Source: Instagram @swazilivesmatter

Happy Independence Day, Eswatini. On September 6th, 1968, this Southern African country gained independence from the United Kingdom. Today we explore the idea of freedom in the country through the lens of Eswatini’s human rights protests and poverty issues and investigate the youth’s role in the current Eswatini revolution.

This past June, the country erupted in a series of protests in response to the murder of a 25-year-old law student, Thabani Nkomonye. Nkomonye was reported missing by his parents. The Swazi police told his parents they had nothing to do with their son’s appearance. However, Nkomonye was found in a field. His parents discovered that he had been brutally beaten and that he had multiple bullet wounds and missing eyes. Many believe he was killed by the police.

Police brutality in the Kingdom of Eswatini is but a facet of the country’s monarchical authoritarianism. The youth of the country are seeking change so their future generations will avoid having to live under the ‘Big Brother’esque rule that is their current reality.

King Mswati III, who has ruled the country for 35 years, has outlawed political parties and factions. His stringent rule has enabled human rights abuses like the jailing of community members and journalists, and he has been criticized for living a lavish life while his citizens struggle with poverty and hunger.

Poverty in the country is widespread. In 2017, the World Bank reported that almost 60% of the population lived below the poverty line. Elderly women have resorted to growing and selling ‘Swazi gold’ marijuana strains to support impoverished HIV-infected orphans.

The youth-led rallies, catalyzed by police brutality, are fueled by the widespread poverty in the country, other injustices, and lack of political agency. The call for a multiparty system and justice was met with violence from the Eswatini government. In light of protests and violent conflict, Eswatini has been shutting down access to the internet, and has arrested protesters, and shot, brutalized, and murdered citizens.

As of August 16th, 70 protesters have been killed, and more than 600 have been arrested. The youth, who stand at the forefront of this revolution, will not be deterred.

Works Cited

https://www.jstor.org/stable/3880140