Barotseland
Kingdom of Barotseland
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| Common languages | English | |
| Area | ||
| - | Total | 368,823 km2 142,403 sq mi |
| Population | ||
| - | 2012 estimate | 5,153,405 |
| Currency | Barotseland Shillings (BAS) |
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Barotseland is a region in the western part of Zambia, and is the homeland of the Lozi people or Barotse[1] who were previously known as Luyi or Aluyi.
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[edit] Geography
Its heartland is the Barotse Floodplain on the upper Zambezi River, also known as Bulozi or Lyondo, but it includes the surrounding higher ground of the plateau comprising all of what is now the Western Province of Zambia. In pre-colonial times, Barotseland included some neighbouring parts of what are now the Northwestern, Central and Southern Province as well as Caprivi in northeastern Namibia and parts of southeastern Angola beyond the Cuando or Mashi River.
The traditional Monarch of Barotseland is the Paramount Chief, called the Litunga meaning 'keeper or guardian of the earth', who is directly descended from the ancient Litunga Mulambwa who ruled at the turn of the nineteenth century and through his grandson, the late great Litunga Lewanika who ruled from 1878–1916, with one break in 1884-5, who restored the traditions of the Lozi political economy in the arena of recent invasion by the Makololo, internal competition, external threats such as that posed by the Matabele and the inexorable spread of European colonialism.[2]
[edit] History
Historically, Barotseland's status at the onset of the colonial era differed from the other regions which became Zambia. It was the first territory north of the Zambezi to sign a minerals concession and protectorate agreement with the British South Africa Company (BSAC) of Cecil Rhodes. Later Lewanika protested to London and to Queen Victoria that the BSAC agents had misrepresented the terms of the concession,[3] but his protests fell on deaf ears,[4] and in 1900 Britain formally annexed the territory as a protectorate and governed it as part of North-Western Rhodesia.[5]
[edit] Barotseland Flag
The proposed national flag of Bartoseland must not be confused with the Diver down flag. It may resemble the mentioned flag but it is distinctively different by the two black lines in the borders of the white Bend (heraldry) of the flag.
[edit] Barotseland Agreement 1964
On 18th May 1964, Litunga Mwanawina III, King of Barotseland and Kenneth Kaunda Prime Minister of Northern Rhodesia signed the "Barotseland Agreement 1964" which established Barotseland's position within Zambia in place of the earlier agreement between Barotseland and the British Government. The agreement was based on a long history of close social, economic and political interactions. The Barotseland Agreement granted Barotse authorities and people specified limited local self-governance rights and rights to be consulted on specified matters, including over land, natural resources and local government.
As of January 2012 the Barotseland Agreement has not yet been respected, therefore People and Nation of Barotseland are demanding its Independence.
[edit] Path to Independence
Barotseland continued to lobby to be treated as a separate state and was given substantial autonomy within the later states, Northern Rhodesia and independent Zambia. At the pre-Independence talks, the Barotse simply asked for a continuation of "Queen Victoria's protection".[6] A desire to secede was expressed from time to time, causing some friction with the government of Kenneth Kaunda, reflected in the latter changing its name from Barotseland Province to Western Province. According to Barotse views, the government in Lusaka also starved Barotseland of development — it has only one tarred road into the centre, from Lusaka to the provincial capital of Mongu, and lacks the kind of state infrastructure projects found in other provinces. Electricity supplies are erratic, relying on an ageing connection to the hydroelectric plant at Kariba. Consequently secessionist views are still aired from time to time.[5]
The Government of Barotseland is the Kuta, presided over by the Ngambela (Prime Minister).
[edit] Riots of 2010, 2011, 2012
2010 Two protesters where shot dead when police opened fire on a crowd in Mongu, Western Province. A previously unknown group the Barotse Freedom Movement (BFM) organized the protest to raise awareness about the need to restore the 1964 Barotse Agreement. Police immediately moved in as protesters gathered in the morning for the protest and dispersed the gathering saying it is illegal.
2011 On the 14th January 2011, thousands of Mongu residents in Western Province most of them youths rioted demanding the restoration of the Barotseland Agreement of 1964. During the riot at least two people were left dead while about 120 were arrested, charged with treason and detained at Mumbwa Prisons for nine months. [7]
Ngambela of Barotseland Maxwell Mututwa, Ex Prime Minister of Barotseland. He was sent in 2011 to prison at the age of 92 by the corrupt and failed State of zambia following the riots in Mongu, Barotseland.
2012 Hundreds of people were arrested and prosecuted over the January 14, 2011 riots that left at least two dead and several others injured. [8]
[edit] References
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Wikisource has the text of the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica article Barotse and Barotseland. |
- ^ The suffix "Ba-" indicates "the people/tribe of"; "Lozi" or "-rotse" are different interpretations/spellings of the same word. "Si-" indicates the language.
- ^ See G.C.R.Clay, "Your Friend, Lewanika" Chatto & Windus, 1964
- ^ Lewanika wrote to Queen Victoria, "My country is your blanket, and my people are the fleas in that blanket."
- ^ Citation required
- ^ a b Camerapix: "Spectrum Guide to Zambia." Camerapix International Publishing, Nairobi, 1996.
- ^ Personal anecdote from G.C.R.Clay, who, as Resident Commissioner, accompanied that delegation. http://www.spanglefish.com/gervasclay
- ^ http://www.zambianwatchdog.com/?p=29025&cpage=1
- ^ http://postzambia.com/post-read_article.php?articleId=24537
[edit] External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Barotseland |
