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The Southern African Development Community Council of Non-Governmental Organisations (SADC-CNGO), an umbrella of civil society coordinating bodies in the SADC region noted the disturbing new developments in the Kingdom of Eswatini and said it is deeply concerned about the riots and security brutality to the civilians including the loss of life and destruction of property.
SADC-CNGO said it notes the people of Eswatini’s demands for democratic dispensation in the Kingdom whose poverty rates are as high as 70% and high level of unemployment (World Bank 2020).
“It is our conviction that denying the nation the democratic freedoms while at the same time creating policies that exacerbate inequality, poverty, and unemployment including the usage of the security agencies in suppressing and suffocating any peaceful protest is tantamount to a crime against humanity by the government of the Kingdom of Eswatini and is condemned in the strongest terms.”
The grouping reminded the people and government of Eswatini that democratic right is a universally recognised right for every nation and underscored the fact that it is important for the Eswatini nation to make efforts to respect it including other human rights provisions as enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948).
“That Eswatini people have not fully enjoyed civil liberties and freedoms including that of expression and association have been a matter of time before people demand them, and it has always been our conviction that when that necessary devolution in peoples’ development comes, the government and its security apparatus would be ready to engage peacefully and meaningfully. However, what is obtaining is a clear indication that duty bearers in Eswatini were never ready to embrace democratic principles of governance.
The SADC-CNGO urges the Southern African Development Committee (SADC) to intervene in the Eswatini political crisis and cause a total restraint and protection of lives and property of the citizens of the Eswatini. The SADC has a moral obligation to support any member state that is in a difficult situation like the case of Eswatini. The SADC-CNGO further calls on SADC to engage King Mswati III and his government with the aim of enforcing restraint measures and protection of lives and property.”
In order to pave the way forward, SADC-CNGO urged all stakeholders in Eswatini to engage in a meaningful dialogue that will facilitate the national political and economic reforms agenda for the Eswatini nation. They argued that the multi-stakeholder dialogue should involve all political actors such as political parties, civil society formations, labour, private sector, youth, women, among others.
SADC-CNGO called upon the government of the Kingdom of Eswatini to cease hostilities by removing the military from the streets.; and called upon the accountability of the government of all who have been killed and injured including burial of the killed in dignity.
“Access to information is a basic human right. We call upon the government to restore the internet in the country to allow for the free flow of information for the citizens in the Kingdom. SADC-CNGO is committed to peaceful and democratic processes that protect the human rights of the citizens and remain open for assisting in dialogues.”