Swaziland
Newsletter No. 743 – 9 September 2022
News from and about Swaziland, compiled by
Global Aktion, Denmark (www.globalaktion.dk)
in collaboration with Swazi Media Commentary (www.swazimedia.blogspot.com),
and sent to all with an interest in Swaziland - free of charge.
9/11’s anti-human rights legacy in eSwatini
By Kgalalelo Gaebee and David Kode, Vanguard Africa
Foundation, 8 September 2022
Twenty-one years on, the
legacy of the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001 still reverberate. This year’s
anniversary offers an opportunity to reflect on the unfortunate legacy in the
proliferation of anti-terrorism laws. These laws have been used by numerous states, including many in Africa, to target dissent and limit the
freedoms of expression, assembly and association. Between 2001 and 2018,
African states were among
over 140 countries worldwide that passed such counter-terrorism laws and other
security-related legislation.
While the global
counter-terrorism framework is clear about the fact that any strategy to combat
terrorism must be based on respect for the rule of law, many countries in
Africa, including those without a history of terrorist threats, now use anti-terrorism
and related ‘security’ laws to silence critics. Eswatini is among the worst
offenders.
Just a few months ago, the
Kingdom of Eswatini, a nation subject to no threats from terrorism, used its Suppression
of Terrorism Act (STA) to target people raising legitimate concerns over
actions of the government, which remains under absolute monarchical control.
This time the target was journalist Zweli Martin Dlamini and his Swaziland News outlet. Backed by Eswatini’s Attorney General who
designated Zweli as a ‘threat to national security,’ Prime Minister Cleopas
Dlamini officially declared the journalist and the paper as entities that
‘knowingly facilitate’ the commission of terrorist acts.
Zweli Martin Dlamini’s story
mirrors those of several journalists and human rights defenders who report on
the actions of King Mswati III and the government of Eswatini. He was forced to
flee the kingdom for South Africa in February 2020 after being arbitrarily arrested and interrogated on suspicion of sedition after publishing two
articles that were critical of Mswati and the monarchy.
With a severely limited number of independent news outlets in Eswatini, the Swaziland
News website is a major source of independent news. The Eswatini
authorities have even approached South African courts with a request to interdict Swaziland News
and force it to send drafts of any article about the King, the government or
the royal family for vetting before they are published.
The case of Zweli Dlamini is
eerily similar to that of other human rights defenders, activists and
journalists in many African
countries – such as Algeria,
Burundi
and Cameroon,
for example – those who have been arrested and charged using security-related
legislation since the 11 September attacks.
The context in which human
rights defenders are charged using security-related laws is similar across the
continent. Usually this happens when there are pro-democracy protests and calls
for democratic reforms – including during election campaigns, when there are
unconstitutional changes of government, or when activists are critical of state
actions. Authorities know that when the rationale of security and
anti-terrorism is activated, constitutional protections are thereby lowered.
Authorities are also aware that invoking security-related laws elicits sympathy
and collaboration from other states.
In Eswatini, the STA was
promulgated partly as a response to growing calls from political groups to be
formally recognised and allowed to duly register and participate fully in
political activities, including elections. The law was immediately used by
royal authorities to designate the main opposition party, the People’s United Democratic Movement
(PUDEMO) and three other organisations, as ‘terrorist groups.’
In July 2021, pro-democracy
activists Mduduzi Bacede Mabuza and Mthandeni Dube were arrested
and charged under the STA as pro-democracy protests spread across the
country. As it stands today, they have now been in custody for over one
year.
In Eswatini, the STA has been
routinely used to target civic organisations, journalists and activists for
offences such as wearing t-shirts bearing the logos of political groups or
shouting slogans and making speeches at public gatherings - harmless acts of
free speech that in no way constitute terrorism.
To read more of this article,
click here
https://www.vanguardafrica.com/africawatch/2022/9/7/911s-anti-human-rights-legacy-in-eswatini
King Mswati accused of delaying eSwatini
national dialogue
It’s been almost a year since
Swazi King Mswati III met President Cyril Ramaphosa in Eswatini and agreed to
launch a national dialogue to address the kingdom’s growing political crisis.
Several regional summits and
fact-finding missions later, amid growing tensions in the country, no dialogue
has begun. And last month the Southern African Development Community (SADC)
decided to convene yet another summit and send yet another fact-finding mission
to the country, adding further to the delay.
Eswatini’s political
opposition, under the umbrella of The Multistakeholders Forum (MSF) has mildly
rebuked SADC leaders for “reinventing the wheel” by agreeing to the new summit
and fact-finding mission. It has accused Mswati of dragging his feet and has
warned SADC leaders not to be hoodwinked by the king into believing the crisis
in Eswatini is a security rather than a democracy issue. They insist that the
growing insecurity in the country is the result of Mswati denying democracy.
