTO FORCE OF THE BAROTSELAND AGREEMENT.
REALLY THE AGREEMENT WAS A PRESUPPOSITION INTENDED TO ASSOCIATE BAROTSELAND
TO ZAMBIA. MANY PEOPLE BELIEVE THAT THE AGREEMENT UNITED BAROTSELAND TO
ZAMBIA; BUT THE TRUTH IS THE BAROTSELAND AGREEMENT OF 1964 SUGGESTED
CONDOMINIUM WITH REGARD TO AUTHORITY?
TO OUR DISMAY THE BAROTSELAND AGREEMENT WAS UNILATERALLY TERMINATED BY THE
ZAMBIAN GOVERNMENT; WHILE AT THE SAME TIME THEY CONTINUED OCCUPYING OUR
COUNTRY. ALTHOUGH BY IMPLICATION; TERMINATION OF THE AGREEMENT MEANT
SEVERING THE RELATIONSHIP.
THE CONSEQUENCES OF ABROGATION OF THE AGREEMENT RESULTED INTO COERCION,
FORCED ASSIMILATION, SUBJUGATION; AND DOMINATION. THE ZAMBIANS TRIES TO
MAINTAIN RELATIONSHIP WITH BAROTSELAND BY FIRE-ARMS; AND OCCUPY BAROTSELAND
ILLEGALLY.
ANY RESENTMENT BY PEOPLE WAS ADDRESSED BY THREATS VICTIMIZATION, ARRESTS AND
FINALLY KILLINGS OF THE BAROTSE PEOPLE BY THE ZAMBIAN GOVERNMENT. THIS BEING
THE CASE ZAMBIAN GOVERNMENT HAS DEPENDED ON HER MILITARY STRENGTH AND
CAPABILITY TO RULE BAROTSELAND. WHICH IS A CLEAR TESTIMONY OF COERCION.
THE ISSUE OF DEPRIVATION OF BAROTSE PEOPLE'S RIGHT TO SELF-RULE AS PROVIDED
BY THE BAROTSELAND AGREEMENT CAN NEVER BE ENTERTAINED ANY MORE.
LESSONS
A) WE HAVE LEARNT THAT EVEN IN THE SITUATIONS OF SOME COUNTRIES WHERE
EVERYTHING WERE PERFECTLY DONE, PEOPLE REALIZED THE IMPORTANCE OF HUMAN
RIGHTS.
INTER. ALIA WHITE RUSSIA {UKRAINE, BELARUS} AND TRANSCAUCASIA; THESE WERE
MERGED WITH RUSSIA SOVIET FEDERATIVE SOCIALIST REPUBLIC { RSFSR} BY TREATY
OF UNION, ESTABLISHING U.S.S.R ON 30th DECEMBER, 1922, BUT IN 1991 U.S.S.R
CRUMBLED.
IN MARCH, 2007 THE RT HON ALEX SALMOND, LEADER OF THE SCOTTISH NATIONALISTS
PARTY DECLARED THAT THE 18™ CENTURY UNION IS PAST ITS SELL BY DATE; HE WENT
ON AND SAID:
"WHAT WE BOTH {SCOTS AND THE ENGLISH} NEED ARE THE POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC
POWERS TO MAKE OUR NATIONS WORK TO TAILOR POLICIES TO SUIT OUR DIFFERENT
CIRCUMSTANCES AND TO SPEAK FOR OURSELVES IN EUROPE AND THE WIDER WORLD-WHILE
ACTING TOGETHER WHERE OUR INTERESTS CONVERGE. AS OUR WORLD HAD BECOME MORE
COMPLEX AND INTER-CONNECTED, THE NEED FOR NATIONS TO BE INDEPENDENT WITH A
DIRECT SAY IN REGIONAL AND GLOBAL AFFAIRS HAS BECOME MORE IMPORTANT -
NOT LESS. IN THE MODERN WORLD THE PROCESS OF INDEPENDENCE AND
INTER-DEPENDENCE ARE MUTUALLY SUPPORTIVE AND REINFORCING.
THE POLITICAL IMPERATIVE TO SHARE THE SAME STATE FOR REASONS OF BUILDING A
LARGE DOMESTIC MARKET OR GREAT POWER PROJECTION IS A FUNDAMENTALLY OUT DATED
19™ CENTURY CONCEPT."
