This comes after a meeting
between Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) officials and human rights
organisations.
The Swaziland News
website reported the Swaziland Human Rights Network raised issues about Swaziland’s violation of
international charters. Activists want the kingdom ruled by King Mswati III as
sub-Saharan Africa’s last absolute monarch referred to the Commonwealth
Ministerial Action Group which deals with persistent
and serious violators of the Commonwealth’s shared principles.
A national election is due
later in 2018 but political parties are banned from taking part. Pro-democracy
groups are branded ‘terrorists’ under the Suppression of Terrorism Act.
Although the UK has
previously given little practical help to assist change in Swaziland it has
highlighted that the kingdom is not a democracy. In a report
in 2013, the FCO
stated that although there was a parliament, ‘there is no
effective democracy’.
It added, ‘The King has the power summarily to appoint
and dismiss ministers, all parliamentary candidates require the approval of
their chief (who is dependent on the monarch for wealth and power) and while
political parties are not forbidden, they are banned from participating in
elections. All candidates must run as
independents.’
The FCO called on Swaziland to allow multi-party
elections, but this was rejected by the Swazi government
The report added, ‘Swaziland continues to suffer from
a range of governance problems which adversely impact human rights and inhibit
the country’s social and economic development and its ability to attract
much-needed foreign investment. The
judicial system has suffered repeated crises; the Suppression of Terrorism Act
has been used to prevent legitimate expression of political views; peaceful
protests have been disrupted and in some cases excessive force used against
protesters. The absence of clearly
documented land rights has prevented small farmers from developing their
land. Efforts to amend Swaziland’s laws
to prevent domestic violence and to improve the legal status of women have made
little progress.’
Human rights violations in Swaziland have also been
highlighted by the United States. In its annual
report on the kingdom for 2017 it stated, ‘The most significant human rights issues included:
arbitrary interference with privacy and home; restrictions on freedoms of
speech, assembly, and association; denial of citizens’ ability to choose their
government in free and fair elections; institutional lack of accountability in cases
involving rape and violence against women; criminalization of same-sex sexual
conduct, although rarely enforced; trafficking in persons; restrictions on
worker rights; and child labor.
‘With few exceptions, the
government did not prosecute or administratively punish officials who committed
abuses. In general perpetrators acted with impunity.’
See also
SWAZILAND REPRESSES POLITICAL DISSENT
SWAZILAND
CIVIL LIBERTIES WORSEN
UN
PROBES SWAZILAND ON HUMAN RIGHTS
SWAZILAND
FAILS HUMAN RIGHTS TEST
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