POLICE WANT TO MONITOR CHURCH

Swaziland’s police are so out of control they want to monitor church meetings to stop ‘terrorist’ activities.

The latest move comes after police have stopped legal rallies and demanded to sit in on meetings and stormed a media workshop.

Now, The League of Swaziland Churches President Samson Hlatshwako has revealed that police are interested in monitoring meetings of the League.

According to a report in the Swazi Observer today (19 December 2008), police think that pastors are becoming ‘too political’.

Hlatshwako said now that some spiritual leaders had started speaking politics, the police were gaining interest in monitoring their meetings, according to the Observer. ‘That is not a desirable circumstance.’

He added, ‘We don't want it to be a necessity for police to monitor our meeting, because such would imply that we are no longer trustworthy church leaders.’

Hlatshwako distanced himself from those pastors in the church who support moves for democratic reforms in Swaziland.

‘They recently called me to one of their meetings where they were to deliberate on the country's political direction at the Tum’s George Hotel. I blatantly refused to be a part of them because of what they stand for.’

Hlatshwako said the same church leaders failed to make their contributions during the people’s parliament at the cattle byre. He said it was surprising that the said church leaders were now opinionated on how the country should be governed.