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167354
MDHIAN 8719
PASSPORTS ISSUED IN 1991 SHOULD ALSO HAVE THEM IMPOUNDED.
THE SOUTH AFRICAN GOVERNMENT HAD IMPOUNDED 2 PASSPORTS ON THE LIST VERY RECENTLY. THE CANADIAN REPRESENTATIVE LATER TOLD ME PRIVATELY THAT THERE HAD BEEN A NUMBER OF CASES IN WHICH HONG KONG CHINESE HAD ENTERED CANADA ON GENUINE LESOTHO PASSPORTS AND CLAIMED REFUGEE STATUS. THEY HAD CLAIMED THEY HAD PAID BETWEEN 100 TO 300,000 US DOLLARS FOR THEM.
3.
PRIVATELY MOLAPO TOLD ME THAT THE FINAL STAGES OF APPROVING AN HONORARY CONSUL IN HONG KONG, WHICH HAD BEGUN BEFORE HIS TENURE WITH THE LESOTHO HIGH COMMISSIONER'S NOTE TO THE FCO (NOTE NO. 12 OF 15 MARCH 1991) HAD BEEN CONCLUDED IN EARLY MAY WHILE HE WAS AWAY FROM OFFICE AND WITHOUT HIS KNOWLEDGE. HE WOULD NOT AVE APPROVED. THE GOVERNMENT WAS CONSIDERING THE BEST WAY FORMALLY TO CLOSE THE MISSION. MEANWHILE THE HONORARY CONSUL, LYDIA WU, WAS NOT AN OPERATIONAL REPRESENTATIVE OF THE LESOTHO GOVERNMENT.
COMMENT
4. AN EXTRAORDINARY CATALOGUE OF MISMANAGEMENT AND VENALITY ALTHOUGH MOLAPO HAS SHOWN COURAGE IN SEEKING TO CLEAR UP THE MESS, AGAINST LINGERING OPPOSITION FROM THE MINISTER OF INTERIOR. I UNDERSTAND THAT A RAID ON THE ROYAL TONGAN TRADE MISSION IN TAIPEI LATE LAST YEAR NETTED A SELECTION OF UNUSED PASSPORTS OF DIFFERENT NATIONALITY, INCLUDING 11 LESOTHO PASSPORTS (9 ON THE LIST). BUT GOL NOW SEEM TO BE DETERMINED TO PUT THEIR HOUSE IN ORDER.
5. GRATEFUL IF YOU WOULD ASK THE RELEVANT AUTHORITIES TO LOOK
OUT FOR THE PASSPORTS ON THE LIST AND IMPOUND THEM IF POSSIBLE. ANY CHINESE, HONG KONG OR TAIWANESE CARRYING ANY LESOTHO PASSPORT ISSUED RECENTLY SHOULD CLEARLY BE TREATED WITH CAUTION. GRATEFUL FOR INFORMATION ABOUT ANY ACTION TAKEN.
BUTCHER
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