Two More Human Rights Groups Condemn Swaziland Police Attack on Journalist

Two more human rights groups have joined a growing chorus of condemnation of Swaziland after a journalist was attacked by police when he photographed them during a workers’ protest in which they fired guns.

 

The Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) chapter in Swaziland (recently renamed Eswatini by the kingdom’s absolute monarch King Mswati III) said it saw an ‘increasingly worrying development’ with state forces attacking journalists.

MISA was commenting on the case of Times of Swaziland journalist Andile Nsibande who was attacked by police officers and prison warders on 30 August 2018 at Nhlangano where workers protested about low levels of pay.

‘They demanded that he should delete the pictures he had taken, and then proceeded to beat him up,’’ MISA reported.

It stated, ‘The law enforcement agents ought to know that journalists play a public service of disseminating information that emaSwati [Swazi people] need desperately to make informed decisions and choices. 

It added, ‘Whosoever attacks journalists in line of duty, stands accused of violating emaSwati’s constitutional right to information.’

MISA said it was concerned, ‘such acts are happening during the process of national elections when emaSwati expect the media practitioners to execute their duties without fear. Such attacks are bound to instil fear in the media practitioners.’

Separately, the Panos Institute Southern Africa said the state attacks on journalists were unconstitutional. In a statement it said, ‘Journalism is not a crime, but is a freedom that must be cherished and protected by all who are concerned about the region’s development. Any attack on press freedom is a blow on the implementation of poverty eradication interventions, as the media is a strategic ally in the roll-out of national development programmes. 

‘We appeal to the authorities at the Kingdom of Eswatini to urgently put in place measures to protect journalists from unscrupulous government officials and security agents.’

The fresh calls came after MISA Zimbabwe chapter appealed to the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to look into the continued state-sponsored violations against journalists.

It added, ‘It is high time the regional body condemned the continued use of state security agents to violate fundamental rights such as the right to free expression and the right to access information.’

MISA Zimbabawe called the police attack, ‘an increasingly worrying development involving state security agents’. It added, ‘This attack is the latest in a series of state-sponsored attacks against journalists in the kingdom of Eswatini, as Swaziland is now called. On 7 February 2018, a photojournalist with the Swazi Observer was attacked after he took pictures of a convoy of overcrowded vehicles transporting prison wardens.’

It added, ‘Another photojournalist with the Sunday Observer was attacked on 13 July 2018 after he took pictures of government vehicles parked outside a deputy prime minister’s office. Police forced the photojournalist to delete pictures he had taken.’

See also

Swaziland Police Beat-Up Journalist Photographing Them Attacking, Shooting At Textile Workers

https://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2018/09/swaziland-police-beat-up-journalist.html

 

Media Freedom Group Calls On SADC To Investigate Swaziland For ‘State-Sponsored’ Attacks On Journalists

https://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2018/09/media-freedom-group-calls-on-sadc-to.html

 

‘Editor Flees After Death Threat’

https://swazimedia.blogspot.co.uk/2018/01/editor-flees-after-death-threat.html

Media Freedom Group Calls On SADC To Investigate Swaziland For ‘State-Sponsored’ Attacks On Journalists

A media rights group is calling on the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to investigate Swaziland after a series of ‘state-sponsored violations against journalists’.

The Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Zimbabwe chapter made the move after police attacked a Times of Swaziland journalist Andile Nsibande who was photographing them during a workers’ dispute where they fired shots.

It happened during a protest over low salaries at Zheng Yong textile factory in Nhlangano, Swaziland, the kingdom recently renamed Eswatini by its absolute monarch King Mswati III.

MISA reported in a statement, ‘Nsibande was attacked for taking pictures of armed police officers and prison wardens attacking and firing shots at the protesting workers who were mostly women. Police officers demanded that Nsibande delete the pictures he had taken, and then proceeded to beat up the defenceless journalist.

‘Nsibande was later taken to hospital where he received treatment.’

MISA called the police attack, ‘an increasingly worrying development involving state security agents’. It added, ‘This attack is the latest in a series of state-sponsored attacks against journalists in the kingdom of Eswatini, as Swaziland is now called. On 7 February 2018, a photojournalist with the Swazi Observer was attacked after he took pictures of a convoy of overcrowded vehicles transporting prison wardens.’

It added, ‘Another photojournalist with the Sunday Observer was attacked on 13 July 2018 after he took pictures of government vehicles parked outside a deputy prime minister’s office. Police forced the photojournalist to delete pictures he had taken.’

MISA called the attacks ‘a direct attack on the rights to free expression and press freedom as explicitly protected in Section 24 of Eswatini’s Constitution. Yet State security forces continue to attack journalists with impunity.’

