THULANI MASEKO WRITES LETTER TO PRESIDENT OBAMA

MBABANE – Incarcerated Human Rights Lawyer Thulani Maseko has written a letter, from prison, to USA President Barack Obama asking for support to have economic sanctions for violating human rights imposed on the country.

This is contained in a letter, dated June 12, 2014, Maseko wrote from his prison cell at Sidwashini Correctional facility. He wrote the letter about a month before he was convicted of scandalising the courts in an article that appeared in The Nation Magazine.

Maseko said he drew inspiration from United States of America (USA) President Obama for his belief that all people deserved to live in a society where they had a say on how they are governed, confidence in the rule of law and where there is equal administration of justice.

He has asked the USA to influence the European Union, United Nations and African Union to take a firm stand against the country for its practices that impede on basic human rights, fundamental freedoms and civil liberties. Maseko, who described himself as Prisoner 353: 438/2014, said the country exported beef and sugar to European markets; therefore, a threat to that line might force the country to reconsider its stance on the issues.

Maseko quoted a number of statements on democracy Obama made when he visited African states such as South Africa, Egypt and Ghana.
“Mr President since you assumed the high office of President of the United States of America, you have been insistent on cooperating to achieve democracy, good governance, human rights, racial justice, and development in the world.

In this connection you have made two great speeches standing on African soil. You spoke about democracy while addressing the Muslim world in Cairo, Egypt, on June 4, 2009, ‘On a New Beginning.’

“We are happy that the American Government, under your administration, has noted that these things are not available to the vast majority of the people of Swaziland. They are not available because we are living under a system that abuses the people’s customary and traditional practices to stay in power. Yet we know that tradition and customary practices should not impede on basic human rights and fundamental freedoms and civil liberties. As far as we in the democratic progressive movement understand, human rights are God-given; they are inalienable, inherent, indivisible and inviolable,” reads the letter in part.

Supporting

He reminded Obama of the statement he made when he addressed the Ghanaian Parliament that America would increase assistance for responsible individuals and institutions, with a focus on supporting good governance, on parliaments which check abuses of power and ensure that opposition voices are heard. Obama, in that speech, had also said the USA would assist institutions which ensured the equal administration of justice and allowed civic participation, so that young people get involved and on concrete solutions to corruption like forensic accounting and automating services, strengthening hotlines, protecting whistle-blowers to advance transparency and accountability.

He highlighted that the USA influenced the change of regime in South Africa and liberation in that country was to a large extent by economic sanctions, not only the violent confrontations as led by the late Nelson Mandela and Umkhonto Wesizwe under the African National Congress.

“Big companies and banks felt that doing business in an unstable political environment was not viable and indeed some progressive governments advised companies not to invest in Apartheid South Africa. Your Excellency, this is where we are in Swaziland today,” Maseko stated.
He said there was no need to resort to violence, unless democratic and progressive governments took a timely stand against the country due to the existence of inflexibility in the country.

Public Affairs Officer of the Embassy of the United States of America to Swaziland Ruth Newman said she would respond today on the matter.
Government Spokesperson Percy Simelane said government would not involve itself on the matter.

“Government will not involve itself on correspondence that is between two people. He has written the letter in his personal capacity and government will not involve itself. It is only a simple letter, not even an instrument,” Simelane said.

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