Times Of Swaziland: EUROPEAN PARLY TO EU: REVIEW FINANCIAL AID TO ESWATINI

EUROPEAN PARLY TO EU: REVIEW FINANCIAL AID TO ESWATINI
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Nonduduzo Kunene on 17/02/2023 07:50:00


MBABANE – The European Parliament (EP) has resolved for a review or suspension
of financial aid to Eswatini from the European Union (EU).
This is part of the eight resolutions of the Parliament taken on Wednesday
afternoon after some of its members moved a motion on violation of human rights
and victimisation of human rights defenders in the country, in particular the
murder of Thulani Maseko. Maseko was a Human Rights Lawyer and was gunned down
about four weeks ago while at his home at KaLuhleko.
The motion in the EP was moved by the Greens/European Free Alliance, also known
as Verts/ALE Group, which consists two European distinct political parties which
are the European Green Party and European Free Alliance. Some of the members who
represented the two parties were Michèle Rivasi from France, Francisco
Guerreiro also from France and Caroline Roose from the United Kingdom, among
others.
Proposal
The EP is one of the legislative bodies of the EU and one of its seven
institutions. This Parliament works with the council of EU known as the Council
of Ministers; it adopts European legislation, following a proposal by the
European Commission. It is composed of 705 members of the European Parliament
(MEPs). The current president of the EP is Roberta Metsola.
The members stated several reasons why they moved the motion for urgent
attention in the Parliament. They stated that human rights and fundamental
freedoms were curtailed and political parties were outlawed because Eswatini was
still an absolute monarchy.
Reforms
They added that in  2021, protests demanding democratic reforms began and the
Government of Eswatini launched a brutal crackdown on human rights activism,
retaliating with arbitrary detentions, harassment, threats and abductions,
internet shutdowns and bans on protests; whereas several dozens of people were
killed by the security forces; whereas mercenaries have allegedly been hired to
repress growing dissent. It should be noted that during the June 2021 unrest,
violence erupted throughout the country, which led to the burning and looting of
some shops.
The arrest of Members of Parliament (MPs) in Mthandeni Dube of Ngwempisi and
Mduduzi Bacede Mabuza of Hosea was also listed among the supposed violations of
human rights defenders. “Whereas the security forces systematically intimidate
trade unionists and violate fundamental workers’ rights; whereas the
authorities have detained and allegedly tortured student union leaders; whereas
other human rights problems in Eswatini include impunity for the security forces
and discrimination against women and minorities.”
Resolutions
The MEPs ended up adopting eight resolutions out of the 10 that were moved. Part
of the eight resolutions was the motion calling on the EU to suspend budget
support programmes to Eswatini, where funds risked being diverted for activities
which may lead to human rights abuses and target pro-democracy and human right
advocates, and to consider opening a procedure under Article 96 of the Cotonou
Agreement in this respect. The Parliament adopted the motion which was then
added to the eight resolutions.
The members strongly condemned the killing of Thulani Maseko. Maseko was the
Chairperson of Multi-Stakeholder Forum (MSF) and was shot dead on January 21,
2023, while at his parental home located in Bhunya. This was the first point in
the motion which also formed part of the resolutions.
The second point of the motion was the condemnation of continuous incrimination
of human rights defenders, political activists, civil society organisations and
trade unions in Eswatini which also formed part of the resolutions.
In addition, a call for the immediate release of all political prisoners and to
free persons arbitrarily detained was also moved by the MEPs and was adopted.
The members also asked government to consider attacks on human right defenders,
pro-democracy activists and the banning of trade unions to contravene
commitments of Eswatini under the rule of law and human rights principles.
Investigations
The motion further called for  an independent, impartial, and transparent
investigations into the killing of Maseko, and the ongoing repression, and
alleged recruitment of mercenaries from South Africa to help security forces
repress opposition, and to bring those responsible to justice in fair trials,
which was also adopted by the second largest Parliament after India.It should be
noted that government came out to explain that it had engaged experts to assist
in training security personnel on terrorism.