It stated, ‘MISA Zimbabwe appeals to the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to look into these continued state-sponsored violations against journalists. It is high time the regional body condemned the continued use of state security agents to violate fundamental rights such as the right to free expression and the right to access information.’

See also

Swaziland Police Beat-Up Journalist Photographing Them Attacking, Shooting At Textile Workers

https://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2018/09/swaziland-police-beat-up-journalist.html 

‘Editor Flees After Death Threat’

https://swazimedia.blogspot.co.uk/2018/01/editor-flees-after-death-threat.html

CENSORSHIP TOTAL AT SWAZI STATE MEDIA

The extent to which state media in Swaziland is censored to control people’s understanding of what is going on in the kingdom, has been revealed by UNESCO.

The news agenda is manipulated in favour of absolute monarch King Mswati III. No opposition to the government is allowed on the airways and media practitioners in state-run media are civil servants first and journalists second, it reported.

In Swaziland all radio stations except one that does not report news is state-controlled. The largest of two TV stations in Swaziland is also state-controlled.

The report, Assessment of Media Development inSwaziland, is the most comprehensive study of journalism and development in Swaziland ever published.

The report stated, there is a ‘lack of editorial independence in the state-controlled broadcast media’.  It added, ‘Swazi TV and radio are effectively departments of the civil service and government mouthpieces acting more as a vehicle for development.

‘In the case of the SBIS, which operates the radio station, the broadcast journalists are considered civil servants first and journalists second. As they are employed as information officers, they are part of the civil service and are thus expected to abide by the Government General Orders.

‘As government information officers they are expected to censor disruptive or critical information likely to compromise national security and frustrate government’s realisation of socioeconomic development goals, which clearly contravenes the spirit of editorial independence.

‘In addition, the ICT [Information, Communications and Technology] Ministry has invoked the Public Service Announcement (PSA) Guidelines to control the state broadcasters. These guidelines bar all Swazi citizens, irrespective of their status, from airing their opinions on the radio and television stations before their opinions have been cleared by their chiefs. Thinly veiled as public announcement guidelines, the PSA guidelines regulate all operations and activities of the state broadcasters.’

It said no PSA is allowed on air, ‘that is negative or does not support Government’s agenda’.

UNESCO reported, ‘According to the Swaziland Broadcasting and Information Services Code of Conduct and Operational Procedures of 1987, all state events and occasions which involve the presence of the King, Indlovukazi (Queen Mother) and Prime Minister shall receive priority coverage.

‘Article 3 of the same code stipulates that SBIS is a national radio station fully supported by the government and therefore broadcasters must abide by the policies and should not allow their political affiliations to intrude into broadcast messages.’

UNESCO reported this was contrary to international standards on public service broadcasting, ‘which caters for all people irrespective of their social or economic status in society. It provides programming for everyone; be it the general public or minority audiences.’

Broadcasting, UNESCO reported, should be, ‘A meeting place where all citizens are welcome and considered equals. It is an information and education tool; accessible to all and meant for all, whatever their social or economic status.’

See also

JOURNALISTS SAY THEY ARE UNDER THREAT

https://swazimedia.blogspot.co.uk/2018/05/journalists-say-they-are-under-threat.html

 

SWAZI BROADCASTING WILL NOT BE FREED

https://swazimedia.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/swazi-broadcasting-will-not-be-freed.html

SWAZI GOVT HIDES FROM THE PUBLIC

People in Swaziland cannot access critical information from government and there is no political will in the kingdom for this to change, a report on media freedom concluded.

 

The Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) said a law to allow access to information had been drafted in 2007 but had been ‘left to gather dust on the shelves’.

Swaziland is ruled by King Mswati III as sub-Saharan Africa’s last absolute monarch. Political parties are banned from taking part in elections and the King chooses the Prime Minister and government ministers. There are few opportunities in Swaziland for people to engage in free and open debate.

MISA in its annual report on media freedom So This Is Democracy? Said, ‘Swazi citizens continue to be deprived of critical information through lack of legislated access to public information, the lifeblood of national development.’

It added this violated the Swaziland Constitution which states a person has ‘freedom to receive ideas and information’.

Each year MISA in Swaziland investigates government departments and other public institutions to discover how well they share information.

In its most recent report in 2017 it named the Ministry of Home Affairs as the worst offender among many. None of the departments and institutions surveyed had a good record.

MISA surveyed eight entities. In a report called Transparency Assessment 2017 The Citizens’ Analysis of Government Openness it concluded, ‘There is still a lot of reluctance from officials responsible for providing public information to both members of the public and media practitioners.

