CALL SECURITY FORCES TO ORDER

Sir,
 
Security forces’ brutality is described as the excessive and unwarranted use of force by law enforcement agencies. It is an extreme form of misconduct and a civil rights violation. It also refers to a situation where security forces personnel exercise undue or excessive force against a person. One is not privy to what the SNUS president did, but he did not deserve the humiliation, insults and degrading treatment. For how long should we tolerate the abuse of emaSwati by security forces personnel who are employed to protect us?

After independence, the country became signatory to the United Nations Universal Human Rights Declaration of 1948 to affirm the sanctity of human life. Human rights are universal, indivisible and inalienable. The charter was adopted after world leaders acknowledged that the brutality of war was inhumane and called for all countries to respect human lives. The Constitution of Eswatini also embraces the protection of human rights, which is about the dignity of emaSwati regardless of status, sex, age and race, among others. These human rights are a promissory note to all emaSwati that their dignity will always be protected by the State. The Constitution states that the ‘fundamental human rights and freedom of the individual enshrined in this chapter are hereby declared and guaranteed’. Further, Section 18 (1) states that ‘the dignity of every person is inviolable’. (2) ‘A person shall not be subjected to torture or to inhumane or degrading treatment or punishment’.

Section 77 on law enforcement objectives (1) states that law enforcement officials shall at all times fulfil the duty imposed upon them by the law by serving the community and by protecting all persons against illegal acts, consistent with the high degree of responsibility required by their profession. (2) In the performance of their duty, law enforcement officials shall respect and protect human dignity and maintain and uphold the human rights of all persons. (3) Law enforcement officials may not inflict, instigate or tolerate any act of torture or other cruel, inhumane or degrading treatment or punishment, nor may any law enforcement official invoke superior orders or exceptional circumstances as a justification of torture or other cruel, inhumane or degrading treatment or punishment. We urge those responsible for the security forces personnel to take stern action against the officers who have traumatised a fellow citizen in this manner.

An investigation of this incident should lead to all implicated in this being accountable and they should send a strong message that Eswatini is a constitutional State that values human life and dignity. We also call upon the army commander to suspend with immediate effect, the officers and then fully investigate this incident so that they face justice. We call upon the Human Rights and Administration Commission to also do its part in investigating this matter fully and make clear recommendations directed at government and the security forces hierarchy.  
Parliament should also call for accountability of the security forces and further speed up the enactment of an enabling legislation for the Human Rights Commission to effectively pursue its mandate, and not be seen as a toothless institution. Civil society should also raise their voices against brutality. We call upon the church to call the security forces to order and mobilise members of faith to pray for emaSwati who are already affected by such brutality and many other social ills.

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