Dr. I. J. Kyeleve, Dept. Of Maths & Science Education, Universiti Brunei Darussalam Brune, wants Dr. Taylor to circulate the essay on Botswana:
As you circulate this note from Dr Taylor, please request him to forward to you the paper in question which you must attach to his message. This would enable the reader to balance the action of the Botswana Government with what these two academics have written.
As an academic who was resident in Botsawna and worked with the same University of Botswana for more than seven years (1996-2003), I am interested in what was written, now coated with the walls of "Academic Freedom", "free speech and liberty". All these loose terms go with responsibilities which holders must exercise with due respect and care. I am certain Dr
Taylor and Dr Good would have thrown these acts of responsibilities to the wind in their writing which would have resulted in the action of Government.
The issue of leaking the paper merely informs the reader the extent Batswana (Botswana nationals) trust their Government and respects their national interests and government. Doesn't Americans and Europeans do the same? Why would Taylor blame a Batswana for his own
writings?
Note that Botswana is one of the very few countries in Africa and even the world over that allows its civil servants to be active Card-carrying members of political parties including opposition! Most of its urban Councils are controlled by opposition parties!
As a country that respect the rule of law, I am sure the judicial decision will be respected by the
Botswana Government that has respected such decisions in the past and present.
It is premature for the same academics (Dr Ian and Ken) to start circulating this concern around the world when the matter is in the High Court, which has asked the Botswana Govt (Immigration) to stay action of the deportation of Prof Ken.
Those of us from Africa in particular must be watchful of facilitating these bad messages about a
sister nation (especially a country like Botswana with exemplar records on political and human rights), unless we have all the facts at our disposal which for now, Dr Ian Taylor has not made available to his would be readers!
My regards,
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