‘Worse still, there are no clear lines of communication in most of these public institutions. Government ministries have hired information or communication officers but these public officers are paid for doing little in terms of providing information; they do not have the authority to respond to the queries brought to them. Only the Principal Secretaries in the government ministries are authorised to respond to the questions directed at the ministries.’

MISA added, ‘Information on the officials designated to liaise with the public and the media is not even communicated through the websites. The situation is the same in public institutions—they do not have officials designated to provide information to information seekers.’

It added, ‘The study results underscore the need for easing access to public information. It is high time that public institutions go an extra mile and prioritise information dissemination to the public and through the media. Government ministries should give the information and communication officers the authority to communicate information to the public and media because access to information is key to social, economic, political and cultural development.’

The survey is conducted annually and MISA said results of the 2017 study were little different from those of the previous years.

MISA Swaziland has mounted an access to information campaign in a strong bid to push for the passage of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Bill into law.’

    

See also

MEDIA ELECTION REPORTING MONITORED

https://swazimedia.blogspot.co.uk/2018/05/media-election-reporting-monitored.html

 

SWAZILAND NEEDS FREE INFORMATION

https://swazimedia.blogspot.co.uk/2008/05/swaziland-needs-free-information.html

GOVERNMENT SLOW TO GIVE INFORMATION

https://swazimedia.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/govt-slow-to-give-information.html

SWAZI GOVT SLUGGISH ON MEDIA REFORM

The Government in undemocratic Swaziland takes one step forward and two steps back in its attitude to media freedom, a leading pressure group said.

It has held talks with a newly-created media consortium seeking the right to freedom of expression and access to information and at the same time continued to censor broadcasting and blocked freedom of information legislation.

The Media Institute of Southern Africa in its annual report on media freedom in Swaziland just published called the creation of the Swaziland Media Consortium (SMC) a major step forward. SMC has eight member bodies from journalists and media workers and non-government organisations.

In its review of 2017, MISA said SMC had met with Dumisani Ndlangamandla, Minister of Information, Communication and Technology, to discuss legislation around freeing broadcasting and introducing a freedom of information bill.

MISA reported, ‘The Minister also stressed the urgent need to address media development issues, access to information and dropping standards of journalism.’

Drafts of broadcasting legislation has been around since at least 2013 and  the Freedom of Information and Privacy Bill since 2007.

In Swaziland political parties are banned from taking part in elections and King Mswati III who rules as an absolute monarch chooses the Prime Minister and government.

He also has a firm grip on broadcasting and most printed media in the kingdom. MISA reported, ‘In the year under review, the management of the state broadcasters perfected state media capture. In between the programmes and news bulletins, public information officers working at the radio channel [SBIS] played SiSwati interludes extoling the benefits of living in a monarchy and featured songs portraying the King as the most benevolent ruler. There is a clear perception that dissenting voices cannot be aired in the state-controlled broadcaster.’

At a party for his 50^th birthday on 19 April 2018 King Mswati wore a watch worth US$1.6 million and a suit studded with diamonds. Days earlier he had taken delivery of his second private jet aircraft which with VIP upgrades was reported to have cost US$30 million. He has 13 palaces, fleets of top of the range Mercedes and BMW cars and he and his family take shopping trips abroad that cost millions of dollars.

Meanwhile, seven in ten of the population, estimated at 1.1 million people live in abject poverty on incomes less than the equivalent of US2 per day.

MISA is not the only group to review media freedom in Swaziland over the past year. The latest annual report from Reporters Without Borders said there was no media freedom in Swaziland. It ranked the kingdom 152 out of 180 in the world ranking. 

In its report RWB stated the kingdom, ‘prevents journalists from working freely and obstructs access to information. No court is allowed to prosecute or try members of the government, but any criticism of the regime is liable to be the subject of a prosecution. 

‘For fear of reprisals, journalists censor themselves almost systematically.’

The US State Department in its review of human rights in Swaziland for 2017 stated that the Swazi Constitution provided for freedom of speech and press, ‘but the King may deny these rights at his discretion, and the government severely restricted these rights in prior years’. 

It added, ‘Officials impeded press freedom. Although no law bans criticism of the monarchy, the prime minister and other officials cautioned journalists against publishing such criticism with veiled threats of newspaper closure or job loss.’

