Only days after it was
learnt that people who criticise King Mswati of Swaziland face two years’ jail, the King misled the UN General Assembly saying
that ‘all citizens’ have the opportunity to air their views.
The King who rules
Swaziland as sub-Saharan Africa’s last absolute monarch in a kingdom where
political parties are banned from contesting elections and prodemocracy
campaigners are prosecuted under the Suppression of Terrorism Act, said, ‘The
kingdom of eSwatini [Swaziland] is committed to peace and a decent life for
all. We are also firm believers in the principle of consultative
decision-making. This involves a transparent and all-inclusive undertaking that
grants every citizen an opportunity to voice their views in order to
constructively contribute to the social, economic, cultural and political
development of the country.’
He did not say that his
unelected government had just passed the Public Order Act. This allows for
critics of the King or the Swazi Government to be fined E10,0000 (US$770), imprisoned
for two years or both for inciting ‘hatred or contempt’ against cultural and
traditional heritage. In Swaziland seven out of ten people have incomes less
than US$2 a day.
The Act also targets
gatherings of 50 or more people in a public place where policy actions or criticisms
of any government or organisation are made.
The Times of Swaziland, the only independent daily newspaper in the
kingdom where reporting the activities of King Mswati and his family is
severely restricted, reported, ‘These gatherings could be those which are
convened or held to form pressure groups, to hand over petitions to any person
or to mobilise or demonstrate support for or opposition to the views,
principles, policy, actions or omissions of any person, organisation including
any government administration or institution.
‘The Act states that to
avoid any doubt people who also speak ill or incite hatred against the cultural
and traditional heritage of the country could be those who are involved in a
picket or protest action.
‘Other acts that carry a
similar penalty also include a person who trashes, burns or otherwise destroys,
defaces or defiles or damages any national insignia or emblem. The nation
insignia or other emblem has been defined by the Act as any weaving,
embroidery, sewing, drawing, picture, illustration and painting which
represents His Majesty, the Indlovukati [King’s mother], national flag or
Swaziland Coat of Arms.’
Swaziland has been criticised by many international
groups for its lack of democracy.
The Swazi people are only allowed to select 55 of the
65 members of the House of Assembly, the other 10 are appointed by the King.
None of the 30 members of the Swaziland Senate are elected by the people: the
King appoints 20 members and the other 10 are appointed by the House of
Assembly.
In 2016, the Southern
Africa Litigation Centre reported all opposition to the
rule of the King Mswati is treated as ‘terrorism’.
In 2015, the
United States withdrew trading benefits under the Africa
Growth Opportunities Act (AGOA) because of Swaziland’s poor record on human
rights.
International human rights organisations Human Rights
Watch in its World
Report 2016, said ‘The Suppression of Terrorism Act
(STA), the Sedition and Subversive Activities Act of 1938, and other similarly
draconian legislation provided sweeping powers to the security services to halt
meetings and protests and to curb criticism of the government, even though such
rights are protected under Swaziland’s 2005 constitution.’
The STA was ‘regularly used’ by the police to
interfere in trade union activities, Action for Southern Africa (ACTSA) said in a
submission to the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG)
in 2015.
Amnesty International has criticised of Swaziland for
the ‘continued persecution of peaceful political opponents and critics’ by the
King and his authorities. It said the Swazi authorities were using the
Acts, ‘to intimidate activists, further entrench political exclusion and to
restrict the exercise of the rights to freedom of expression, association and
peaceful assembly’.
In September 2016 Swaziland’s
High Court ruled that sections of the Suppression of
Terrorism Act and the Sedition and Subversive Activities Act were
unconstitutional. The Government is appealing the ruling.
See also
JAIL
FOR DEFACING PICTURE OF KING
OPPOSITION
TO KING IS ‘TERRORISM’
SWAZILAND
LAST ON POLITICAL FREEDOM
http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2017/01/swaziland-last-on-political-freedom.html
SWAZILAND FAILS ON FREEDOM PROMISE
SWAZILAND FAILS ON FREEDOM PROMISE
REPORT
TELLS UN OF RIGHTS ABUSES
COURT:
TERROR ACT UNCONSTITUTIONAL
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