Taiwan, a country not
recognised by the United Nations, and Equatorial Guinea, a nation with one of
the worst human rights records in the world, are two countries to publicly
announce they are sending representatives to King Mswati III’s 50th
birthday party.
Little has been heard from
other countries in the run-up to the event. Meanwhile, it is unlikely that any
heads of Commonwealth countries will attend the so-called 50/50 Celebration.
King Mswati, who rules
Swaziland as sub-Saharan Africa’s last absolute monarch, turns 50 on Thursday
(19 April 2018). This years also sees the 50th anniversary of the
kingdom’s Independence from Great Britain. Although that anniversary falls on 6
September, the King decreed both events should be celebrated on the day of his
birthday.
Taiwan President Tsai
Ing-wen flew into Swaziland on Tuesday and will hold private talks with the
King while in the kingdom. Taiwan has been cultivating Swaziland for many years
and is a major contributor of aid. Taiwan
donated US$1.3 million toward
the cost of the 50/50 Celebration. Taiwanese textile firms operate in Swaziland
and have
a poor record on workers’ rights.
The Swazi Observer, a newspaper in effect owned by the King, reported on Tuesday (17 April 2018) that President Tsai Ing-wen would bring a number
of gifts, including five cattle for the King. Swaziland is one of only 20
countries in the world that has diplomatic ties with Taiwan. It supports
Taiwan’s application to become a member of the United Nations.
The same newspaper reported that Equatorial Guinea Vice-President Teodoro
Nguema Obiang Mangue was also due to attend.
Teodoro Nguema Obiang
Mangue,
known as an international playboy, was found guilty in France of corruption in
2017 and given
a suspended jail sentenced of three years. The sentence
came after a long investigation by French authorities into allegations that
Obiang embezzled US$175 million from his country to buy luxury cars, real
estate, and other assets in France. Those assets have been seized. The sentence
included a suspended fine of 30 million euro (US$34.78 million).
In September 2011 Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue visited
Swaziland. While he stayed at the five-star Royal Villas Resort he
had his bag stolen – containing US$2.5 million in bank notes.
Equatorial Guinea is nominally a multiparty
constitutional republic but since a military coup in 1979, President Teodoro
Obiang Nguema Mbasogo (Teodoro Nguema
Obiang Mangue’s father) has dominated all branches of government in
collaboration with his clan and political party, the Democratic Party of
Equatorial Guinea (PDGE), which he founded in 1991, according to a human rights
report for 2016 published
by the US State Department.
He received a claimed 93.7 percent of the vote in an
election in 2016 that was considered neither free nor fair, the report stated.
The report added, ‘The most significant human rights
problems in the country were disregard for rule of law, including police use of
excessive force and torture, denial of freedom of speech, and widespread
official corruption.’
Meanwhile, it is unlikely
that a head of a Commonwealth country will attend. The Commonwealth Heads of
State Summit takes place in London this week. A protest
against Swaziland at that event organised by ACTSA (Action for
Southern Africa) is planned for 19 April 2018.
In Swaziland, political
parties are barred from taking part in elections and the King chooses the Prime
Minister and government ministers. Opposition groups have been banned under the
Suppression of Terrorism Act.
ACTSA said in a statement,
‘The Commonwealth has singularly failed to hold the Swazi authorities to
account. The Commonwealth Secretariat does not appear to have a strategy for
applying pressure on the King. The Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group must
now review Swaziland’s status and the Commonwealth Secretary General must
explicitly support this action. The Commonwealth’s credibility is on the line.’
See also
SWAZI POLICE PRAISE AFRICAN DESPOT
HUMAN
RIGHTS ABUSER VISITS KINGDOM
‘SLAVE
LABOUR’ AT TEXTILE FACTORY
https://swazimedia.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/slave-labour-at-textile-factory.html
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