The chief police
spokesperson in Swaziland / Eswatini Superintendent Khulani Mamba has said that
LGBTI people will not be tolerated in the kingdom and should not be given a
platform.
He said, ‘We say no to
homosexuality, this country will not tolerate the LGBTI [lesbian, gay,
bisexual, transgender, intersex] community,’ the Times
of Swaziland reported on
Wednesday (26 June 2018).
His comments came after the
Swaziland Police gave permission for the first-ever
LGBTI Pride event to take place in the kingdom on Saturday
(30 June 2018).
Mamba made his comments
from the pulpit in Ezulwini during annual prayer services on Sunday, the Times reported. It described Mamba as a
‘prophet’. It added he spoke in a personal capacity and not as a police
superintendent.
Meanwhile, the Swazi Observer is standing by its
report that contained hate speech, despite criticism. Over the past
week it and its companion newspaper the Sunday
Observer have published
three prominent articles that called LGBTI people
‘a curse’ and ‘evil’ and likening them to child sex molesters and people who had
sex with animals.
The articles broke Article 13 of the Swaziland
National Association of Journalists code of
conduct which states, ‘Hate
speech: ‘Journalists shall avoid by all means the publication of speech that
might promote hatred, spite and conflict amongst the Swazi or any other
nation.’
After the first article appeared on Thursday (21 June
2018) the Swaziland Human Rights Network UK condemned
it saying, ‘the spirit and text of the article is
homophobic and divisive and goes against the basics of journalistic ethics of
accuracy and fair reporting. The article makes a false equivalence between the
gay and lesbian community and paedophilia, bestiality and rape’.
In a statement published on its website it
said, ‘The falsehoods raised in this article
are not only homophobic but also indicative of a particularly desperate and
divisive anti-gay and lesbian agenda by the Swazi
Observer.’
Later, Goodwill Mathonsi
the group’s coordinator wrote an email of complaint to the Observer editor Thulani Thwala saying it had broken four articles in the code of
ethics, including hate speech.
Hate speech is a type of speech or writing which can do any of the following: deliberately offend, degrade, intimidate, or incite violence or prejudicial action against someone based on their race, ethnicity, profession, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, or disability. It can be aimed at an individual; or racial, ethnic, religious or other group. Such speech generally seeks to condemn or dehumanize the individual or group; or express anger, hatred, violence or contempt toward them.
Hate speech is a type of speech or writing which can do any of the following: deliberately offend, degrade, intimidate, or incite violence or prejudicial action against someone based on their race, ethnicity, profession, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, or disability. It can be aimed at an individual; or racial, ethnic, religious or other group. Such speech generally seeks to condemn or dehumanize the individual or group; or express anger, hatred, violence or contempt toward them.
In his response, Thwala did not address the matter of
hate speech. He wrote, ‘Rule number one of journalism to balance views was
achieved. Since we live in a free country it is every person’s right to frown
upon anything.’
He wrote, ‘I am certain you are aware that we cannot
force people to see things the way we do no matter the circumstances. I cannot
guarantee special treatment for any groupings.’
Swazi Media Commentary also
sent an email of complaint to the editor of the Swazi Observer but received no
reply.
The Observer does give special attention to one group: the monarchy. It is in effect owned by King
Mswati III who rules Swaziland as sub-Saharan Africa’s last absolute monarch.
In a report on press freedom in the kingdom the Media Institute of Southern
Africa called the Observer a ‘pure propaganda machine for the royal family’.
In January 2011 Alec Lushaba who today is editor of
the Observer on Saturday wrote
in the Weekend Observer
about the newspaper’s values. He said, ‘We commit ourselves into respecting and
observing the institution of the Monarchy by ensuring that all publications
with regard to Their Majesties are factually, culturally and traditionally
correct. The sensitivity of the institutions demands that all facts be checked
or verified with the traditional structures and/or have been in direct
consultation with Their Majesties.’
See also
‘OBSERVER’ STEPS UP LGBTI HATE CAMPAIGN
FIRST
LGBTI PRIDE IN SWAZILAND
https://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2018/06/first-lgbti-pride-in-swaziland.html
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