A number of human rights groups in Swaziland have joined
forces to petition against Qalakaliboli Dlamini, the Times Sunday columnist who wrote that battered women only had
themselves to blame when they were attacked.
Swaziland Action Group Against Abuse (SWAGAA), Swaziland
Coalition of Concerned Civic Organizations, Coordinating Assembly for
Non-Governmental Organisations (CANGO), Swaziland Concerned Church Leaders, Swaziland
National Association of Teachers, Swaziland Positive Living and the Swaziland
Agricultural Producers Union (SAPU) are among the groups and individuals supporting
a petition against Dlamini.
Dlamini, a regular columnist for the Times Sunday, wrote this week (9 December 2012) that ‘most’ women
who were victims of violence brought it upon themselves. He also said women
were to blame for turning men violent.
He wrote, ‘In fact, when a woman is battered, she may
have caused more internal damage to the male who will have caused her external
harm. Let us be honest with each other, women are the biggest abusers in the
world.’
He said women were ‘culprits’ not ‘victims’. He said,
‘Women have carved themselves as the victims of this world and they are
demanding even more than they deserve.’
He added, ‘Women find comfort in portraying themselves as
victims.’
The petition directed at the editor of the Times of Swaziland, which is circulating on the Internet, states, ‘The article incites hatred, and breaches human
rights, journalistic ethics and good taste.
Calling the brave women who flee from abusive husbands “bitches” is
simply unacceptable.
‘The article also justifies the murder of 32 women by David
Simelane, saying he had a “resentment towards women” because he served a prison
term for a rape he says he never committed.
The author states, “There are many cases we can quote as proof that most
abuse against women is usually aggravated by women themselves.” Unsubstantiated, incendiary language like
this is deeply offensive and cannot be tolerated.’
Cebile Henwood-Manzini, Director of SWAGAA, notes in the
petition, ‘Some men express fear, disgust and hatred of women, often in the way
of undermining their human rights.’
‘The writer of this article in the Times is obviously a good example and must be stopped’, the petition
states.
It goes on, ‘The Times’
publisher and his editorial team must apologize for this gross lapse in
judgment in publishing such hateful views and take positive measures to make
sure such a mistake does not happen again.’
See also
‘TIMES’ SAYS BATTERED WOMEN TO BLAME
MISOGYNIST ‘TIMES’ WRITER UNDER ATTACK
CALLS FOR SACKING OF MISOGYNIST WRITER
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