caused heavy damage and loss of life in its capital city, Maseru. In that unprovoked and indefensible attack at least 42 people were killed, men, women and children. Houses were razed to the ground and other property was destroyed. No occasion in the recent history of our nation has shaken us as these events have. 17. This is not the first occasion on which the Council has been req;rested to consider an issue affecting Lesotho and its neighbour, the Republic of South Africa. This time the reason for our appearing before the Council is the naked act of aggression against Lesotho by South Africa, aggression which has been explained by the Commander of SADF, Constand Viljoen, as intended to pre-empt operations planned by refugees of the African National Congress of South Africa (ANC) resident in Lesotho against targets in South Africa during the coming festive season. At the same time, a suggestion has been made that this murderous attack was intended to avenge some acts of sabotage which took place in different parts of South Africa during the course of this year. Lesotho totally rejects this hollow explanation. 18. As anyone conversant with the activities of the Pretoria rCgime in the region will have suspected, none of these claims is supported by facts. We wish to place on record the following facts with regard to the identity of some of the persons murdered during this criminal adventure. 19. At a house belonging to one Lehlohonolo Moloi, eight youthful refugees on their way to the ANC school in Tanzania were killed, including two men who had arrived in Lesotho only in August 1982 as refugees from South Africa. 20. Mr. Zola Ngini was murdered in his house, together with his three visitors-a medical doctor and 
**Analysis**
The text appears to be a speech or statement made by the government of Lesotho, addressing the United Nations Security Council about a recent attack by South Africa on Lesotho. The language used is formal and diplomatic, with a focus on condemning the attack and presenting facts about the victims. Given the context and tone of the text, it is likely that the main topic is international relations and conflict, rather than a specific economic or social issue.

**Category**
Humanitarian aid and relief, International relations