An international campaign called #swazijustice to
highlight human rights deficiencies in Swaziland was launched in October. To
begin with the campaign is focussing on the case of magazine editor Bheki
Makhubu and human rights lawyer Thulani Maseko, who were jailed for two years
for writing and publishing articles in the Nation magazine critical of the
Swazi judiciary. At the end of 2014, the two men remain in jail with little prospect
of release.
The campaign is one of the stories covered in the latest
quarterly compilation from Swazi Media Commentary of news and views on human
rights in the kingdom ruled by King Mswati III as sub-Saharan Africa’s last
absolute monarch. Swaziland: Striving for Freedom: Volume 16 is
available to download free of charge from scribd
dot com
There have been other advancements in the past three months,
including the United States confirmation that Swaziland would no longer enjoy
trade benefits under the Africa Growth Opportunity Act (AGOA) because the
kingdom has failed to keep its promises to reform workers’ rights and to move
closer to becoming a democratic state. Already textile firms have retrenched workers
and up to 17,000 jobs are in jeopardy, because of the Swazi Government’s refusal
to reform.
Elsewhere it was reported that human trafficking was rife in
Swaziland and at least 7,000 people are estimated to be living in modern day
slavery. Swaziland has also been labelled as one of the hungriest countries in
the world with 35.8 per cent of Swaziland’s 1.3 million population
undernourished.
This compilation brings together posts that originally
appeared on the Swazi Media Commentary website. Swazi Media Commentary website has
no physical base and is completely independent of any political faction and
receives no income from any individual or organisation. People who contribute
ideas or write for it do so as volunteers and receive no payment.
Swazi Media Commentary is published online – updated most days –
bringing information, comment and analysis in support of democracy in the
kingdom.
See also
January to March 2014 compilation
April to June 2014 compilation
July to September compilation
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