Swaziland@Newsletter 64
Published by Africa Contact (Denmark)

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Dear friends of Swaziland,

The president of the Peoples United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO),
Mario Masuku, is quoted below by the Voice of America as saying: "It
is everybody's right to be voted for and to vote for a government of
their choice. But that should be held in an environment that is
conducive for freedom of association and freedom of expression".

This is not yet the case. In a land where political parties are
forbidden there is as yet no freedom of association. In a land where
the freedom of expression is cut down by the state is there as yet any
such freedom. An article on the role of the press can also be read
below.

We all know that things must change. We all also know that one day
they will change.

Patrick Mac Manus
Editor
Swaziland@Newsletter
__________________________________

1. Swaziland's opposition accuses government ahead of parliamentary
elections. Peter Clottey, Voice of America Online, Washington, D.C. 6
May 2008.

2. Swaziland's polls face widespread boycott. Gulf Times / Doha. 12 May, 2008.

3. Women not protected by law. Nelsiwe Ndlangamandla. Weekend
Observer, May 11, 2008.

4. Swaziland urged to join global court. Afrique en ligne ? Angers,
May 9, 2008.

5. Role of Swaziland?s journalists. Swazi Media Commentary 6 May 2008.


__________________________________
1. Swaziland's opposition accuses government ahead of parliamentary
elections. Peter Clottey, Voice of America Online, Washington, D.C. 6
May 2008.

Swaziland's main opposition party, Pudemo (People?s United Democratic
Movement) is accusing the government of King Mswati II of making a
mockery of the tenets of democracy ahead of this year's parliamentary
elections. The opposition party also reportedly described as illegal a
decision by the electoral commission to open the voter's register in
preparation for the parliamentary elections. But the electoral
commission says Swazis have the right to choose who should represent
them and their interests in parliament.

Pudemo is demanding political reform in Swaziland, saying the people
should be allowed to vote for their own government and not to be ruled
by an absolute monarch. Mario Masuku is the chairman of Swaziland's
main opposition Pudemo party. He tells reporter Peter Clottey from the
capital, Mbabane that his party is determined to thwart the
government's efforts of deceiving the ordinary citizen.

"As far as we are concerned, I want to say that it is everybody's
right to be voted for and to vote for a government of their choice.
But that should be held in an environment that is conducive for
freedom of association and freedom of expression.

The situation in Swaziland is that the opening of the registry is
meaningless as far as the right to associate is concerned. As long as
people may not register political parties, those national elections,
or the process towards national elections remains undemocratic and
backward as far Pudemo is concern," Masuku pointed out.

He said although the opposition party stands a chance of losing out by
refusing to be part of the upcoming parliamentary election, it is
ready to fight for a total regime change.

"What you are saying is very true. But what is noble? Is it getting
involved and be thrown out with a bucket of dirty water or stand up to
a principle, respecting the fundamental human rights? We have chosen
the latter that we would carry on at the end of it all people will
realize that the government that is in power, a government would be
elected by a minority, a government that would have a parliament, or
house of assembly that has no power at all when the power is vested in
the King and his family. We would rather stand to our principle of
respecting fundamental human rights, and that of democracy than be
counted among compromises of the truth," he said.

Masuku said ordinary people are realizing that there was the need for
a complete paradigm shift in the country's absolute monarch rule.

"I don't want to blow my own whistle, but if you read yesterday's
newspaper, one member of the house of assembly who has his own
political party, and has always been seen as and regarded as
conservative said indeed this elections are undemocratic and they are
not taking part. And a number of people are also realizing that and
are not taking part in the election," Masuku noted.

He chided those he described as playing "politics of the belly" by
trying to convince people to be part of the upcoming parliamentary
election.

"We believe, therefore, that only those who are intimidated, and only
those who want to practice stomach politics, will participate. But the
principled people, the people who know what democracy is all about
will not take part. And therefore, the result that we are looking
forward to is that the least minimum of people who take part in this
national elections. And therefore, they will not have the mandate of
the whole citizens of Swaziland that they have formed a government,"
he said.

