CONVENE DIALOGUE NOW - CHURCH LEADERS

LOBAMBA - Church leaders yesterday marched to Parliament to deliver a petition, where they are demanding a national dialogue to take place without further delay.

This comes after various killings of members of the public during last year’s unrest and the recent episodes of the assassination of security forces personnel. The church leaders under the umbrella of Swaziland Concerned Church Leaders (SCCL) were in partnership with Justice, Peace and Reconciliation Department and the Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP). They delivered the petition to two areas where they wanted the Members of Parliament (MPs) to take accountability and make sure that the dialogue happens.

The church leaders are also calling for the establishment of an independent commission of inquiry into all politically motivated killings or deaths and the accompanying arson attacks on citizens. The members of the clerg who started arriving at around 11:30am, were driving in private vehicles, which they parked above the Somhlolo National Stadium and at 12:30pm, they marched to Parliament singing church songs. They were met by the Lobamba Station Commander, Mkhuzeni Kunene, who led them towards Parliament.

Petition

Before the reading of the petition, Chairperson of SCCL Bishop Canaan George Mathabela, said the church decided to speak up about the current political situation in the country. Bishop Mathabela said as a church body, they could no longer keep quiet and watch. He said Eswatini was a Christian country and through King Somhlolo ensured that the nation lived and followed the Holy Book. He said due to the pain following the killings that had been taking place, the church had taken the responsibility to task Parliament to ensure that the dialogue happened in the country.

The bishop stated that the legislators were representing the people through the various constituencies, which was why they came to report to them. Bishop Mathabela said there was no longer peace which was prevailing, as people were being killed every day and had no guarantee what would happen to them when they went back to their homes, that was if they would be alive the next day. “The people who are being killed are our herd and we are looking after them. The widows and orphans are also left in our hands,” he said.

Mathabela said the situation was very painful and had prompted the church body to rise.  Reading the petition, Chaplain of the Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace, Father Jechonia Mahazule, said, an all-inclusive and meaningful dialogue would provide solutions to the ongoing political turmoil. Mahazule said it had become more apparent that the country had chosen the path of death than that of life. The cleric stated that over the past years in the country, killings had become part of the ordinary lives. He said the people had taken God’s place as a creator, deciding on the lives of others. Mahazule said the nation had rejected God as the Father and no longer saw each other as brothers and sisters but had chosen the blame game of labelling others as adversaries.

Frustration

“It is clear that we no longer see in each other the God in whose image we have been created (Genesis 1:27) and with Cain we sarcastically ask; ‘Am I my brother’s Keeper?’” questioned Mahazule. According to Mahazule, the nation seemed to be living in the deception that the country had ‘gone back to normal’, ignoring the anger of many people, particularly the youth as they saw no answer to their frustration and no space to voice them. He said; “They feel that some are full citizens but others second class ones. Some seem to have access to every opportunity in the country and the rest to the leftovers.” Mahazule mentioned that in their restlessness, they could be easily deceived by those who offered them violence as the only possible solution. “Many problems remain unresolved,” he said.

According to the priest, Eswatini citizens were elated at the announcement of the national dialogue, following the unprecedented killings and burning of structures witnessed last June/July. He said the church in the country also wished to see the noble process being meaningfully and honestly speedily implemented in order for all emaSwati to develop their potential and contribute to the building of a just, peaceful and progressive Eswatini.

Letter

Father Mahazule stated that in his first letter to the Corinthians, St Paul wrote; “I urge you brothers and sisters, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to agree together, to end your divisions and to be united by the same mind and purpose.” Meanwhile, he added that as church representatives, they were condemning all that which constituted a violation of human integrity and everything that offended human dignity. Furthermore, he said they were denouncing all crimes committed in the name of the security of the State as if the State was absolute and not at the service of the people. The petition was received by the Principal Committee Clerk, Mpendulo Ngcamphalala. Ngcamphalala stated that he was receiving it on behalf of Office of Parliament, but was not at liberty to respond but listen and forward to the relevant office.

Comment

When reached for comment on the visit by the church leaders, Clerk to Parliament Benedict Xaba said he was yet to present the petition to the principals, including the presiding officers.  Xaba said he realised that the gist contained in the petition was the promised dialogue in order to restore peace.  He said they were yet to look into it and finalise on it before taking it forward. Director of Communications in the King's Office Percy Simelane, recently stated that the King and government had pronounced themselves that the environment was currently not conducive because the people of Eswatini, who were the key stakeholders, continued to be threatened with arson and death if before and during the envisaged national dialogue they were found to be speaking against the stakeholders who were calling for change.

Meanwhile, Government Spokesperson Alpheous Nxumalo, warned that there was no guarantee of future peace and democracy through bloodshed. Addressing the media over the recent killings of security forces personnel, Nxumalo warned the perpetrators of violence that even if they were to get what they wanted there was no assurance that they would live in peace.

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