Swaziland king repeals 'draconian decree' affecting news media

By freedomforum.org staff

07.26.01

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King Mswati III of Swaziland is flanked by South African President Thabo Mbeki, right, on July 9 at Organization of African Unity Summit in Lusaka, Zambia.

The king of Swaziland has repealed at least part of a royal edict that gave him virtual control of the news media, under mounting pressure from those who complained that it gave him far too much power.

King Mswati III had issued the sweeping decree under a state of emergency he declared on June 23. Among other things, it gave him the power to ban any newspaper, magazine or book, eliminate bail for many crimes, and even imprison people who made fun of him.

The king's unexplained action had been the source of widespread condemnation. For example, the London Daily Telegraph referred to it as "a draconian decree designed to muzzle (his) critics."

A statement on the king's change of heart was issued by Prime Minister Sibusiso Dlamini, who said the king had listened to the concerns of employers, trade unions, the public and diplomats, according to reports carried by the BBC, The London Times, the Media Institute of Southern Africa, in Windhoek, Namibia, and other African news sources.

However, the prime minister did not clarify exactly which parts of the decree would go or stay, or when the repeal would take effect. "I cannot single out any section of the decree that has been removed or will be retained. People will see for themselves," he said.

A BBC correspondent in the Swazi capital, Mbabane, cautioned that the revocation was not all it might seem to be, noting that the king had retained the clause that exempts ministers from being challenged in court for their actions.

Swazi news media last week published a letter from the United States government to the Swazi authorities criticizing the decree and warning that if it were not revoked, the country would not benefit from the African Trade Growth and Opportunities Act. The U.S. congressional act provides African countries with preferential treatment for U.S. trade, markets and technical assistance.

IRIN, the United Nations-supported Integrated Regional Information Networks, noted that reports had linked the revocation to "a threat by the United States to withdraw preferential trade benefits enjoyed by Swaziland."

Indeed, The London Times today headed its story, "Bottom line forces King to recant." It also reported that in his defense, King Mswati had said that he had not had time to read the royal edict in detail before it became law. Having been made aware of its shortcomings through domestic and international protests, he claimed, he had decided that the measure should be repealed.

However, IRIN also quoted civil rights activits as saying that while the concession was seen as significant, there was still no mention of ending the nation's 28-year-old system of monarchist rule imposed by Mswati's father, King Sobuza II.

"Swaziland is a dictatorship," said Jan Sithole, the secretary-general of the 83,000-member Swaziland Federation of Trade Unions, according to IRIN.

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Swaziland king issues 'draconian decree' to ban opposition press
Unexplained state-of-emergency decree gives King Mswati III power to ban newspapers, magazine, books.  06.27.01