(From Swazi Media Commentary 16 October 2010 www.swazimedia.blogspot.com
Also
on Face book at
http://www.facebook.com/Swazi.Media.Commentary?v=wall#!/group.php?gid=142383985790674&ref=ts).
Does any of this report on human rights sound familiar?
‘The
government limited citizens’ right to change their government and form
political parties. There were a few reports of security forces abusing
prisoners and at least one investigation and prosecution related to
prisoner abuse.
‘The
government limited freedoms of speech, religion, and movement for
certain groups.
‘Some
police and members of the security forces reportedly abused detainees
during the year. ..... The government stated that it investigated all
allegations of abuse and punished some of the offenders; however, in
most cases the government did not make public either the findings of its
investigations or any punishments it imposed.
‘The
constitution provides for freedom of speech and the press. In practice
the government sometimes did not respect these rights, and journalists
and publishers practiced self-censorship.’
It
could easily be a report on human rights abuses in Swaziland, such as
the one published
annually by the US State Department.
But it isn’t a report on Swaziland ... it’s
about Kuwait.
The
Swazi Observer and its companion Weekend
Observer, both newspapers in effect owned by King Mswati III, sub-Saharan
Africa’s last absolute monarch, have been
full of praise for Kuwait this week. The King has been on a trip to
Kuwait to try to get someone (anyone) to invest in Swaziland.
The
Weekend Observer today (16 October 2010) hails the ‘visionary leadership of
His Majesty King
Mswati III’ for the effort he put into the Kuwait trip.
The
newspaper also reported,
‘The King’s visit was described as a runaway success by
Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry Jabulile Mashwama, who said
the Swazi delegation was able to meet various business people, shared
notes and made arrangements for further communication on areas that
could boost investment and trade between the two countries.’
But
nowhere in any Swazi media (or any in Kuwait for that matter) are any
concrete details given of just what King Mswati actually achieved on
this trip. Where are the trade deals or the signed agreements for
development aid? Nowhere: because they don’t exist. All they have is a
vague decision to have ‘further communication’.
King
Mswati has been touring the Middle East for many years now and nothing
substantial has ever come from it. Swaziland’s economy remains in
freefall and there are serious doubts that the Swazi Government will be
able to pay its bills or the wages of civil servants and other workers.
The
Observer hailed the visit to Kuwait as another example
of how Swaziland is heading to achieve ‘First World’ status by 2022.
Fantasy, of course. Hardly any ‘first world’ nation is interested in
investing in Swaziland – that’s why the king cosies up with nations with
poor human rights records: he hopes their leaders will recognise birds
of a feather.
Link
http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2010/10/king-and-human-rights-abusers.html
--
NEW!!!! SSN FORUM IS ON FACEBOOK!!!!
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Swaziland
Solidarity Network Forum Google Group.
Visit the group home page at
http://groups-beta.google.com/group/sa-swaziland-solidarity-eom-forum for more
options, pages and files.
To post to the group, send email to
[email protected] or reply to this message.
To unsubscribe, send email to
[email protected]
