National

MBABANE – Eswatini has shrugged off regional and global blame for accommodating the five detainee inmates who arrived from the United States of America on Wednesday.

Director of Communications in the King’s Office Percy Simelane said the country is not run on regional public opinion, but on its Constitution.

He had been drawn to comment on widespread criticism waged in regional media houses and social media, particularly that the request should have been declined for the country to assert itself against the West.

Simelane said Eswatini can take its own decisions, as a sovereign State.

“Democracy is about a people freely defining their destiny and not about regional disdain regulating decision-making in another sovereign country.”

He reminded all concerned that the decision of such matters is a prerogative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and should in no way be attributed to the head of State.

 “Constitutionally and politically, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooporation is custodian of all international agreements and protocols. The minister there signs them.”

He said some information on the deportees and how Eswatini accepted them is ‘apparently meant for cheap audiences and airheads’.

He said the disdain for the kingdom was misplaced.

“We don’t understand why the alleged regional disdain should be reserved for Eswatini, instead of the countries that were responsible for the partitioning of Africa during the Berlin Conference of 1884-1885 or the signatories of the Caroline Constitution of 1669 that gave the greenlight to Slave Trade that lasted for 244 years. Why do we have the feeling someone is looking for a soft target in Eswatini?”

Department of Homeland Security Spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin named five deportees from Vietnam, Jamaica, Laos, Cuba and Yemen, stating they were convicted of crimes ranging from child rape to murder.

“A safe third-country deportation flight to Eswatini in Southern Africa has landed. This flight took individuals so uniquely barbaric that their home countries refused to take them back,” McLaughlin said late on Tuesday.

In a series of posts on X, McLaughlin listed the crimes the five deported to Eswatini had been convicted of, describing them as ‘depraved monsters’ who had been ‘terrorising American communities’.

Yesterday saw international media flocking to Eswatini to conduct interviews on the implications of the country hosting the deportees.

Political formations clamouring for governance changes also seized the opportunity to dress down the decision as wrongful.

On Wednesday, Thabile Mdluli, Acting Government Spokesperson, issued a statement addressing media houses: “Government acknowledges the widespread concern regarding the deportation of third-country prisoners from the United States of America into the Kingdom of Eswatini.

Indeed, five inmates are currently housed in our Correctional facilities in isolated units, where similar offenders are kept. The nation is assured that these inmates pose no threat to the country or its citizens.”

Mdluli said this exercise is the result of months of high-level engagements between the United States and Eswatini governments. The two governments, she said, will collaborate with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) to facilitate the transit of these inmates to their countries of origin.

Mdluli said the engagements considered every avenue, including risk assessments and careful consideration for the safety and security of citizens.

She said Eswatini and the United States have maintained bilateral relations spanning over five decades.

 “As such, every agreement entered into is done with care and consideration, putting the interests of both nations at the forefront. As a responsible member of the global community, the Kingdom of Eswatini adheres to international agreements and diplomatic protocols regarding the repatriation of individuals, ensuring that due process and respect for human rights are followed,” she said.

Research by this newspaper also found that third-country host agreements are not unusual. For example, Rwanda and the UK have a similar agreement.

It has been shown that the third-country host agreements Eswatini has with the USA are good for both countries. Besides improving relations, research found that some countries cannot easily negotiate the return of their citizens who are being deported—especially if they do not have diplomatic relations or if those relations are poor.

For example, if country X has a bad relationship with country Y and wants to deport illegal immigrants to Y, X will struggle to send those people back. In this case, a third party agreement is needed. If country Z has good relations with both Y and X, Z can help and arrange the transfer of the nationals to Y.

Experts say this arrangement offers benefits. For instance, the USA will see Eswatini as a helpful country.

If Eswatini needs help in the future, its requests might receive more attention. Participation elevates Eswatini as a strategic ally in the US’s global migration framework, alongside nations like Rwanda, Benin and Angola.  South Sudan has accepted eight third-country deportees from the US and Rwanda says it’s in talks with the administration of President Donald Trump on a similar deal.