Furthermore, the MEPs in the motion, alleged that the Judiciary was not
independent in Eswatini, hence they alleged that investigations that relate to
human rights defenders should be placed under the United Nations’ (UN)
supervision to ensure impartiality. However, this motion did not form part of
the resolutions.
The MPs also recalled that in November 2021, King Mswati III agreed on the
establishment of the national dialogue to be facilitated by the Southern African
Development Community (SADC). A motion that urged the authorities to initiate
the dialogue without delay, an all-inclusive multi-stakeholder dialogue to
restore the respect and protection of human rights, the rule of law and
democracy was moved and also formed part of the resolutions. The EU was also
called upon to impose sanctions against perpetrators of human rights violations
in Eswatini through the Global Human Rights Sanction Mechanism, but this point
was not adopted by the House.
The members also moved the motion according to Rules 144(5) and 132(4) of its
Rules of Procedure. These rules state that a committee, an interparliamentary
delegation, a political group of members reaching at least the low threshold may
ask the president in writing for a debate to be held on an urgent case of a
breach on human right, democracy and the rule of law.
The last point of the motion was an instruction to the president to forward
resolutions that would be taken of the motion to the council, the commission,
the vice president of the commission/high representative for Foreign Affairs and
security policy, the Government of Eswatini, the African Union, SADC, the ACP-EU
Council of Ministers and Joint Parliamentary Assembly, the Pan-African
Parliament, the International Labour Organisation, and the United Nations
secretary general.
The two motions that were not adopted by the Parliament were the calls for the
EU to impose sanctions against perpetrators of human rights violations in
Eswatini through the Global Human Rights Sanction Mechanism and the placing of
investigations of human rights defenders conducted by the Eswatini Judiciary
under UN supervision to ensure impartiality.
Resolutions
Government Spokesperson Alpheous Nxumalo said government had not received the
resolutions of the EP.  Nxumalo was asked about government’s stance on the
resolutions that were taken by the EP and if government had received the
resolutions as per the 10th resolution which instructed the president of the EU
to forward the resolutions to government.
“The Office of the Prime Minister has not yet received the said resolutions by
EP. As soon as the prime minister receives the resolutions, will familiarise
himself with the contents and respond accordingly,” he said. The European
Union office in Eswatini was also contacted for comment on what would be the
procedures to be followed by the local office in relation to the resolutions. EU
Political Assistant and Information Officer Michael Motsa was contacted at
12:14pm yesterday and requested a questionnaire which was sent at 12:40pm.
At the time this report went to print, he hadn’t responded. This is not the
first time Eswatini became a centre of discussion in other parliaments as last
year October, a parliamentarian in the UK moved a motion calling upon 
government to release the two incarcerated MPs or else they would pose a travel
ban on the King and his family.
Music
Meanwhile, President of the Swaziland Democratic Party (SWADEPA) Barnes Dlamini
said the resolutions of the EP Parliament were music to their ears. He said
finally the work they had been putting in all these years was finally paying
off. He said they had been working with the late Maseko to see such resolutions.
“I have seen the resolutions and I am very happy,” he said.
Dlamini said they would make a follow-up with the local European Union office to
ensure that government starts actioning. He noted that some of the resolutions
like the one on the reviewing of funding would have a direct impact on emaSwati,
but there was no choice. “We would rather face the hardship of the sanctions
and suspended funding than walking to the grave with our eyes wide open,” he
said.
Economy
The president mentioned that this past weekend, during the national prayer,
there were talks that the economy was booming, which he said he disagreed with.
He said the economy was booming for certain individuals but not for ordinary
emaSwati. He said the statement showed that the country was too divided. He said
they had been calling for the international community to step in and the death
of Maseko resurrected all they had been calling for and the way forward was
becoming clear.
Dlamini noted that the move by the EP was also posing a lot of challenges for
emaSwati. He said there was a lot of work that needed be done internally in
terms of mobilising the voices of local people before the international
community reached out. He went on to state that emaSwati needed to unite and
make sure that the dialogue, in particular, was convened in an agreed manner.