I am writing to protest against the deportation of my friend and co-author, Kenneth Good, from Botswana on May 31. Ken's appeal to the High Court was turned down this morning. Ken, a resident of Botswana for nearly 20 years, was deported for co-authoring a paper with me that was critical of the Botswana Government's growing authoritarianism. The Government's response? To arrest and deport Ken.
This attack against freedom of speech and the whole idea of academia illustrates the Government's intolerance and exposes the myth of the so-called African Miracle. It is surely about time that various academics who peddle this fantasy reflect on their work and also pause to consider how any alleged democracy (not least one touted as a "model") can deport a 72-year-old academic for merely penning a scholarly research paper. I would also caution any British academic who was considering employment at the University of Botswana to think again. The university has given no support to Ken throughout his ordeal.
Ian Taylor
School of International Relations
St Andrews University