Black Agenda Report
Black Agenda Report
News, commentary and analysis from the black left.

  • Home
  • Africa
  • African America
  • Education
  • Environment
  • International
  • Media and Culture
  • Political Economy
  • Radio
  • US Politics
  • War and Empire

Swaziland Army in “Full Charge” After Protests, Many Killed by King’s Troops
All Africa
15 Jul 2021
🖨️ Print Article
Swaziland Army in “Full Charge” After Protests, Many Killed by King’s Troops
Swaziland Army in “Full Charge” After Protests, Many Killed by King’s Troops

The Swazi military has reportedly warned the population to “obey instructions” or “face full wraith of troops.”

“The army is now fully in charge for real .. not even the police knows what the army is doing now.”

The Army in Swaziland (eSwatini) has taken full charge after mass prodemocracy protests left many people dead, according to a Human Rights Watch official.

Dewa Mavhinga, director for Southern Africa, added reports received by the organization were that the Army were on a “killing spree,”

He said police in Swaziland had reported that the Army had refused to have joint operations so military deployment was not under civilian authority or oversight.

Mavhinga reported, ‘From a police source, the army is now fully in charge for real .. not even the police knows what the army is doing now.

‘They only call the police to collect bodies of people shot and killed.’

The Times of Swaziland reported on Sunday (4 July 2021) “Army declares ‘We have taken over’ and added those who failed to obey instructions “will face full wraith of troops.”

The Times reported the first sight of the army being deployed on the streets was on the previous Tuesday after protesters turned violent. As well as killings there are reports of widespread lootings.

A group from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) was in Swaziland on a fact-finding visit, but has yet to make a public statement.

Protests have been taking place across Swaziland for several weeks. People marched on local government offices delivering petitions asking for democratic reforms. King Mswati III rules Swaziland as an absolute monarch. He choses the Prime Minister and cabinet ministers. Political parties are banned from contesting election and groups advocating for democracy are outlawed under the Suppression of Terrorism Act.

 This article previously appeared in All Africa.com.

Do you need and appreciate Black Agenda Report articles? Please click on the DONATE icon, and help us out, if you can.


More Stories


  • Trump Calls for Peace in Ukraine While Democrats Make Support for War a Midterm Campaign Issue
    ​​​​​​​ Ajamu Baraka, BAR editor and columnist
    Trump Calls for Peace in Ukraine While Democrats Make Support for War a Midterm Campaign Issue
    12 Oct 2022
    Donald Trump is no peace maker, but his stance on negotiations to end the war in Ukraine is in stark contrast to that of the democrats, who fully support continuing the dangerous proxy war against…
  • TESTIMONY: Temwayaj Kout Kouto, 1937: Eyewitnesses to the Genocide
    Editors, The Black Agenda Review
    TESTIMONY: Temwayaj Kout Kouto, 1937: Eyewitnesses to the Genocide
    12 Oct 2022
    Rarely do we hear from the victims of the 1937 genocide of Haitians at the Haiti-Dominican border. Their memories are one of unimaginable violence.
  • Hurricane Harvey and his destructive siblings...
    Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
    Hurricane Harvey and his destructive siblings...
    12 Oct 2022
    Hurricane Harvey and his destructive siblings...
  • Red Alert...
    Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
    Red Alert...
    12 Oct 2022
    Red Alert...
  • BAR Book Forum: Interview with Jon Jon Moore
    Roberto Sirvent, BAR Book Forum Editor
    BAR Book Forum: Interview with Jon Jon Moore
    12 Oct 2022
    This week’s featured scholar is Jon Jon Moore. Moore is a writer and host of the AbolitionISH podcast. His article is “Starships and Slave Ships: Black Ontology and the UFO Abduction…
  • Load More
Subscribe
connect with us
about us
contact us