Meanwhile, the government has reportedly announced it would, for the
first time in the country's history, invite election monitors from the
United States and Commonwealth nations. The government believes the
move would prove how transparent the country's young democracy is.

http://www.voanews.com/english/Africa/2008-05-06-voa1.cfm
_________________________________________

2. Swaziland's polls face widespread boycott. Gulf Times / Doha. 12 May, 2008.

Preparations for landmark elections due to take place later this year
in Swaziland, Africa's last absolute monarchy, are being overshadowed
by the growing prospect of a widespread boycott.

Key political players plan to stay away from the parliamentary polls
scheduled for September, in protest against the country's failure to
introduce multi-party politics.

Swaziland is run on a home-grown political system called Tinkhundla
that does not allow the existence of political parties, but the
pro-democracy groups say that this restriction is archaic.

"There are basic principles that drive these political groupings to
boycott," said Professor Qambukusa Magagula, a political science
lecturer at the University of Swaziland.

"The Tinkhundla system of government does not embrace multi-party
democracy which these groups were founded upon and it will be folly of
them to be part of a system that does not recognize them," Magagula
said.

In the past, pro-democracy groups tried to participate in order to
change the system from within parliament but failed to achieve any
meaningful progress.

The opposition People's United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO), a key
pro-reformist party, said it would not take part in the elections
until there is a change in the country's political system.

"Our mandate is to fight for a multi-party democratic dispensation
underpinned by the dictates of the fundamental and universal human
rights," said PUDEMO leader Mario Masuku.

He said his party was appealing to the international community to
intervene in Swaziland so that the tiny African kingdom can be made
democratic where political parties can freely exist.

"(We) are working hard to bring it to the attention of the world that
the system of government was not democratic and it must be isolated,"
Masuku said.

But authorities said they were inviting international observers for
the first time, to monitor the forthcoming elections in order to
enhance the credibility and transparency of the legislative vote.

The parliament comprises 85 members, more than a third of whom are
hand-picked by the King, who also makes all government appointments.

The constitution of Swaziland, re-written in 2006, allows for freedom
of association but people can only stand for elections as individuals.

Even Sive Siyinqaba, a group that previously participated in the
non-party political system, has now changed its position and announced
that it will stay away from the vote.

But Marwick Khumalo, who is the secretary general of another
opposition group Sibahle Sinje, thinks differently.

"I do not agree that the solution was to abstain from participating in
the elections," said Khumalo, a former speaker of the House of
Assembly. He has been a key advocate of the no-party system.

The boycott would "not stop the proponent of the system from forming
and becoming a parliament", he added.

The no-party political system was imposed on Swaziland in 1973 by the
then king Sobhuza, father of Mswati III. He banned all political
parties, arguing that Western-type of democracy brought hatred.

Swaziland, with a population of around 1mn, is one of Africa's poorest
countries situated next to South Africa, the regional economic
powerhouse.

_________________________________________

3. Women not protected by law. Nelsiwe Ndlangamandla. Weekend
Observer, May 11, 2008.

Women are constantly raped and abused because Swaziland has no
legislative framework that adequately condemns such acts.

These were the findings on Swaziland by other Non-Governmental
Organisations (NGOs) which attended the 43rd Session of the African
Commission for Human and People?s Rights.

The NGOs also felt that women do not have access to justice and they
were not equally protected by the law.

The latest statistics released by the United Nations International
Children?s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) showed that one in four females
experiences violence as a child.

It is also revealed that among 18 to 24 year old females, nearly two
in three had experienced some form of sexual violence in their
lifetime with some abused repeatedly.

In a press release from the Swaziland Action Group Against Abuse
(SWAAGA), it is stated that the following resolutions were made with
regard to Swaziland:

- That Swaziland enact, without delay, legislation dealing with sexual
offences, domestic violence, and child rights and trafficking in
persons.

- Ratify, demonstrate and implement without reservation, the protocol
to the African Charter on Human and Rights on the rights of women in
Africa; the protocol to the African Charter on Human and people?s
rights in the establishment of the African Court on Human and People?s
Rights, and Protocol to the African Charter on Human and People?s
Rights on the Rights and welfare of a child.

