• #111 (no title)
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • COVID-19 Coronavirus Global Data
  • Home 3
  • Job Dashboard
  • Jobs
  • Log In
  • Post a Job
  • Privacy Policy
  • Privacy Policy
  • Reset Password
  • Sign Up
  • Tenders
  • test
Saturday, June 3, 2023
Independent News
  • Home
  • COVID-19
    • COVID-19 Global Data
  • News
    • Local
    • South Africa
    • Africa
    • World
  • Business
    • Economy
    • Markets
    • Finance
    • Businesses
    • World Economy
  • Technology
  • Travel
    • Travel News
    • Hotels
    • Domestic Tourism
    • Health
    • Home and Garden
    • Motoring
    • Travel Tips
  • Entertainment
    • Local
    • Upcoming Events
    • International
    • Celebrity News
    • What’s On
    • Music
    • Movies
  • Tenders
  • Sports
    • Local Sports
    • Legend Corner
    • International Sports
    • Soccer
    • Rugby
    • Cricket
    • Tennis
    • Boxing
    • Cycling
    • Golf
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • COVID-19
    • COVID-19 Global Data
  • News
    • Local
    • South Africa
    • Africa
    • World
  • Business
    • Economy
    • Markets
    • Finance
    • Businesses
    • World Economy
  • Technology
  • Travel
    • Travel News
    • Hotels
    • Domestic Tourism
    • Health
    • Home and Garden
    • Motoring
    • Travel Tips
  • Entertainment
    • Local
    • Upcoming Events
    • International
    • Celebrity News
    • What’s On
    • Music
    • Movies
  • Tenders
  • Sports
    • Local Sports
    • Legend Corner
    • International Sports
    • Soccer
    • Rugby
    • Cricket
    • Tennis
    • Boxing
    • Cycling
    • Golf
No Result
View All Result
Independent News
No Result
View All Result
Home Local News

SADC calls extraordinary summit to address Eswatini crisis

News by News
July 10, 2022
in Local News, Politics
4 min read
0
Army not taking orders from King – Army Commander

The Commander In - Chief His Majesty King Mswati III

His Majesty King Mswati has finally agreed to attend the extraordinary summit of the security organ of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) on 21 July, after keeping the organisers guessing for weeks about his presence.

According to the article published by the South African leading online newspaper , Daily Maverick, The Department of International Relations and Security Cooperation announced the summit on last Thursday. It did not say what was on the agenda, but sources told the online newspaper ,Daily Maverick the main item would be the proposed national political dialogue in Eswatini. They said it had been unclear for some time if Mswati and his government would attend, but that this had now been confirmed.

The summit will be chaired by President Cyril Ramaphosa as South Africa currently chairs SADC’s security organ. The other two current members of the organ troika are Namibia and Botswana and so their presidents are also scheduled to attend.

Violent protests

SADC intervened in the crisis in the country last year after unprecedented violent protests in June which left scores of protesters dead and much infrastructure destroyed or damaged. After another flare-up of violence in October, Ramaphosa visited Eswatini in November to meet Mswati and announced afterwards that the king had agreed to launch a national political dialogue.

But then a long delay ensued and in the meanwhile, the political and security climate has deteriorated, with violent crackdowns by security forces on protesters and more recently, violent retaliation against police officers, including the burning of their homes — apparently by some pro-democracy forces.

There are deep differences in Eswatini about the structure of a national dialogue. Mswati and his government appear to be envisaging it as taking place in the “Sibaya” format, in other words as a traditional gathering where the monarch addresses his people. But the democratic opposition says this would be a monologue rather than a dialogue. They point to the Sibaya which Mswati called after the violence last June where he delivered a speech and then departed without taking questions from the Swazi people.

Thulani Maseko, a human rights lawyer who chairs the Multistakeholders Forum that has been coordinating political and civil society demands for a fully inclusive national political dialogue, welcomed the announcement of the SADC summit on Thursday.

“It is good news that SADC is meeting. It is equally encouraging that the Swaziland government has agreed to attend,” he said.

“The SADC facilitated process has to move forward. It cannot be held to ransom forever.” Maseko said SADC’s intervention was necessary to arrest the violence; where members of the police service were being targeted and the general political environment had become more volatile.

He hoped that SADC would persuade Mswati to agree on a dialogue process with firm timelines that could be shared with the leaders of the pro-democracy movement and on the need to create a political climate for talks to begin in earnest.

“It is clear that the government envisages some dialogue through Sibaya. That is unworkable and not acceptable to the mass democratic movement. All the King can do through his unilateral Sibaya meeting would be to announce his commitment to an all-inclusive political process, not to seek to manipulate and control it.

“We implore SADC not to depart from its own regional values and principles on democracy, the rule of law and their respect for all human rights in Swaziland.”

But whether SADC will be up to persuading Mswati to conduct a national political dialogue in a format that is acceptable to the democratic opposition, is uncertain. Meanwhile, the political and security climate necessary for a political dialogue has been deteriorating, with clampdowns on protesters and increasing attacks on security forces.

Exiled journalist branded a ‘terrorist’

Last week the Eswatini government designated exiled journalist Zweli Martin Dlamini and his South Africa-based online publication, Swaziland News, as terrorist entities because of his reporting on the growing political violence in the country. The government accused him of publishing articles “that instigate violence, the burning of public and state property, the seizure of state power and overthrow of lawful government”.

The government order accused Dlamini of threatening the killing of police officers, saying that it was “worth noting that there had been recent shooting of officers by unknown gunmen”.

Swaziland News recently reported that a police officer had been shot “allegedly by members of the pro-democracy Swaziland International Solidarity Forces that defends civilians from ‘bloodthirsty’ King Mswati’s security forces”. This was shortly after another two policemen had been shot.

