Lesotho: Information on the current situation of Asians in Lesotho
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 1 April 1993 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | LSO13551 |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Lesotho: Information on the current situation of Asians in Lesotho, 1 April 1993, LSO13551, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6aadcf.html [accessed 20 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
Lesotho has a population of 1.76 million, and most of these people live in the Western Lowlands (Kurian 1992, 1107). The Basothos make up the majority of this population, which also consists of a few thousand Europeans and a few hundred Asians (Ibid.).
In a telephone interview, a spokesperson at the Lesotho High Commission in Ottawa explained that Lesotho's Asian population is comprised of East Indians, Pakistanis, Chinese and Koreans (30 Mar. 1993). According to the source, East Indians make up the majority of this Asian population, followed by Pakistanis, Chinese and Koreans. The Asians are Lesotho citizens and are found primarily in the commercial sector of the economy (Ibid.).
The spokesperson also said that there was a violent demonstration by the majority Basotho population in 1990 against what it perceived as the insulting attitudes of East Indians. The source stated that even though the alleged offenders were East Indians, the demonstrators made every Asian the target of their wrath. The source did not provide any information on the number of Asian casualties nor the amount of damage to Asian property. None of our other sources could corroborate this information.
Additional and/or corroborative information on the requested subject could not be found among the sources currently available to the DIRB in Ottawa.
References
Kurian, George Thomas ed. 1992. Encyclopedia of the Third World. 4th ed. Vol. 2. New York: Facts on File Publications.
Lesotho High Commission, Ottawa. 30 March 1993. Telephone interview with spokesperson.