- Put measures in place, including sufficient resources, public
education and mechanisms for popularisation to ensure implementation
of all human rights conventions, protocols, legislation and frameworks
aimed at addressing violence against women.

n- Ensure that women access to justice and equal protection and
benefit of the law and that perpetrators of violence against women do
not enjoy impunity by acting with due diligence to prevent,
investigate and prosecute all forms of violence against women and hold
perpetrators accountable, irrespective of whether the acts are
perpetrated by the State or private actors.

Swaziland Action Group against Abuse (SWAAGA) feels that the issue of
violence against women and children needs to be addressed urgently.
_________________________________________

4. Swaziland urged to join global court. Afrique en ligne,
May 9, 2008.


Dakar, Senegal (PANA) - The Coalition for the International Criminal
Court (CICC) - a global network of more than 2,500 civil society
organizations - Friday called on Kingdom of Swaziland "to accede to
the Rome Statute, the founding treaty of the International Criminal
Court, without delay."

In a communiqué, the coalition stated that it had written to King
Mswati III and Prime Minister Absalom Themba Dlamini, urging them "to
prioritise the country's accession to the Rome Statute" which gave way
to the establishment of the court.

The Swazi authorities were reminded that during the sixth committee
meeting of the 57th UN General Assembly in October 2002, their
government said the court was "one of the most promising opportunities
to promote accountability and human security, in whose prospects lied
the promise of universal justice and an end to impunity which has
prevailed for so long."

The coalition, therefore, called on the government of Swaziland to act
on its expressed support for the International Criminal Court (ICC).

"This is a historic year that marks the tenth anniversary of the Rome
Statute, which was adopted by 120 nations on 17 July 1998," said
Benson Chinedu Olugbuo, the CICC Anglophone Africa coordinator.

"Now is the time for Swaziland - the only remaining monarchy in
sub-Saharan Africa - to show its solidarity with the 30 other African
states that have joined this court."

Meanwhile, with Madagascar's ratification of the statute on 14 March
2008, Africa continued to have the highest regional representation at
the court.

To date, more than half of the world - 106 countries - has joined the ICC.

The ICC is the first permanent international court capable of trying
individuals accused of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Central to the court's mandate is the principle of complementarity,
which holds that the court will only have jurisdiction if national
legal systems are unable or unwilling to act.


_________________________________________

5. Role of Swaziland?s journalists. Swazi Media Commentary 6 May 2008.


Media houses in Swaziland are often criticised for not being very
reflective about the work that they do.

However, at regular intervals you will find Swazi journalists
criticising media people abroad for the way they write or broadcast
about Swaziland. Usually, the Swazi journalists are unhappy about the
way King Mswati III is portrayed (i.e. as a lavish spender who is out
of touch with his people).

It is a great pity that the Swazi media do not give over more time and
space to reflect on what they think their role should be in Swaziland
(beyond being cheer leaders for the king).

I was reminded of this at the breakfast meeting organised by the Media
Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) - Swaziland Chapter for World
Press Freedom Day last Friday (2 May 2008). One speaker said that it
was all right trying to teach people how to be journalists but there
was nothing better than learning 'on the job' what it means to be a
journalist in Swaziland. It was the bit about 'journalist in
Swaziland' that struck me, as if there were something special about
Swaziland.

People often like to think about Swaziland as being unique. Some
people even go so far as to believe that Swaziland has been
specifically singled out by God (in a good way, I hasten to add. With
all the suffering in the kingdom, one could be excused for thinking
God was punishing the place.)

I don't think Swaziland is that unique, and especially the journalism
in the kingdom. Journalists do face problems in Swaziland, especially
when you consider that it is not a democracy, but journalists in other
countries also have their problems.

Having said that, I'd like to draw your attention to an article that
appeared in the newspaper in Windhoek, The Namibian (7 March 2008).
It was headlined 'The Role of Journalism in Namibia' and written by a
university lecturer, Robin Tyson.

