King Mswati III and the late Thulani Maseko. Images: AFP and Twitter/@nelsonchamisa.
eSwatini: Brutal murder of Thulani Maseko condemned where is the AU and SADC?
The EFF has called on the AU, SADC and South African government to condemn the atrocities in eSwatini after Thulani Maseko was murdered.
King Mswati III and the late Thulani Maseko. Images: AFP and Twitter/@nelsonchamisa.
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) says the brutal murder of human rights lawyer and activist Thulani Maseko is a sign of desperation from a state that has lost its legitimacy and authority to preside over the people’s affairs of eSwatini.
Maseko was allegedly shot dead at his home near Mbabane on Saturday night, 21 January 2023 and the images of his lifeless body have been circulating on social media.
MURDER OF ESWATINI’S THULANI MASEKO CONDEMNED
Maseko who was a prominent opposition politician and editor of The Nation magazine Bheki Makhubu were jailed for contempt of court over articles critical of the government and judiciary in 2014.
The activist was the founder of MultiStakeholder Forum (MSF) , a coalition of opposition parties, associations and churches. His death came just hours after the king challenged activists fighting to end Africa’s last absolute monarchy.
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The EFF described Maseko as a courageous defender of democracy and a voice of reason for the defenceless people of eSwatini.
“He spoke truth to power during times of great adversity and extreme government repression. The people of eSwatini, the rest of Africa, the Diaspora and the world have been robbed of a soldier who was not armed with guns but with words which he used to confront the most merciless regimes on the continent.”
EFF
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The party further called on the South African government, the African Union (AU), and the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) to condemn the crimes against humanity that are taking place in eSwatini.
The South African Federation of Trade Unions (SAFTU) also weighed in on Maseko’s murder.
SAFTU said it could say without a shadow of a doubt that organisations like the United Nations (UN), AU and SADC will not bring justice for Maseko’s death.
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SAFTU said in the wake of the revolt for freedom in 2021, political parties, labour unions, and other pro-democracy organisations in eSwatini met and resolved to demand a dialogue mediated by SADC, AU, and United Nations. In the context of the unabated killings that continue, it is clear that the king does not want a dialogue, and these international organisations are failing to protect human rights.
“Experience has shown that for their efforts, these organisations have massaged Mswati’s regime despite its record of human rights abuse. These abuses have, in the recent period, reached a peak in 2021. Since then, the regime has accelerated the reign of terror against activists,” the federation said.
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