THIS MESSAGE IS INSPIRING TO US AS A BAROTZISH NATION. IN FACT ONE CAN
HARDLY BELIEVE, THAT THOSE CONCERNS TAKE PLACE IN THE COUNTRY THAT ENTERED
INTO A MEANINGFUL UNION NOT BOGUS ONE; AND YET GUNS WERE NOT FIRED AT
NATIONALISTS FOR EXPRESSING THOSE SENTIMENTS.
WE TOO NEED POWER TO MAKE OUR NATION WORK AND SPEAK FOR OURSELVES IN THE
WIDER WORLD AS ALLUDED TO BY RT HON SALMOND. A CARDINAL ISSUE, CONCERNING
SUBJUGATION AND DEPRIVATION OF BAROTSELAND'S SOVEREIGNTY CAN NOT BE
TRIVIALIZED ANY MORE.
WE ARE RE-BUILDING OUR NATION UPON THE FOUNDATION LAID DOWN BY KING LEWANIKA;
A FOUNDATION THAT ENABLES US TO SECURE WHAT BELONGS TO US. BEING ZAMBIANS TO
US IS SIMPLY QUESTIONABLE; AND SOMETHING THE BAROTSES EARNED ON THE WAY. WE
ARE BAROTZIS BY VIRTUE OF DESCENT.
ZAMBIA'S DOMINANCE IS DERIVED FROM THE LAW OF SUCCESSION, I.E. ZAMBIA
INHERITED OBLIGATIONS OF HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN OF BRITAIN OVER BAROTSELAND.
SECESSION
ACCORDING TO ZAMBIAN UNDERSTANDING BAROTSELAND'S LIBERTY IS TERMED AS
SECESSION. TO SHED LIGHT ON THIS NOTION, WE KNOW THAT SECESSION IS PERCEIVED
TO BE IN CONFLICT WITH THE IDEA OF PRESERVATION OF THE TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY
OF A COUNTRY.
THIS BEING THE CASE, IT IS INCREDIBLE TO SUGGEST THAT BOUNDARIES OF
BAROTSELAND THAT WERE DRAWN AND CONCLUDED BETWEEN 1890-1905 SHOULD NOT BE
PRESERVED AT THE EXPENSE OF CHEAP SLOGANS.
THE PERCEPTION OF SECESSION IMPLIES THE STATE OF BREAKING AWAY FROM THE
MOTHER COUNTRY. IF THIS IS TRUE THEN ZAMBIA HAS NEVER BEEN A MOTHER COUNTRY
TO BAROTSELAND; AND SHALL NEVER BE. FURTHER MORE THE INTENTION OF IMPAIRING
TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY OF BAROTSELAND AND THE DESIRE TO DEPRIVE BAROTSELAND
OF HER SOVEREIGNTY BY ZAMBIA IS NOT COMPATIBLE WITH INTERNATIONAL NORMS.
THE BOUNDARIES OF BAROTSELAND WERE DRAWN BEFORE ZAMBIA CAME INTO A DREAM,
HOW CAN IT BE JUNIOR TO ZAMBIA. WITHOUT THE AGREEMENT THE RELATION IS VOID
IN THIS CASE SECESSION DOES NOT ARISE. ONLY SELF-ASSERTION BECOMES THE
ISSUE.
PARALLEL
ALTHOUGH THE BAROTSELAND SITUATION IS UNIQUE IT IS HOWEVER, THE OPPOSITE OF
ERITREAN CASE, BUT SLIGHTLY SIMILAR. WHEN WE COMPARE BAROTSELAND TO ERITREA.
WE FIND THAT IT IS COLONIZED BY A FELLOW AFRICAN COUNTRY. ERITREA AND
NAMIBIA WERE COLONIZED BY FELLOW AFRICAN COUNTRIES AT ONE TIME.
WHERE AS IF WE COMPARE BAROTSELAND TO ETHIOPIA WE FIND THAT BAROTSELAND WAS
AN EMPIRE WITH TERRITORIAL FRONTIERS WHOSE SOVEREIGN RIGHT AND TERRITORIAL
INTEGRITY OUGHT TO BE RESPECTED.
NARRATION OF THE STORY OF ERITREA:
IN 1950 THE CONDITIONAL UNION OF ERITREA WAS EFFECTED THROUGH U.N.
