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Australian Academic Faces Deportation in Botswana For Criticism of President

The Council for Assisting Refugee Academics (CARA) informs us that Professor Kenneth Good, a leading Academic, has been served with an expulsion notice by the Botswana Government. It is reported that this follows his public criticism of the President and his chosen successor. President Festus Mogae gave Professor Good, an Australian citizen and Professor in the Department of Political and Administrative Studies at the University of Botswana in Gaborone, two days to leave Botswana on the 18 February 2005, for lambasting his decision to handpick Vice-President Lieutenant-General Ian Khama as his successor.
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Action Alert-Botswana

Botswana
Date: 22 Feb 2005
Source: Council for Assisting Refugee Academics
Classification: NEAR Member Alert
Violation: Deportation
Affected Persons: Kenneth Good
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Professor Good co-authored with Professor Taylor an academic paper titled, 'Presidential Succession in Botswana: No Model for Africa', that allegedly incensed those close to both Mogae and Khama. The paper was due to be presented to a departmental seminar this week.

Professor Taylor, commented that ‘The paper is a critique of what we both see as growing autocracy in the so-called "model of Africa […]’.

Professor Taylor informs us that on the evening of the 18 February 2005 ‘around 5 three men arrived at Ken's [Good] house, did not identify themselves, were carrying handcuffs, and told Ken that he had a message from the President - Ken was now a Prohibited Immigrant and was given 48 hours to leave the country. Someone had presumably leaked the paper before it could be presented’.

Angered by the order, Good said, "Botswana claims high democratic credibility but behaves in this way - Mogae on Friday gave me 48 hours to leave, but [former Rhodesian Prime Minister] Ian Smith in 1973 gave me five days."

Professor Good is 72 and lives alone with his young daughter. He has prepared an urgent submission to the High Court. The judge has ordered Immigration not to harass Ken and his daughter in the interim, and that the government must appear on 7 March 2005 to consider all this.

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Professor Good’s case represents an attack on free speech and academic integrity. PLEASE publicise this as much as possible.

Appeals should be sent to:

Office of the President
P/Bag 001
Gaborone
op.registry@gov.bw
Tel: +267 3950800
Fax: +267 3950858

Mr. R.O. Sekgororoane
(Chief Immigration Officer)
P. O. Box 942
Gaborone
rsekgororoane@gov.bw
Tel: +267 361-1301
Fax: +267 314-286

Professor B.K.Otlhogile
Vice Chancellor, University of Botswana
UB 0022, Gaborone, Botswana
Fax: +267 395-6591
PLEASE SEND COPIES OF YOUR APPEALS TO:
Natalie Nicora
NEAR
Technopark
90 London Road, SE16LN, London, UK
Fax: +44 20 7021 0881
natalie.nicora@nearinternational.org

To ensure that appeals are current and credible, please do not continue to write appeals on this case after 60 days from the date of the posting unless an update has been issued.

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Email address: natalie.nicora@nearinternational.org


-END-

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