SA lawyer expelled
The Swazi government is in the
meantime showing no signs of creating an environment for dialogue by allowing
more democratic space. Last week, on the contrary, it expelled South African
lawyer Sicelo Mngomezulu who is representing two jailed, pro-democracy members
of Parliament, Bacede Mabuza and Mthandeni Dube.
Government spokesperson
Mlandvo Dlamini said in a statement that this was because Mngomezulu had called
on Swazi maidens not to attend the annual traditional Reed Dance to be held on
5 September. The government said it was against the national interest as it had
contradicted a call by the country’s authorities. Mngomezulu had therefore
violated the Public Order Act.
The Reed Dance has
become a political issue this year, probably because it is strongly supported
by the Palace as part of the country’s traditional culture. But critics say it
demeans the young women for the prurient pleasure of men.
Mngomezulu denied calling on
the maidens to boycott the Reed Dance and said the government’s real reason for
effectively banning him was that he had publicly supported the two MPs in
calling for democratic reforms in Eswatini.
The two MPs — and a third,
Mduduzi Simelane, who fled Eswatini before he could be arrested — last year
allowed their constituents to petition them with grievances, including a call
for the country’s prime minister and executive to be elected by Parliament and
not appointed by the king.
When the government banned
these petitions, it sparked protests which spiralled into rioting in June 2021,
widespread destruction and the deaths of scores of people, mostly protesters
shot by security forces. The government accused the MPs of inciting the
violence.
It was this violence which
prompted SADC to address the crisis and send three fact-finding missions to the
country. In early November 2021 Ramaphosa — then heading SADC’s security organ
— visited Eswatini and met Mswati who agreed to convene a national dialogue to
plot a way out of the crisis.
But this has stalled. Part of
the reason has been that Mswati and the political opposition have widely
divergent views on how the dialogue should unfold. Mswati and his ministers
have made it clear that they want it to be framed entirely as “Sibaya” which is
a traditional consultation — enshrined in Eswatini’s constitution — which the
king occasionally holds with his people.
But the MSF and others have
rejected Sibaya, saying it is not a dialogue but a monologue, entirely managed
by the palace where the king talks down to his subjects and does not elicit
their views. Instead, the MSF wants a genuine negotiating forum managed by a
neutral entity and including all stakeholders, as well as opposition political
parties which are now banned. Though Ramaphosa agreed at his November meeting
with Mswati that Sibaya could be part of the process, SADC also made it clear
later that the dialogue should be much more representative — and include
political parties now banned. This was clear from a draft framework for a
multistakeholder national dialogue that SADC wrote in February.
The framework also set out a
timetable for the national dialogue, to begin in April. But not even preparatory
discussions about establishing it have begun. After that, Mswati missed two
SADC summits to discuss how to kickstart the dialogue.
Eventually, he attended the
ordinary annual SADC summit on 22 August in Democratic Republic of the Congo
(DRC) where Eswatini was discussed, but where the national dialogue was kicked
down the road again.
The communique from the summit
said the Eswatini government had presented a report on the security situation
in the country. The leaders had condemned the violence, but had also ordered an
extraordinary summit of SADC’s security organ to be held, “aimed at finding a
peaceful and lasting solution to the security challenges facing the country.”
Ramaphosa, the outgoing
chairperson of the SADC security organ, said afterwards that “SADC is now going
to take this firmly in hand”, by setting up a fact-finding mission and sending
SADC’s new Panel of Elders, headed by former Tanzanian president Jakaya
Kikwete, “to go and find effective ways of dealing with the situation…”
On his return from the summit,
Mswati addressed the nation to explain that the SADC organ summit with his
government would be held in Eswatini “to address issues affecting peace and
security.”
This meant that the next move
would be this summit and not the national dialogue, he added, significantly. He
said the other SADC leaders had been surprised by the continued violence in
Eswatini, which he had reported to them.
Democratic
governance
The MSF issued a statement
last week that said Mswati “should stop misleading his peers in SADC” that the
problem in Eswatini was only a security issue.
“The issue affecting the
nation is more than just a security concern; it is fundamentally a political
question. The security issue arises from the political problem, which is the lack
of and absence of democratic governance in the country. The security issue can
and will never be resolved without addressing the political question.
“The security instability is
but a symptom of a sickness of our politics. SADC cannot resolve the Swaziland
crisis by addressing symptoms and not the crux of the crisis.”
The MSF politely welcomed
SADC’s decision “to send yet another fact-finding mission of the Elders” and to
hold another summit on Eswatini. But it said that “we will impress on the SADC
not to reinvent the wheel. The process has to proceed along the lines set out
in the ‘Draft framework for inclusive multistakeholder national dialogue in the
Kingdom of Eswatini’ which SADC had already drafted in February”.
This was a good foundation for
the national dialogue to start. “The delay has no justification; except that
the King is buying time to delay the inevitable.”
