...And None Were Innocent: unreliable memories of Lesotho's struggle against Apartheid - Couverture souple

Meakins, Robin

Couverture souple

ISBN 10 : 1425983847 ISBN 13 : 9781425983840

Editeur : AuthorHouse, 2007

Synopsis

This is the story of the Kingdom of Lesotho and its struggle with Apartheid South Africa. It starts with the Soweto uprising and follows two youths as they flee across South Africa to Lesotho. In Lesotho they are helped by ANC members and finish their studies and go to Roma University. Their behaviour is witnessed by a British lecturer and his black wife.The couple experience the tensions, fears and terror that spread throughout the region. As South Africa's patience with Lesotho ran out for harbouring ANC bases, especially Chris Hani, they decided on military action. Initially a fierce attack on reported ANC bases took place - the Maseru Masacre. This only made Lesotho more uncooperative. South Africa waited as the ANC divided between the military wing and the more aggressive young comrades. The latter subjected students and staff to the rules of the townships using kangaroo courts and threats of necklacing. When the government of Lesotho was getting unpopular South Africa attacked the fuel and food supplies and closed the borders, effectively beseigning Lesotho. As the lack of food and fuel took effect the Lesotho Army took power to establish a compliant regime. Shortly afterwards the Lesotho Prime Minister died in prison. Violence is widespread. Mysteriously President Samora Machel of Mozambique dies in an aircrash. Then during the visit of Pope John Paul II to Southern Africa gunmen occupied the British High Commission in Lesotho and threatenned the Pope. Hundreds of less prominent people disappeared or were murdered. Ritual murder and witchcraft re-emerged often explained as traditional herbal medicine. In the end violence engulfed everybody making some flee, some suffer, while others were driven nearly insane or died, Only when the post Apartheid era brings justice will these wounds heal.

A propos du livre

Biographie de l'auteur

Robin H Meakins is a retired Professor of Zoology who has taught in universities in the UK, Africa and Asia. As a zoologist he is a keen observer of all happening around him. He has published four science text books, over fourty scientific research papers and one novel. The latter , "A PARADISE LOST - THE JADE TREE" was published in 2006 and tells of the people caught up in the British retreat from Burma in Wolrd War II. It magically tells of the worlds of christianity and buddhism through the love of a mother for her RAF son and his love for a Karen woman. It is based on the author's experiences as a child in Burma and extensive literature research. The author writes about recent historical matters, often forgotten, where individuals have to find an inner strength to survive. In ".. AND NONE WERE INNOCENT" he draws upon his experiences as a Professor in Lesotho from 1967 to 1991. He describes the problems of being neutral in what became a regional war. He worked in the mountains of Lesotho where the rare Lammergeier fly and around the dam development. In 1993 he was a member of the World Bank Team evaluating the Highland Water Scheme and expressed the reservations stated in this novel. All the events in the book are true though the principal characters are fictional. He now lives in Kent with his wife Victoria and is working on a novel about early aeronautical engineers.

Détails de l'édition

• Éditeur: AuthorHouse
• Date d'édition: 2007
• Langue: anglais
• ISBN 10: 1425983847
• ISBN 13: 9781425983840
• Reliure: Broché
• Nombre de pages: 320
• Coordonnées du fabricant: non disponible
• Personne responsable: non disponible