VIOLENCE IS NOT THE ANSWER

Sir,

Mozambique’s opposition leader, Venancio Mondlane, and Swaziland Liberation Movement President, Mduduzi Gawuzela Simelane, have been the root cause behind the death, homelessness and joblessness in both nations. Their actions have led to a mindset among the people that violence is the only way to be heard. This has resulted in disrespect towards authorities and a sense of hatred brewing among the citizens.

In Mozambique, the unrest that started in October last year has led to loss of lives, burning of structures and an exodus of people fleeing the country for safety. This has not only affected the people of Mozambique, but also neighbouring countries like Eswatini, which has seen an influx of refugees due to the chaos incited by Mondlane and his allies.

Similarly, in Eswatini, the SWALIMO president has been manipulating the people with false promises of caring for their welfare when in reality, he is only using them for his own gain. By focusing on human rights and welfare, he has deceived the people into believing that he has their best interests at heart.

The unrest that has unfolded in Mozambique and Eswatini should serve as a cautionary tale for emaSwati. Following the violent path taken by Mondlane and Gawzela will only result in further chaos and suffering for the citizens. It is important for emaSwati not to fall for the trap laid out by these leaders and to remain vigilant in protecting their nations from turmoil.

With the official inauguration of Frelimo President Daniel Chapo in Mozambique, it is clear that the people are ultimately the ones suffering from the actions of leaders like Mondlane and Gawzela. As Eswatini prepares for its own political battles, it is crucial for the citizens to think wisely and not be swayed by false promises and violent ideologies.

Let us learn from the mistakes of our neighbours and strive for peace and prosperity in our own nation. These individuals, in their pursuit of power and influence, have shamelessly twisted the teachings of God to justify their self-serving agendas. By invoking the name of God, they seek to cloak their actions in righteousness and moral superiority, all while engaging in actions that sow discord, chaos and division among their own people.

It is nothing short of an insult to the intelligence and dignity of the people they claim to represent. True believers in God understand the importance of humility, respect for authority and adherence to the laws of the land. Using religion as a shield to shield their nefarious deeds is not only hypocritical but also a blatant abuse of faith.

Every country has its own set of rules and regulations that its citizens are expected to abide by. While dissent and opposition are crucial components of a healthy democracy, they must be channelled through lawful and peaceful means. Resorting to violence, spreading hatred and inciting unrest under the guise of religious righteousness is not only irresponsible, but also dangerous.

As we witness the destructive consequences of their actions in Mozambique, as emaSwati, we must stand firm in our commitment to uphold the rule of law, respect for authority and peaceful coexistence. Let us not be swayed by the false promises and misleading rhetoric of those who seek to divide us for their own gain. True leadership is not about inciting conflict, but about fostering unity, understanding and progress for all.

It is time for emaSwati to see through the facade of these self-proclaimed leaders and hold them accountable for their actions. Let us reject their attempts to hijack religion for their own selfish motives and uphold the values of peace, justice and respect for all. Only then can we build a future that is truly guided by the principles of love, compassion and faith in a higher power.

Irvin Motsa

RIGHT TO REPLY

Misplaced assertion of blame on the ‘Violence is not the Answer’ Opinion
This article titled ‘Violence is not the answer’ is just one among other recent heavy anti-SWALIMO  propaganda coming from counter-revolutionary forces that seek to abuse the banner of freedom to self-expression. It does not really deserve SWALIMO’s attention. From the onset, the Swaziland Liberation Movement never wished to make comparisons of the two leaders in question, since the situations and scenarios faced by the leaders are distinctly different.  However, because of public interest, we find ourselves persuaded to keep engaging on a matter of this nature.

Allow me to express my disappointment with the author of the above-mentioned article for choosing to deliberately side-line the real perpetrators of violence and pin-point innocent civil leaders who merely assumed leadership responsibility at a time of political crisis.  The author has gone way below the line by further pushing the supposed responsibility of the State to protect its citizens during demonstrations.

The assumption that Venancio Mondlane and President Mduduzi Simelane opted to use violence as an answer is not only untrue, but an attempt to push the blame to the people who are actually proponents of peace and human rights.

Freedom of speech and association
The United Nations Declaration of Human Rights maintains that people have a right to freedom of speech and to determine how they want to be governed through association with like-minded people. The two leaders cited have no weapons except their ability to speak truth to power - which is an act of exercising, not only their basic human right to freedom of expression, but a duty that comes with their responsibility to the public that believes in their political views. When they speak, people listen and call their respective governments to account. Unfortunately, the respective State governments respond with violence instead of attending to the grievances of the people brought forward by the leaders.

In the case of President Simelane, it is on record that the Eswatini State Government acknowledges that his only weapon is speaking truth to power and, therefore, should be silenced. His silencing was not for the good of the Swati citizens, rather for shielding government from accounting to the people. If there is any violence that he has committed, it is nothing else but exercising his innate right to freedom of speech and conscious.

Democratic right to protest
In all democracies, there is the inherent right to protest. Notably, the two State governments in question label themselves as democratic and are, therefore, duty-bound to protect the people’s right to protest. In light of all that occurred and the words of in the opinion in question, one would assume that protesting is the ‘violence’ that the author of the article refers to as a means applied by the two leaders.

Interestingly, the two leaders have no access to heavy armor that is at the disposition of the State. They do not have the intelligence system and organised personnel for combat. However, like all democracy seeking individuals, they do not mind when the people rise up in peaceful protests against the injustices meted on them by the State.

Surprisingly, it is the State that uses violence to silence the masses. In the year 2021, as affirmed by the Eswatini Human Rights Commission, the State brutally killed over 68 people in two days. The number rose to more than 100 people in subsequent days.

Justify the misconception
The author of the article is attempting to justify the atrocities of the State meted on its own citizens by referring to the rights of freedom of speech and that of peaceful protests as catalyst for violence, hence the State is justified to massacre the demonstrators. That is a skewed line of thought.

As a matter of fact, it is about time the people of Africa rise up against all despotic regimes that abuse the natural resources (which inherently belong to the people), causing untold suffering to millions of people. When the people rise up in protests, it is not violence, but a means of doing all in their power to be heard.

President Mduduzi Simelane has proven to be a hero and history will absolve him. He is a man of peace and is ever-willing to find a win-win solution for all people. Together with the unjustly imprisoned Members of Parliament, Hon Mduduzi Bacede Mabuza and Mthandeni Dube, all they were (and continue to) call for is an elected prime minister.

They never incited anyone, but called for an elected prime minister for emaSwati citizens, by emaSwazi citizens.
Having found themselves and the people going through uncharted waters, Simelane went on to found the Swaziland Liberation Movement (SWALIMO) to act as a collective platform for the voices of emaSwati. He remains ever ready to engage. It is the regime that has terrorised members of his movement, killing and forcing them to exile or imprisoning them, including President Simelane’s son, Zweli Simelane.

SWALIMO has most political prisoners and none of them are for violence, but for a different political opinion that challenges the Eswatini Government to be for and by the people. The author of the afro mentioned article has failed to convince our people with lies, emaSwati in their multitudes have swiftly rejected this plainly pro-Tinkhundla propaganda.

The people continue to demand the eradication of the Tinkhundla autocracy and its replacement with a fully-democratically elected government based on people’s power.
Ingiphile Dlamini Acting SWALIMO Spokesperson

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