Escalating
eSwatini crisis triggers diplomatic tension: Mswati blasts President Ramaphosa
for announcing Panel of Elders.
By Zweli Martin Dlamini, Swaziland News, 7
September, 2022
MBABANE: Eswatini King
through his Private Secretary Sihle Dlamini came hard on South African President
Cyril Matamela Ramaphosa for announcing that the Southern African Development
Community (SADC) has appointed a Panel of Elders to try and resolve the
political crisis in the troubled Kingdom.
Dlamini, who was allegedly
acting on behalf of King Mswati created a Facebook Page where he blasted the
South African President for announcing the appointment of a Panel of Elders,
however, the King’s Private Secretary was very careful by avoiding to mention
the name of the Head of State.
“A Head of State uttered
outright lies saying there’s a Panel of Elders that has been appointed, there’s
nothing like that,” said the King’s Private Secretary.
But royal insiders told this
Swaziland News that King Mswati ordered his Private Secretary to counter the
information or narrative by the media suggesting that a Panel of Elders would
visit the Kingdom of eSwatini.
“The King is very angry with
President Cyril Ramaphosa, he believes he is out to remove him from power. You
must understand that diplomacy doesn’t allow the King to publicly attack
another Head of State so he sent his Private Secretary to correct this
narrative,” said the royal insider.
Mswati refused to
attend SADC Troika Summits while President Ramaphosa was still the Chairman
after the South African President stated clearly, when addressing the media
that he advised the King to participate in a political dialogue with all
stakeholders.
The sentiments by King
Mswati’s Secretary were supported by Government Spokesperson Alpheous Nxumalo
when speaking to the South African Broadcasting Cooperation (SABC) on Tuesday,
Nxumalo expressed disappointment that a Head of State decided to leave a SADC
meeting while it was in progress, convene a press conference and announced the
appointment of a Panel of Elders.
“It is very unfortunate that
one particular and single leader of the SADC States who stood-up to make a
presentation and a submission in the meeting, decided to leave the meeting
before it close and convened a press conference and disseminate misinformation
and disinformation. Every meeting of SADC as Heads of State, the resolutions
are reflected only, in one document,” said the Government Spokesperson when
speaking to the SABC on Tuesday.
The eSwatini Government
Spokesperson subsequently ‘attacked’ SABC International Editor live on air
accusing her of being ‘creative’ when dealing with eSwatini political issues.
President Ramaphosa is the
only Head of State who announced that SADC has appointed a Panel of Elders when
addressing journalists during the SADC Summit in the Democratic Republic of
Congo (DRC).
“SADC is going to take this
firmly in hand, setup a fact-finding mission and send a panel of elders to go
and find effective ways of dealing with the situation,” said President Cyril
Ramaphosa, the out-going SADC Troika Chairperson when addressing journalists
during the SADC Summit held in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Alarming
number of pupils treated for STIs during lockdown
By
Nomthandazo Nkambule, eSwatini Observer, 7 September 2022
While the world was grappling with
COVID-19 especially in 2020/21, it has since surfaced that the number of school
going children that were treated for sexually transmitted infections (STIs)
during the lockdown in the country was alarming.
Not only that, about 1 760 learners in
Grade VII, Form III and Form V got pregnant during the lockdown.
United Nations Educational, Scientific and
Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) HIV and Health Education Eswatini National
Programme Officer Dr Bethusile Mahlalela said COVID-19 exposed lots of
challenges, especially those pertaining to young people.
She revealed that some learners were
abused at family setting, adding that a number of issues emerged since the
outbreak of COVID-19, including mental and health issues, while some learners
had their parents dying and many other challenges. Dr Mahlalela said the abuse
amongst school going children occurred despite efforts to curb teenage
pregnancies which in turn results to pupils dropping out of school. She said
UNESCO and its partners collaborated to ascertain what causes early pregnancy
amongst children.
She said in June, 2018, UNESCO launched
the EUP campaign in Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA) during the Southern
African Development Community (SADC) ministers of education meeting in Durban,
South Africa.
She said the launch of the campaign was
part of the ESA ministerial commitment, which was endorsed in December 2013 by
ministers of education and health in the ESA region. The commitment has
prompted significant progress by member states to address the needs of
adolescents and young people with respect to ensuring access to life
skills-based HIV and sexuality education and youth-friendly SRH services.
One of the targets of the ESA commitment
was to reduce EUP by 75 per cent by the year 2020. In the 2017 Technical
Coordination Group (TCG) meeting of the ESA commitment, countries agreed to
focus on the issue of EUP as an area requiring intervention across all countries
and there was a clear recommendation to launch a regional EUP campaign.
Following this recommendation, UNESCO commissioned a situation analysis on EUP
in 10 countries in ESA to assess the magnitude of the problem in the region.
