US urges govt to abide by democratic principles

The United States has urged the government of Swaziland to abide by democratic principles and warned that its continued eligibility for the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) was subject to constant review. A statement, released locally by the office of US Ambassador to Swaziland James McGee, said: "The United States is deeply concerned that the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary in Swaziland be preserved. Disregard for these issues raises questions about the government's respect for basic internationally recognised tenets of good governance. "The decision of the government of the Kingdom of Swaziland to disregard the rulings of the Court of Appeals, and the subsequent en masse resignation of the court is disturbing. We are alarmed to see abuses of these basic principles of justice and human rights on the rise in Swaziland." Up to now, the US embassy had not commented on Prime Minister Sibusiso Dlamini's refusal to enforce two rulings of the Court of Appeal. One ruling nullified a royal decree on the grounds that King Mswati III had no power in law to bypass parliament and issue laws on his own. The second called for the imprisonment of the police commissioner for ignoring a court ruling to permit political detainees to return to their ancestral lands after they were evicted by Mswati. In the wake of Dlamini's recent remarks to parliament, that foreign governments were not really concerned about the crisis of governance currently gripping the country, Western governments have responded that they are both bothered and poised to take action in the form of reviewing trade agreements. The State Department message noted: "Swaziland's continued eligibility for the African Growth and Opportunity Act is not guaranteed, and is subject to constant review." The agreement permits Swazi goods to enter the country duty free, which has attracted dozens of factories supporting tens of thousands of Swazi workers to open in the country. But palace sources told IRIN that Western governments were wrong to underestimate the power of tradition in Swaziland, which they say is the glue that keeps the small country together. "Foreigners cannot properly advise us because they don't understand Swazi customs," a senior prince told IRIN. Mswati felt the same way when he told a press conference last month: "The world must be made to understand Swazi customs." A Western envoy told IRIN: "Swazis must choose the leadership and government they like, and no one can dictate to them. But they must choose. This is what is meant by democratisation, giving the people a voice in the way their lives are run. But this is not happening." A key test comes in two weeks when Swaziland's main labour federations, which until now have been rivals, have called a two-day national workers' stay-away to press for political reform.