Times Of Swaziland: Americans warned of COPS brutality

Americans warned of COPS brutality
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 BY TIMOTHY SIMELANE on 01/07/2013 05:44:00


MBABANE – American citizens wishing to visit Swaziland have been warned of
police brutality in the country.
The potential tourists have also been warned of a slow response to crime alert
and a critical threat for crime among many horrors.
The warning came from The United States Government Overseas Security Advisory
Council (OSAC) which is responsible for researching and alerting American
citizens on possible terrorist incidents and general crime.
OSAC is one of many initiatives formed after the September 11 terror attack on
the USA.
The report states that protests are not uncommon in Swaziland and were usually
quashed by the police through the use of force.
“Americans are cautioned to stay away from demonstrations, as the Swazi police
use force to control and disperse protestors; tear gas and rubber bullets (shot
at close range) are the most common forms of crowd control. During the course of
such events, the police do not distinguish between ‘innocent bystanders’ and
protestors, and the possibility of becoming a collateral casualty should be of
concern to anyone in close proximity to a demonstration.”
“The police’s response to incidents is slow, if at all, unless they are in
the general area where the incident occurred. They consider a 30-minute response
time adequate, even in urban areas. The police are generally willing to assist
but often lack transportation and resources to respond to and investigate
crimes. Nevertheless, victims of any crime are encouraged to report the incident
to local authorities. Without proper documentation of the incident, the chances
of recovering stolen items or arresting the suspects are minimal. Lack of a
police report will hamper the US Embassy’s ability to work with the police on
your behalf,” the report states.
It further states that the police take long to respond after the emergency
number has been called.
“Emergency: 999 (This is the Swazi equivalent to dialling 911 in the United
States, but the response time is usually longer than that in the US, and callers
may be redirected to other police offices for assistance.)
“Phone numbers/lines to some police stations change from time to time –
sometimes as often as twice a year — and calls to police stations occasionally
go unanswered,” the report states.
Police Public Relations Officer Superintendent Wendy Hleta said they were
trained on human rights and do not use force on innocent people.
“When we control crowds we don’t close our eyes,” she said.
They say Coronation Park a no-go area
MBABANE – The Coronation Park, the country’s largest relaxation park was
said to be dangerous and should be avoided at night.
“Avoid the parks in Mbabane. In particular, Coronation Park should be avoided
at night and only visited as a group (more than two people) during daylight
hours. This is often the rally point for marches and demonstrations. At night,
criminals have been known to loiter in the park.”
It was also said the most reoccurring crimes involve robbing victims on the
streets, particularly in residential areas, regardless of the time of day.
“Criminals are generally interested in cellular phones and cash (i.e., items
that are easily liquidated). Visitors should always be aware of their
surroundings and maintain visual/physical contact with their belongings.”
Swaziland a ‘critical’ threat for crime
MBABANE – The American government warned that crime in Swaziland has reached a
critical stage.
The Department of State has designated Swaziland as a ‘critical’ threat for
crime.
“Although criminals considered Mbabane, the capital city, and Manzini, the
urban industrial centre, prime grounds for operations due to the number of
people, businesses, and affluent areas, the rate of crime (both violent and
non-violent) reported in small towns and rural areas increased in 2012.
Congested urban areas are particularly dangerous at night; and, occasional
daytime larceny has been reported.
The presence of other pedestrians on the street should not be taken as an
indication of a secure/safe environment; however, mob justice does exist;
suspects have found themselves pursued and beaten by bystanders.” The report
states that rape is an all-too-frequent crime and tends to be perpetuated in or
along isolated/desolate urban and rural areas or roads.
“Residential burglary and non-residential petty theft are the most commonly
reported crimes. Most residents take residential security seriously and attempt
to protect their homes accordingly. Although residential guard dogs are commonly
used as a deterrent to would-be burglars, they should not be a resident’s only
line of defence. Police received several reports in 2012 from victims that their
residential guard dog(s) was found drugged and unable to provide a physical
deterrent in the face of burglars. Criminals have also been known to enter
residences while the occupants are home.
They usually brandish weapons and will resort to deadly force if victims resist.
The general modus operandi of robbers is to target residences or businesses that
have little-to-no security measures in place, steal cash or items that can be
easily liquidated, and escape without physically harming victims, but they will
use force if necessary,” says the report.
It also said drugs, especially dagga (marijuana) are common.
“Farmers grow dagga domestically primarily as a cash crop. Occasionally,
passengers are arrested attempting to smuggle relatively small amounts of other
drugs (i.e., heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamines) into the country through the
Matsapha International Airport or Swaziland’s porous borders with South
African and Mozambique.”
RSP not at all pleased with OSAC report
MBABANE – The Royal Swaziland Police Service is not pleased with the OSAC
report compiled by the United States Department of state.
Police Public Relations Officer Superintendent Wendy Hleta said police have a
charter of service on how to respond to crime, and they do their best to adhere
to it.
“In urban areas we take five to 15 minutes while we take 30 minutes in rural
areas. I don’t know if those who compiled the report have taken the charter
into consideration. In rural areas it should be noted that the road
infrastructure is not up to standard which delays our response to crime scenes.
Despite this, we always try our best to arrive as early as possible.”
Hleta said crime should not be reported to any traditional authorities but
should be reported to the RSP.
“We do not have any complaints from visitors whose cases were mishandled.
Sometimes we break cases after the visitors have left the country, which makes
it difficult for them to know how the investigation fared.”
The PRO said the 999 emergency number was working well but that some Swazi
communities still had to be educated on how to efficiently use it.
“People who call 999 are not redirected to call another number unless the
caller is next to a police station. He can then be told to go to that nearest
police station for safety. I also do not know what they mean by saying phone
numbers are usually changed in police stations. It is not the RSP which is
responsible for the phone numbers but the service provider. In such cases the
service provider also diverts calls from the old number to the new one,” she
said.