MPs criticise matter, urge Cabinet’s intervention

LOBAMBA – Members of Parliament (MPs) are calling for urgent intervention from Cabinet regarding the arrival of five convicted deportees from the United States of America (USA) to Eswatini.

The Eswatini Government acknowledged the deportation of the five third-country prisoners through a statement issued by Acting Government Spokesperson Thabile Mdluli on Wednesday.

The deportees are reportedly citizens of Vietnam, Jamaica, Cuba, Yemen and Laos. They were convicted of serious crimes including murder and child rape in the US.

Mhlangatane MP Madala Mhlanga criticised the manner of the announcement, stating that such a sensitive matter should have been addressed by the country’s Executive, not an acting government spokesperson.

Mhlanga revealed that the issue has sparked widespread curiosity, even among the youngest citizens, with questions being asked about the prisoners’ arrival.

“We do not even know if they are indeed five or more are coming into the country. This is a serious matter, one that needs the country’s leadership to address properly.

“It is good that we are with the DPM today (yesterday) and as MPs, we deserve to be put in the picture on these developments and how it will benefit emaSwati,” he said.

Mhlanga further highlighted concerns about Eswatini’s international relations, particularly with neighbouring South Africa, given their relationship with the US.

He hinted that such developments could potentially ‘put a stain’ on Eswatini’s participation in the Southern African Customs Union (SACU), especially as there are already some who oppose the country’s membership in the union.

Hhukwini MP Alec Lushaba submitted that the nation should have been informed prior to these developments, rather than finding out through social media. Using a vernacular expression, Lushaba remarked, ‘Live liyagcotjwa ngelitje’ (roughly translating to ‘The nation is being caught off guard’).

“The news that we woke up to yesterday (Wednesday) was not supposed to be communicated in the manner that it did. We urge Cabinet to be alive to the norm that the nation ought to be informed prior before such happens,” he submitted.

The chairman of the Deputy Prime Minister’s portfolio committee, whose name was not provided, submitted that dignity must be restored in the country following public and global concern over the arrival of the deportee inmates.

He suggested that it is the responsibility of the leadership, including the DPM, to address the matter, especially considering the prisoners’ backgrounds and the safety of emaSwati. Senator Thulisile Dladla is the current DPM.

Jamaica aware of deported citizen

MBABANE – Jamaica’s Government says they are aware of reports in the public domain of the transfer of individuals, purportedly including a Jamaican national, to Eswatini.

Among the five detainees lodged at His Majesty’s Correctional Services (HMCS) following their arrival from the United States is a man from Jamaica. The Jamaican man is one of the five foreign nationals described by the United States as ‘uniquely barbaric’ criminals who have been sent to the country.

In a late-night post on X on Tuesday, Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin, said the men sent to Eswatini, who are citizens of Vietnam, Jamaica, Cuba, Yemen and Laos, had arrived on a plane, but didn’t say when or where.

In her post, she said the Jamaican man was convicted of murder, sentenced to 25 years confinement; convicted of robbery, sentenced to six years confinement; and convicted of possession of a weapon, sentenced to six months confinement. She said the five are all convicted criminals and ‘individuals so uniquely barbaric that their home countries refused to take them back.’ But in a post on X on Wednesday night, Jamaica’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Kamina Johnson Smith, said her ministry was aware of reports in the public domain of the transfer of individuals, purportedly including a Jamaican national, to Eswatini. She said the ministry has initiated enquiries with the US authorities to ascertain the veracity of the reported inclusion of a Jamaican in the transfer. Johnson Smith said if the reports are confirmed, government will continue its engagements with the US on the arrangements necessary to facilitate the individual’s return to Jamaica. 

Additional reporting by The Jamaica Gleaner

Director of Communications in the King’s Office Percy Simelane says the country is not run on regional public opinion, but on its Constitution. (Courtesy pic)