See also

‘EDITOR FLEES AFTER DEATH THREAT’

https://swazimedia.blogspot.co.uk/2018/01/editor-flees-after-death-threat.html

 

SWAZI GOVERNMENT FORCES NEWSPAPER TO CLOSE

https://swazimedia.blogspot.co.uk/2017/12/swazi-govt-forces-newspaper-to-close.html

 

JOURNALISTS ‘SCARED TO DO THEIR JOBS’

https://swazimedia.blogspot.co.uk/2018/01/journalists-scared-to-do-their-jobs.html

CHURCH ‘TO RESTORE MORAL FIBRE’

A Swaziland church is to spend millions of emalangeni on a campaign to ‘restore moral fibre’ to the kingdom.

Apostle Justice Dlamini of the Worship Centre Church will take the campaign to all four regions. E2 million (US$170,000) is to be spent.

Apostle Dlamini is a fierce critic of Incwala, an annual traditional ceremony that has King Mswati III at its centre. He has called Incwala ungodly and witchcraft.

The Swaziland Gospel Transformation Campaign was announced on Good Friday (30 March 2018). The Times of Swaziland reported Dlamini saying,  ‘The Worship Centre is determined to help in transforming the lives of the Swazi nation. We have built a structure, now it is time to build the lives of people. We are adamant that in 20 years’ time, we will see the emergence of a society that is responsible, with people who love one another and [do] not kill each other.’

Apostle Dlamini, as plain Pastor Dlamini, has been a controversial figure in Swaziland for many years. He has been criticised for his intolerance of other faiths, particularly Muslims.

In 2007, he announced he had prayed to God for the deaths of two journalists in Swaziland who had written and published an article critical of him.

But, he is mainly remembered for his attacks on Incwala. In 2002, Swazi police raided Channel S, the only privately-owned television station in the kingdom, and confiscated a videotape containing a sermon that had been termed by the Swazi government as ‘threatening the foundations of the kingdom’.

The Media Institute of Southern Africa reported at the time the footage was of a sermon broadcast nationally and regionally (throughout the Southern African Development Community). It reported, ‘During the sermon, Pastor Justice Dlamini, of the Swaziland Association of Christian Ministries (SACM), suggested that some of the cultural practices in the country are “ungodly”. Dlamini was referring to the Incwala, an annual cultural celebration.’

MISA’s Swaziland chapter condemned the raid on the television station, saying that it was unwarranted and impinged on Swazi citizens’ freedom of expression. It reported that Dlamini had suffered harassment by policymakers in the kingdom, ostensibly in the name of protecting culture and the monarchy.

MISA added, ‘In Swaziland, the state is embodied in the person of the sovereign himself, King Mswati III, the 16th king from the House of Dlamini, which has ruled the Swazis since the 1500s. Swazis do not distinguish between the nation and the man, and while the King is not considered divine, he is the central figure of the month-long sacred Incwala (kingship/harvest) ceremonies, held when the first fruits ripen in summer.

‘During the Incwala, tens of thousands of Swazis in traditional attire converge on the Queen Mother's village and petition the national ancestral spirits to endow the King with wisdom, and the nation with good rains and fortune.’

The Swaziland Conference of Churches was summoned before labadzala, the traditional elders of Ludzidzini Royal Residence, in 2009 after Pastor Dlamini preached against Incwala.

Mbongeni Mbingo, writing in the Times Sunday in August 2009, said, ‘Pastor Justice appears to have stoked the fires by telling Christians that Incwala is unholy and that there is witchcraft practiced at the ceremony. It was during a national prayer held at the Somhlolo Stadium where he had been invited by the Conference of Churches, no doubt because not only is he a man of God, but he is a pastor who has stood firm in his teachings and beliefs.

Mbingo added, ‘He has made it clear he does not believe the Incwala is a national prayer, obviously something we are certain would infuriate the traditional leadership of this country.’

Mbingo wrote, ‘But the traditional authorities, especially the Ludzidzini council, has reacted with shock, dismay and anger, first summoning the pastor to appear before it so as to explain what exactly he meant, and then proceeding to summon the Swaziland Conference of Churches. 

‘The idea of course, and the impression, is that Pastor Justice is wrong to criticise the Incwala—and therefore he must be dealt with. Pastor Justice, so far, has refused to bow to the lunacy and did not respond to the summons, and has so far, chosen not to respond to the criticism levelled against him.

‘But the Ludzidzini Council does not want to encourage a debate around the issue of the holy-ness or not of a ceremony we have come to call our national prayer. 

‘This is why Pastor Justice has spoken out against this, because he argues it should not be referred to as a national prayer, because it is not, further describing it as witchcraft. 

‘Obviously, it should be expected that such statements would ruffle many people’s feathers, but really, should it then be that the Ludzidzini Libandla would rather not have a debate around the issue? 

‘It appears to me that the traditional authorities would be happier if this topic was never even entertained, and that anyone who does so then invites the wrath of the authorities—which is nonsense of course.’