The study revealed that EUP in ESA is very high with at least 15 per cent of 15
to 19-year-olds ever having been pregnant.
To read more of this report, click here
http://new.observer.org.sz/details.php?id=18801
Suppression
of students’ voices continues in Swaziland as police crush peaceful protest
By
Lwazi Maseko, Communist Party of Swaziland, 8 September 2022
MBABANE: On Wednesday 7 September
2022, an armed police battalion violently crushed a peaceful protest action by
students from the Limkokwing University of Creative Technology (LUCT) in the
capital city, Mbabane.
The police had camped at the university
premises following the students’ resolution to protest over various demands,
including the demands for face-to-face learning and disbursement of students’
allowances as part of the right to free education campaign.
Mswati, who rules Swaziland as an absolute
monarch, in his desperation to cling to power, has vowed to violently crush all
protests in the country.
A student at LUCT, Buhle Dlamini, said,
"We found armed police officers around the university as early as around
8am. The private security guards, together with the armed police officers,
closed the university’s main gate. They locked out those who wanted to enter,
while locking in those who wanted to leave the university premises.”
Students on both sides of the gate
demanded that the police open the gate.
“We waited impatiently by the gate until
one police officer started issuing threats and arrogantly commanded that we
leave the school gate immediately," continued Buhle.
After a few minutes, another group of
armed police officers arrived to back up the first group who were already
shivering in fear of the students’ anger.
Police then started firing teargas towards
students at the gate and those inside campus.
The police then targeted six members of
the Communist Party of Swaziland (CPS) who were on their way back to their
respective houses, accusing them of instigating the students’ protest.
The police thereafter apprehended two CPS
members and detained them at the Mbabane Police Station, releasing them at
around 4:30 pm after intense interrogation.
CPS Member Mhlojobe Mtsetfwa who was part
of the detained comrades said, "The police held us, assaulted us with
batons and with the buts of their guns. We thus sustained injuries due to the
police brutality.”
The police later released them without
charge.
Among the students’ demands was the call
for the lifting of suspension for students who had been dragged through the
university’s one-sided disciplinary process.
The students also demanded the appointment
of a new director for the university. On this demand, one student who preferred
to remain anonymous said, “Tfobile Gumedze, the current Director, has failed
dismally, and she does not place the interests of the students as her top
priority.”
Students have also complained about the
inadequate security in the university campus. They thus demand the change of
the private security company that is enjoying the tender to secure their
campus.
Despite the attack by the police, the
students remain upbeat about the struggle for freedom in Swaziland and have
vowed to continue organising themselves and inspiring the nation in that
regard.
The “Democracy Now” campaign, first
launched by the CPS in 2019, continues to gain ground across the country as the
people have become resolute in the demand for total freedom.
eSwatini: Internet disruptions occurring nationwide as
of Sept. 7
By Crisis 24
Reports indicate that internet
disruptions are occurring across the country, as of early September 7. The
reasons for the outage remain unclear, as well as how long it may last.
Business disruptions are
possible for companies that use internet services for their operations. Locals
in parts of eSwatini may stage demonstrations to oppose the internet
disruptions, especially if the outage is deemed to be a result of purposeful
government action. Heightened security measures and localized transport
disruptions are likely nearby any rallies.
No
independence / pro-democracy women establish their organisation
By
Simanga Nxumalo, Swati Newsweek, 6 September, 2022
MANZINI: As the royal regime celebrates independence,
Eswatini Pro-democracy women had established a new Women Organisation in an
effort to support the struggle for multiparty democracy in Swaziland.
The new organisation consists of different members
from the different political parties.
Candy Dlamini, the Communications Officer confirmed
the matter.
“Thank you for the opportunity to give a brief about
our new Organisation.
Dlamini said, “The name of our Organisation is
Progressive Women’s Alliance of SWAZILAND (PWAS).
“This organisation is formed by progressive women in
the struggle. Having participated in the country's struggle activities, we
realised that women are part of the struggle yet they are not seen nor heard.
We then decided to come together to form an organisation that will incorporate
women in the struggle locally and beyond our borders as we still have Swazi
women that are actively involved in the struggle.
“Currently we have representatives from the following
Organisations
NNLC
EFFSWA
SPLM
UED
SIVESIYINCABA
SWALIMO
SWADEPA .
“Today we had our meeting where we elected an Interim
Task Team that will be in office for 6 months, their Duty is to facilitate the
drafting of our Constitution, by laws, terms of reference before electing our
executive.
From today's elections, the portfolios stand as
follows (we elected parties not individuals)
Chairperson. SPLM
Vice chair. NNLC
Sec General. SWALIMO
DSG. Sivesiyincaba
International Affairs. UED
Organiser. SWADEPA
Spokesperson / Communication. EFFSWA.
She concluded, “The President of SNAT was our
Electoral officer for the day.”
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