SANCTIONED FEDERATION. ON DECEMBER 2, 1950 THE U.N. PASSED A RESOLUTION TO
FEDERATE ERITREA WITH IMPERIAL ETHIOPIA VIZ; THE ERITREA FEDERATION
1952-1962; FEDERATION OR UNION MEANT SUBORDINATION OF ERITREA TO ETHIOPIA.
THE 1952 ETHIOPIA'S ANNEXATION OF ERITREA AS A 14™ PROVINCE OF THE EMPIRE
WAS DONE.
THE UNILATERAL ETHIOPIAN ACTION TO TERMINATE ERITREA'S STATUS AS AN
AUTONOMOUS UNIT WITHIN ETHIOPIAN EMPIRE ALTERED ERITREA'S STATUS FROM A
DISTINCT POLITICAL GEOGRAPHIC ENTITY TO A PROVINCE OF ETHIOPIA, HENCE O.A.U.
REFERRED TO THE ERITREA ISSUE AS AN INTERNAL ISSUE.
TODAY ERITREA STANDS ON ITS OWN. WE TOO HAVE BECOME A PROVINCE NOT BY THE U.
N. RESOLUTION BUT BY AGREEMENT TERMINATED.
SINCE WE ARE DEALING WITH FACTS WE HAVE TO QUOTE WHAT MR. KAUNDA'S SPEECH TO
DERIVE THE POINT AS FOLLOWS:-
"THE GOVERNMENT HAS NO WISH TO INTERFERE WITH THE DAY TO DAY RUNNING OF THE
INTERNAL AFFAIRS OF BAROTSELAND " MR. KAUNDA SAID ON AUGUST 6th 1964.
QUESTION; WAS HE NOT EXHIBITING KNOWLEDGE OF U.N. CHARTER ARTICLE 7 BY
PRONOUNCING NONE INTERFERENCE IN INTERNAL AFFAIRS OF BAROTSELAND? IN
ACCORDANCE WITH U.N. CHARTER? WHAT WILL CONSTITUTE INTERFERENCE IS MEDDLING
IN THE INTERNAL AFFAIRS OF BAROTSELAND BY ZAMBIA FROM NOW HENCE FORTH.
SO AS A COUNTRY WE SHALL HAVE THE RIGHT TO ASK FOR ASSISTANCE FROM ANYWHERE;
AFRICA, EUROPE, AMERICA AND ASIA IF WE ARE ATTACKED; WE ARE NOT ZAMBIAN NO
EXPATRIATION TOOK PLACE.
WE WOULD LIKE OUR AFRICAN BROTHERS TO KNOW THAT WE WERE OCCUPIED BY A
NEIGHBOURING COUNTRY WE ARE HERE TO CLAIM WHAT BELONGS TO US.
CONCLUSION
IN VIEW OF WHAT HAS BEEN NARRATED WE CONCLUDE THAT ZAMBIA HAS NO BONA FIDE
CLAIM OF RIGHT OVER BAROTSELAND, IF THEY HAVE LET THEM CONVINCE THE WHOLE
WORLD WHAT GIVES THEM THE RIGHT.
MCMVIBOTWA, CHAIRPERSON
LINYUNGANDAMBO
THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTIONS:
RESOLUTIONS
12. BAROTSELAND HAS TO CEASE TO BE CALLED WESTERN PROVINCE FROM NOW ONWARDS.
WHO SO EVER SHALL CALL BAROTSELAND WESTERN PROVINCE IS COMMITTING AN
OFFENCE.
13. THE SECRETARIAT OF THE B.N.C. HAS TO CONTINUE FUNCTIONING WITHOUT
RECESSION, SOON AFTER THIS CONGRESS.
14. THE PEOPLE OF BAROTSELAND TO ACCEPT THE LITUNGA AS HEAD OF STATE OF
BAROTSELAND AND NOT AS A TRADITIONAL
LEADER, FROM NOW HENCE FORTH AND HIS FUNCTIONS SHALL BE PRESCRIBED.
15. THE APPARATUS OF POLITICAL GOVERNANCE MUST BE SEEN TO BE FUNCTIONAL
AFTER THIS COUNCIL.
16. THE BAROTSE GOVERNMENT TO ACCEPT CHANGES PROPOSED BY THE PEOPLE OF
BAROTSELAND INTENDED OR TAILORED TO CATER FOR VARIOUS ASPECTS OF LIFE.