Dlamini wrote: “The Solidarity Forces had vowed to deal with police officers after Mswati demonstrated reluctance in engaging in a political dialogue and subsequently unleashed the police and soldiers to shoot and kill dozens of civilians merely for demanding democratic reforms.”

Share4Tweet3Share1
ADVERTISEMENT
Previous Post

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has resigned

Next Post

PUDEMO President urged members to intensify attacks against security forces in Eswatini

News

News

Related Posts

TUCOSWA reported Eswatini for banning Trade unions gatherings
Local News

TUCOSWA reported Eswatini for banning Trade unions gatherings

May 30, 2023
Eswatini failed business effected by Political unrest
Community News

Eswatini failed business effected by Political unrest

May 29, 2023
His Majesty King Mswati III making his remarks during the launch and sod cutting of selected business projects at Malkerns Square.
Business

King Mswati III Prioritizes Business Protection for Economic Growth and Job Creation in Eswatini

May 27, 2023
Next Post
PUDEMO President urged members to intensify attacks against security forces in Eswatini

PUDEMO President urged members to intensify attacks against security forces in Eswatini

Discussion about this post

ADVERTISEMENT
  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
Eswatini failed business effected by Political unrest

Eswatini failed business effected by Political unrest

May 29, 2023
Ministers Phila Buthelezi and Harries Bulunga pose with stakeholders during the official opening of the 2023 Eswatini Career Expo.

Eswatini Career Expo 2023 promotes skills, entrepreneurship for inclusive economic growth

May 18, 2023
MP Bacede Mabuza arrested for allegedly forging SRA tax clearance certificate

MP Bacede Mabuza arrested for allegedly forging SRA tax clearance certificate

August 5, 2020
Ncaza’s to give evidence in Sipho Shongwe murder trial

‘Ncaza’ watches his footage killing Victor

February 15, 2022
TUCOSWA reported Eswatini for banning Trade unions gatherings

TUCOSWA reported Eswatini for banning Trade unions gatherings

May 30, 2023
Eswatini failed business effected by Political unrest

Eswatini failed business effected by Political unrest

May 29, 2023
His Majesty King Mswati III making his remarks during the launch and sod cutting of selected business projects at Malkerns Square.

King Mswati III Prioritizes Business Protection for Economic Growth and Job Creation in Eswatini

May 27, 2023
Standard bank leads in financing green energy projects

Standard bank leads in financing green energy projects

May 25, 2023
ADVERTISEMENT

PressReleases

Jehovah’s Witnesses ‘pursuing peace’ amid rising global tensions
Press Releases

Jehovah’s Witnesses ‘pursuing peace’ amid rising global tensions

August 10, 2022

Amid global tensions that dominate public attention, Jehovah’s Witnesses have been united with millions of others around the globe for...

Read more
New Scenarios on Global Food Security based on Russia-Ukraine Conflict

New Scenarios on Global Food Security based on Russia-Ukraine Conflict

March 21, 2022
MTN donates US$25 million to the African Union’s COVID-19 vaccination programme

AFRICA BRAND AWARDS: MTN named most helpful private sector brand during the pandemic

May 28, 2021
Close to 1 000 people to benefit in MTN, NAMBoard, SEL CSI projects

NAMBoard’s bid to improve stakeholder engagement programs

May 27, 2021

Stay Connected test

  • 13.6k Fans
  • 5.1k Subscribers

Recent News

TUCOSWA reported Eswatini for banning Trade unions gatherings

TUCOSWA reported Eswatini for banning Trade unions gatherings

May 30, 2023
Eswatini failed business effected by Political unrest

Eswatini failed business effected by Political unrest

May 29, 2023
His Majesty King Mswati III making his remarks during the launch and sod cutting of selected business projects at Malkerns Square.

King Mswati III Prioritizes Business Protection for Economic Growth and Job Creation in Eswatini

May 27, 2023
Standard bank leads in financing green energy projects

Standard bank leads in financing green energy projects

May 25, 2023


ADVERTISEMENT
Independent News

Independent News Eswatini is a registered private media house in Eswatini established in 2007 and is based in Mbabane. We are the fastest growing weekly news publication in Eswatini that seeks to publish, investigative stories that give insight and play the watchdog media role in government politics, uncovering corruption, giving business insights, technology and economic outlook in Eswatini.

Follow Us

Browse by Category

Recent News

TUCOSWA reported Eswatini for banning Trade unions gatherings

TUCOSWA reported Eswatini for banning Trade unions gatherings

May 30, 2023
Eswatini failed business effected by Political unrest

Eswatini failed business effected by Political unrest

May 29, 2023
His Majesty King Mswati III making his remarks during the launch and sod cutting of selected business projects at Malkerns Square.

King Mswati III Prioritizes Business Protection for Economic Growth and Job Creation in Eswatini

May 27, 2023
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact Us

© 2020 Independent News - All Rights Reserved

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • COVID-19
    • COVID-19 Global Data
  • News
    • Local
    • South Africa
    • Africa
    • World
  • Business
    • Economy
    • Markets
    • Finance
    • Businesses
    • World Economy
  • Technology
  • Travel
    • Travel News
    • Hotels
    • Domestic Tourism
    • Health
    • Home and Garden
    • Motoring
    • Travel Tips
  • Entertainment
    • Local
    • Upcoming Events
    • International
    • Celebrity News
    • What’s On
    • Music
    • Movies
  • Tenders
  • Sports
    • Local Sports
    • Legend Corner
    • International Sports
    • Soccer
    • Rugby
    • Cricket
    • Tennis
    • Boxing
    • Cycling
    • Golf

© 2020 Independent News - All Rights Reserved

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Fill the forms bellow to register

*By registering into our website, you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.
All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In