It was on the 10th December 1948 when the United Nations(UN) adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights(UDHR) as the foundation for freedom, justice and peace.
The report compiled by Human Rights Watch(HRW) with regards to the ongoing eSwatini human rights violations in this tiny Kingdom of eSwatini, an absolute Monarchy, seeks to hold the country accountable based on the fact that, eSwatini is not only a mere member of the UN but, ratified the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Indeed by ratifying the UDHR, eSwatini demonstrated commitment to respect human rights, therefore and based on the fundamental principles that established the UN, international human rights organizations recognized by the United Nations are, in terms of international law, legally obligated to hold eSwatini accountable on human rights violations.
But apart from the UDHR, eSwatini ratified other international instruments that address human rights, including the Covenants on Civil and Political Rights and the Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights including the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women(CEDAW).
This week, outgoing and/or retiring Government Spokesperson Alpheous Nxumalo was seen on NewsRoom Afrika, labelling Human Rights Watch a tool of former colonizers seeking to control and undermine the Sovereignty of African countries including the Kingdom of eSwatini.
Well, I don’t want to believe that Nxumalo was drunk during the interview hence I will use the phrase ‘maybe he was’ because clearly, no sane person could utter such absolute nonsense that passed through the lips of the outgoing Government Spokesperson.
Uttering racist statements while blaming former colonizers on atrocities allegedly committed by the Tinkhundla undemocratic regime, is an act of evading accountability by a Government that claims to be democratic.
It should be noted that, the Human Rights Watch report highlighted the brutal killing of highly regarded human rights lawyer Thulani Maseko, the international community has been demanding an independent investigation into the assassination of the lawyer.
Instead of clarifying when will the eSwatini Government allow an independent investigation into Maseko’s death, Nxumalo diverted from the context of the interview and went on to attack and accuse former colonizers of using Human Rights Watch to undermine eSwatini Sovereignty.
Eswatini is an absolute Monarchy, human rights defenders are arrested, tortured and killed for demanding democracy, the Human Rights Watch report is very accurate and reflect what happening in eSwatini.
Thulani Maseko was killed merely for being an advocate for freedom and justice and, as the Chairperson of the pro-democracy MultiStakeholder Forum(MSF), he was seen as a threat by a brutal regime that kills and silence dissenting voices.
Whether Government Spokesperson Alpheous Nxumalo took his favorite drink-wine before the interview and, perhaps the drink clouded his reasoning on the issues contained in the Human Rights Watch report, the truth stands that, eSwatini must be democratized.
The report further highlighted the conviction of pro-democracy Members of Parliament(MPs) Mduduzi Bacede Mabuza and Mthandeni Dube on politically motivated terrorism charges and again, Human Rights Watch did not create a fictional story suggesting that, eSwatini convicted these MPs merely for demanding democracy.
During the trial of the politically motivated MPs case, we saw the manipulation of the Judiciary to deal with Legislators whose only crime was to speak on behalf of the people, in demand for democratic reforms.
Nxumalo was straying, describing Tinkhundla as a unique political system that was not imposed by colonizers but a ‘brainchild’ of the people of eSwatini, that was an outright lie.
Tinkhundla was not a ‘brainchild’ of emaSwati but a system that was established by royalty and to strengthen royal supremacy.
It is not in any way, democratic but a unique system in persecuting independent journalists, arresting, torturing and killing human rights defenders.
Thulani Maseko was killed a few hours after King Mswati threatened those calling for democracy saying, his mercenaries would deal with them.
Therefore, based on this threat from a Head of State with absolute power, it is justified to demand an international investigation into the death of the human rights lawyer.
Government has been attempting to create theories in an attempt to clean Mswati and the Tinkhundla regime but, these are allegations that must be confirmed or dismissed by an independent investigation.
A democratic Government with no links to Thulani Maseko’s assassination, could have long launched the independent, international and credible investigation.
Outgoing Government Spokesperson Alpheous Nxumalo.