What struck me about the article was that if you deleted the word
'Namibia' and replaced it with 'Swaziland' what Tyson has to say about
Namibia would apply very much to Swaziland.

Tyson wrote (of Namibia), 'Unfortunately, after 17 years of
independence, there remains a gap between the "freedom of speech"
espoused in the Constitution, and the application of antiquated laws'.

Tyson also made reference to a move by the Namibian government to
introduce a Government Media Council (something that the Swazi
Government also from time to time threatens to do). Namibia's Minister
of Information and Broadcasting said when introducing the Media
Council, 'the media has the power to contribute to our nation building
and socio-economic development'.

However, Tyson points out, that in an editorial responding to these
comments Gwen Lister, editor of The Namibian, reminded people that
while the media have rights and responsibilities, those
responsibilities 'are towards the people and not towards the
Government of the day'.

A former Namibian Prime Minister Dr Hage Geingob himself often used to
say, the Namibian nation is a house built with bricks. Remove one
brick (by publishing 'damaging' stories, for instance) and the entire
structure might fall. Some media therefore resort to what the late
Zimbabwean journalist William Musarurwa called 'minister and sunshine
journalism'. Following this model, ministers opening clinics, schools
or shopping centres would dominate the headlines. (Any regular viewer
of Swazi TV News or listener to SBIS radio would immediately recognise
'sunshine journalism' as the dominant news agenda for both these
state-owned news organisations).

But media have a duty to probe and to ask difficult questions and to
provide a platform for democratic debate and a 'vent' for people's
opinions.

In Namibia, NBC radio introduced a PM?s Question Time, which allowed
listeners to hear the Prime Minister and to give him feedback on what
they thought. What Swazi Prime Minister would have the courage to do
such a thing? The nearest we have is a monthly breakfast meeting
attended by senior journalists and the PM and other Cabinet ministers.
But if you look at the journalism that results from these meetings you
can see that they are very tame affairs. Certainly, there are no
journalists holding the government to account at these meetings.

In his article, Tyson refers to a new book from UK journalist Nick
Davies (Flat Earth News, 2008) in which Davies says that media are no
longer strong and vibrant searchers after that elusive 'truth'.
Instead, they often fail to check the most basic of untruths (or
incomplete truths) given by a company, industry or even minister. They
are susceptible to spin of the most blatant nature.

Rather, and often because of understaffing and time pressures, they
simply grab the press release or speech and publish verbatim.

There also seems to be confusion about what news actually is. News
should be, objective, honest, accurate, balanced, and, within all
possible degrees, true.

Tyson reminds us that journalism codes of ethics in Namibia (and, of
course, also in Swaziland) highlights all of these factors, also
encouraging fair treatment of minorities such as children, gays and
the disabled.

Tyson says no media editor in their right mind would tolerate 'lies'
to be published, for, in the long term, it would lead to the
publication losing all credibility and, thus, sales. The existing laws
on defamation provide ample recourse to those aggrieved by 'untrue'
reporting.

Because of this, all media publish or broadcast corrections where
errors are made. After all, journalists are also human. But, Tyson
says, the 'untruths' that media are being accused of are, in the vast
majority, not news at all. They are letters to the editor, editorial
comments, columns by writers, analysis pieces, or other items of a
subjective nature.

Tyson says this needs to be seen as opinion rather than fact,
subjective rather than objective writing. In other words, when reading
a newspaper, we need to understand the clear difference between fact
(news stories) and opinion (editorials, columns, letters, SMS
messages, etc).

Tyson leaves us with a rallying call, which I support. 'We must
empower ourselves to become involved in the debate. We need to [...]
become active voices in these debates. If we disagree with a caller,
phone in to the radio show. If we don't agree with a letter writer or
columnist, write to the newspaper.

'Let us use the existing media platforms, not as propaganda machines
of "sunshine journalism", but as communication marketplaces where we
can meet, talk, and, finally perhaps, agree to disagree.'


Link http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2008/05/role-of-swazi-journalists.html

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