A Regional Administrator in Swaziland (eSwatini) has called
on the government to send riot police and soldiers into people’s homes to
confiscate alcohol.
Chief
Gija Dlamini, of Manzini, a half-brother of King Mswati III Swaziland’s
absolute monarch, said this would help tackle the increase in cases of
coronavirus (COVID-19) in the kingdom. Manzini where he is Regional
Administrator has the highest population of the four regions of Swaziland and also
the highest number of cases.
Chief Gija wants the Swazi cabinet, which was not elected
but appointed by King Mswati, to raid homes and confiscate alcohol. Sales
of alcohol have been banned as part of a partial lockdown of the kingdom in
response to the virus.
He said some liquor shops had partnered with shebeens
(unlicensed bars or private households) to sell alcohol. He asked for
permission to send officers from the Operational Services Support Unit (OSSU),
a paramilitary-style state police unit, and members of the Umbutfo Eswatini
Defence Force (the official name for the army) into homes.
He said there was a danger that people who drank alcohol
might behave ‘irresponsibly’.
As of 15 July 2020, the
Ministry of Health reported 1,489 cases of coronavirus across Swaziland and
20 deaths.
Human
rights have been under attack in Swaziland since the lockdown was imposed
by the king in March 2020. A new
offence of spreading rumours or ‘unauthentic information’ about coronavirus
was introduced, carrying a fine of E20,000 or up to five years imprisonment.
Since lockdown, local media reported
a number of cases of police and soldiers beating members of the public who
were not complying with the regulations. An 85-year-old woman collapsed and
died at her home on the outskirts of the Swazi capital Mbabane when police and
correctional services forces raided her home. The eSwatini
News reported that the woman sold alcoholic beverages for a living.
On 15 April 2020 Swazi Prime Minister Ambrose Dlamini
endorsed police beating people during the coronavirus lockdown. He
told a press briefing, ‘If you are found to be violating these regulations,
the law will definitely take its course, we won’t compromise on this. Maybe
those who were assaulted were found to be on the wrong side of the law by
breaking the regulations put in place by government. We would like to encourage
members of the public to abide by these regulations, there shouldn’t a need for
the law enforcement to force you to respect these regulations.’
See also
Coronavirus pandemic highlights human rights abuses in
Swaziland, new review shows
Swaziland bans alcohol production and sales, threatens media
as coronavirus lockdown extended
More reports of police and army violence against civilians
as Swaziland coronavirus lockdown continues
Swaziland armed police, army intimidate people to obey
coronavirus lockdown. Woman, 85, dies
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