SUPPRESSION OF TERRORISM ACT NOT USED TO SUPPRESS - ALPHEOUS

MBABANE-Government Spokesperson Alpheous Nxumalo has come out to defend the country against allegations that its system does not allow dissenting views.

In particular, Nxumalo has said that allegations that the Suppression of Terrorism Act of 2008 was used to punish those who spoke against government were untrue.
In a press statement issued yesterday, Nxumalo said there was a continued baseless allegation against the Kingdom of Eswatini to the effect that its system of governance did not allow dissenting views. The allegation, Nxumalo said, was mainly perpetuated through South African media houses by some individuals from political formations residing or hiding in that country.

“They continue to accuse this government of using the Suppression of Terrorism Act of 2008 as a cudgel to punish or suppress those with dissenting views or voices on the politics of this country. This allegation is baseless. It is baseless on facts and it is baseless in law,” Nxumalo said in the statement. Even though the government spokesperson did not mention names, it is a fact that recently, Swaziland News Editor Zweli Martin Dlamini was interviewed by South African media house, Newzroom Afrika, where he made an allegation that the Tinkhundla System of Government was a dangerous regime that killed those with dissenting views.

fear

Dlamini was responding to a question posed by Newzroom Afrika Presenter Naledi Moleo, who asked him if he did not fear for his life following the killing of Human Rights Lawyer Thulani Maseko, who was the  Chairperson of the Multi-Stakeholder Forum (MSF). Dlamini also mentioned that the Suppression of Terrorism Act was used to suppress dissenting views in Eswatini. Following the statements made by Dlamini, the government press secretary also had his say the following day on the same television station, where he mentioned that the editor was not a journalist. Also, Nxumalo mentioned that government was not even sure if Dlamini was a refugee or an illegal immigrant in the neighbouring country. The government spokesperson lamented that Dlamini’s stories were fabricated, contained insults and promoted terrorism, which was why the government had approached the South African courts to assist in making him refrain from his shenanigans.

Elaborating on the press statement issued yesterday, Nxumalo said it was important to point out immediately that that the Kingdom of Eswatini followed the framework of the international community and that of the United Nations when crafting and enacting the Suppression of Terrorism Act of 2008. “I recall vividly in early 2008 as I was working for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs when the American ambassador for instance, was in constant contact with the then Foreign Affairs Minister Dr Moses Mathendele Dlamini, impressing on him about the urgency of enacting the law to contain and to eradicate terrorism around the globe,” Nxumalo said. He mentioned that the Suppression and Terrorism Act of 2008 was never meant to be used as a tool to suppress dissenting views or voices in the country but face head-on the challenges that were posed by terrorism.

narrative

According to Nxumalo, any sympathy given to the narrative that the Suppression of Terrorism Act of 2008 was being used to silence dissenting views or voices in the country was misplaced. He said such an allegation was part of the agenda of those who wanted the neighbouring States to be in doubt about the Kingdom of Eswatini’s democratic system of governance. Nxumalo said those spreading the allegation were using it as a ploy to garner regional, continental and international support for their ‘regime change’ agenda. “Of course, dissenting views or voices should be expressed within the provisions of the Constitution and the parameters of the law. You cannot for an example; wake up and commit arson act by burning both public and private people’s properties and claim that you are expressing a dissenting view. You cannot incite and insult and still claim to be expressing a dissenting view or opinion. No!” said Nxumalo.

He said if there were people who committed acts of terrorism and violating the laws of the land, the justice must take its course under those circumstances and situations. Also, Nxumalo said the Suppression of Terrorism Act of 2008 shall be applied to the maximum force and intensity without fear or favour. “Therefore, the two series of interviews I had with one of South Africa’s TV channels were to put in proper perspective and context the purpose and application of the Suppression of Terrorism Act of 2008, an assignment which we executed with clarity and with precision,” he said. Even though Nxumalo did not necessarily cite him in the press statement, this publication sought a comment from Dlamini by virtue of the fact that he is on record having said that the Tinkhundla System of Government used the Suppression of Terrorism Act of 2008 to punish those with dissenting views. In response, Dlamini said, “As I stated on Newzroom Afrika, the problem with the Suppression of Terrorism Act of 2008 is that in this country, it is being politicised, manipulated and used to target those with dissenting views.

mandate

You will understand that even the media is not allowed to conduct its mandate of disseminating information to the public freely. Provisions of this Act might result in journalists being associated with terrorist entities just for interviewing or reporting on facts of what is on the ground.” Dlamini said that was the gist of his analysis of the law when it came to the aforementioned Act. He said in his view, the government spokesperson was not being honest regarding whether the Suppression of Terrorism Act was being used to suppress those with dissenting views or not. “You will remember that two former Members of Parliament are incarcerated yet they were exercising their right of representing the people who elected them into Parliament. They just demanded democracy and were not violent. I would say that not all emaSwati want multiparty democracy, but some do and the former MPs were expressing the views of the latter,” Dlamini stated.

Post your comment

Your name:

Your e-mail address:

Add your comments:

Please enter the code you see in the image:

Image:

Code: