TIKUNDLA REGIME KILL HARMLESS PEOPLE

BY STAFF REPORTER
Oshoek:A call for more intervention in the mountainous Kingdom of Eswatini intensifies as reports of abuse of power and human right violation are on the rise.
Scores of harmless Swati people have reportedly lost their lives at the hands of police and soldiers deployed by the government as citizens and pressure group remain steadfast calling for political reforms in the country regarded as Africa’s absolute monarchy. Just recently, Wednesday, 20 November, Public Service workers who went to deliver a petition to the government were brutally met with violent force as police used teargas and rubber bullets, at close range, to stop them from attending the march in Mbabane.
The workers who were in a bus had to jump out of the bus windows as the King aligned security forces kept on shooting. Six people were reportedly injured from the incident. The government also reportedly shut down the internet and all social media communication channels in an attempt to restrict flow of information.
“The state is muzzling the media not to report whatsoever that is happening on the ground. So it is very sad indeed,” said a Eswatini resident who remained anonymous. “The broadcast media and radio are state owned and controlled so they will not at any stage report the people who are injured in protest march or anything.” Spokesperson of the Swaziland Solidarity Network (SSN), Lucky Lukhele said the people of Eswatini are fed up with continued tyranny under King Mswati. “Amaswati cannot it continue living under abject poverty while the King, his family and relatives continue to live in luxury,” he said. “To make it even worse, the poor people are not allowed to speak about these things that they are experiencing on daily basis.,”
Lukhele also cast blame on the SADC region for dragging feet on the Swazi situation. “This is an unfortunate but very understandable scenario, which could have been avoided if regional bodies and foreign agencies had acted proactively,” he said.
“We therefore wish to continue to urge the South African government, the Southern African Development Community and other regional bodies to act decisively on king Mswati.”
In an effort to quell the violence and get the government to talk to its people for an amicable solution, South Africa has sent a high level delegation to the country to facilitate talks.
“To this end we wish to acknowledge the efforts of President Cyril Ramaphosa who has sent a high level delegation to the kingdom to engage the king. “We hope that these talks will be fruitful because if they are not then the world must brace itself for the worst,” Lukhele said.