See also

SWAZI KING IN SECRETIVE CEREMONY

http://swazimedia.blogspot.co.uk/2015/12/swazi-king-in-secretive-ceremony.html

ILLEGAL TO POSSESS INCWALA SONGS

http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2011/12/illegal-to-possess-incwala-songs.html

SWAZI KING AND BESTIALITY RITUAL

http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2011/11/swazi-king-and-bestiality-ritual.html

COURT ‘ATTACKS JOURNALIST ETHICS’

Media freedom advocates in Swaziland have criticised the kingdom’s top law officer for demanding a photojournalist give evidence for the police in a court case.

The Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) described the move by the Director of Public Prosecutions as an attack on the journalism profession. 

Photojournalist Simon Shabangu of the Swazi Observer is being forced to give evidence on behalf of the police against two school teachers who are charged with a public disorder offence during a protest march in Mbabane in February 2016. Shabangu took photographs of the demonstration and the newspaper published some of them.

Mbabane Magistrates Court has issued subpoena compelling Shabangu to testify.

Vuyisile Hlatjwayo, Director of MISA – Swaziland, said forcing Shabangu to give evidence on pictures he took while in the line of duty would compromise the ethics of the journalism profession.

On Thursday (11 January 2018) the Swazi Observer reported him saying, ‘Not only that, members of the public would lose confidence in journalists if the state would be allowed to call them at any time to give evidence on activities undertaken while in the line of duty. 

‘This also has the potential of setting journalists against the public since people will no longer call the media to their events for the fear that they (journalists) would in turn testify against them in court. This is a very bad precedent we should all frown upon.’ he said. 

The case continues in February 2018.

See also

‘EDITOR FLEES AFTER DEATH THREAT’

https://swazimedia.blogspot.co.uk/2018/01/editor-flees-after-death-threat.html

 

SWAZI GOVERNMENT FORCES NEWSPAPER TO CLOSE

https://swazimedia.blogspot.co.uk/2017/12/swazi-govt-forces-newspaper-to-close.html

 

JOURNALISTS ‘SCARED TO DO THEIR JOBS’

https://swazimedia.blogspot.co.uk/2018/01/journalists-scared-to-do-their-jobs.html

SWAZILAND STILL A SECRETIVE STATE

Swaziland government ministries and public institutions remain unwilling to share information about their activities, a new report reveals.

The Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) named the Ministry of Home Affairs as the worst offender among many. None of the departments and institutions surveyed had a good record.

MISA surveyed eight entities. In a report called Transparency Assessment 2017 The Citizens’ Analysis of Government Openness it concluded, ‘There is still a lot of reluctance from officials responsible for providing public information to both members of the public and media practitioners. 

‘Worse still, there are no clear lines of communication in most of these public institutions. Government ministries have hired information or communication officers but these public officers are paid for doing little in terms of providing information; they do not have the authority to respond to the queries brought to them. Only the Principal Secretaries in the government ministries are authorised to respond to the questions directed at the ministries.’

MISA added, ‘Information on the officials designated to liaise with the public and the media is not even communicated through the websites. The situation is the same in public institutions—they do not have officials designated to provide information to information seekers.’

MISA said Swaziland, which is ruled by King Mswati III as sub-Saharan Africa’s last absolute monarch, needs a Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Bill to encourage public institutions to release information to the public and media. 

It added, ‘The study results underscore the need for easing access to public information. It is high time that public institutions go an extra mile and prioritise information dissemination to the public and through the media. Government ministries should give the information and communication officers the authority to communicate information to the public and media because access to information is key to social, economic, political and cultural development.’

The survey is conducted annually and MISA said results of the 2017 study were little different from those of the previous years.

In 2007, the Swazi Parliament issued a draft bill on freedom of information. The first objective of this bill was to ‘Encourage a culture of openness, transparency and accountability in public bodies by providing for access to information held by these bodies in order to enable every citizen to fully exercise and protect their constitutional right of freedom of expression.’

To date the Bill has not been passed.

In its 2017 report, MISA said, ‘Swazi citizens continue to be deprived of critical information through the lack of a right to access public information. This state of affairs is in gross violation of Article 24 of the Constitution which states that a person has the “freedom to receive ideas and information”. 

MISA Swaziland has mounted an access to information campaign in a strong bid to push for the passage of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Bill into law.’

    

See also

GOVERNMENT SLOW TO GIVE INFORMATION

https://swazimedia.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/govt-slow-to-give-information.html

 

SWAZILAND NEEDS FREE INFORMATION

http://swazimedia.blogspot.co.uk/2008/05/swaziland-needs-free-information.html