In a statement, acting executive director of the SADC Council of NGOs, Monametsi Sokwe said the regional body has moral obligation to support any member state that is in difficult situation as it is the case in Eswatini. He added that as non-government organisations, they were disturbed by the new developments in the kingdom. Sokwe added they were also deeply concerned about the riots and security brutality on civilians including loss of lives and destruction of property. “We note that the people of Eswatini demand for democratic dispensation in the Kingdom whose poverty rates are as high as 70% and high level of unemployment (World Bank 2020),” stated Sokwe.
“It is our conviction that denying the nation the democratic freedoms while at the same time creating policies that exacerbate inequality, poverty and unemployment including the use of the security agencies in suppressing and suffocating any peaceful protests is tantamount to crime against humanity by the government of Eswatini and is condemned in the strongest terms.” Sokwe noted that the SADC-CNGO reminded the people and government of Eswatini that a democratic right was universally recognised for every nation. He further stated that it was therefore, important for the Eswatini nation to make efforts to respect it including other human rights provisions as enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948).
