Persecution of the Evangelical Lutheran Church In Swaziland

 

 

The violation of human rights by the Tinkhundla System of government in Swaziland has stooped to appalling lows with such freedoms as the freedom of association breached to the lengths of blocking Christians from entering a church to worship and fellowship. This was witnessed by the local congregants of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, Mbabane branch situated at kaSchiele mission in Tembelihle, who were joined by members of the civic society on the 31st October 2011 and 15th October 2012. This was a peaceful gathering for a prayer service which was to be led by Bishop Absalom Mnisi and Reverend Zwanini Shabalala, all this was done to request a divine intervention to the swiftly declining standards of living in Swaziland caused by among the main factors the intolerance of the government and the monarchy towards the citizens of the country.

 

This was not to be as on this day an army of 200 members of the joint forces, Royal Swaziland Police and Correctional Services descended on the kaSchiele mission led by the Regional Commander and categorically stated that in no uncertain terms was there to be a prayer service in the church or anywhere within the mission for that matter. As Reverend Z Shabalala commented in his article in relation to the incident entitled “Are We Mocking God”, the people of Swaziland have nobody but God to cry to as the monarchy and government have turned a deaf ear to all their please, but when they are prevented from exercising their right to pray, what more can they do.

 

This is one of the reasons why I have chosen to join the Swazi Vigil in the United Kingdom and condemn these violations of fundamental human rights in my country Swaziland, the Mbabane Evangelical Lutheran Church happens to be the church I was baptised in as a toddler and grew up attending and even preached in as a lay preacher, it really greaves my heart when the Bishop Right Reverend A Mnisi has turned into a criminal who is constantly under police surveillance just because he has opted not to discriminate political activists from the church. This is a religious minister simply responding to his call to preach the gospel of Christ. The church itself has drawn so much interest from the police who are constantly monitoring every single activity, even one of the church members who joined the police force has been turned into an investigator , whenever he attends a service he is expected to take notes and report back to his superiors of any suspicious members of the congregation. It is an appalling shame and gross violation of the right to religion enshrined in the bill of rights of the current constitution in Swaziland.

 

Veli Mamba

 

 

27th August 2014

PRESS STATEMENT

Re: Stoppage of prayer meeting at Tex Ray by the Royal Swaziland Police

 

The Swazi Vigil UK group condemns, in the strongest terms, the unprovoked and unjustified stoppage of a prayer meeting organized by the Swaziland United Democratic Front (SUDF) and the Trade Union Congress of Swaziland (TUCOSWA) at Tex Ray yesterday (26th August 2014) and the harassment of the organisers of the prayer. We view this as nothing more than continued violation of the right of assemble and right to religion, both of which are guaranteed by the constitution of Swaziland. The reasons given by the police for stopping the prayer meeting are spurious and betray an unfortunate anti-union mindset by the Royal Swaziland Police and the Swaziland government in general. Swazis have the constitutional right to hold peaceful prayers without interference from police and the disruption of the workers prayer meeting is as reprehensible as it was provocative. We at the Swazi Vigil UK will continue to raise issues of human rights violations in Swaziland here in the United Kingdom and call for international pressure to bear on Swaziland.

 

Veli Sthembile Tsabedze

Nalamuhla besikadze sime ngephandle e embassy yaseswatini.solo silelwa inkhululeko ekhaya.angeke siyekele size sibone lushintsho.ayihambe lemfingi lengu mswati.ngibhala kumangala kutsi sikhuphe sowusibite ngaye ngebunjani? imali lengabe wakha le sikhuphe ngabe lemali iye emaswatini yasita emaswati SHAME ON YOU MSWATI awukehluki nemmbulali leyo 6.4billon emalangeni ngabe utsenge imishini etibhedlela kunetintsandzane atinakwa tibhedlela kufihlwa emehlo kona nguyiphi indiza leyoke ihlale kuleya airport ase ngibute ngibhala ngekukwata nangekumangala kutsi lemfingi iyodlala ngesive semaswati kute kube ngunini PHANSI NGA MSWATI PHANSI!.. BY JABULILE SIMELANE SWAZI VIGIL MEMBER U.K.

Today the 8 of february we were once again outside the embassy protesting about the issues that are taking place in swaziland i was really disturbed when i heard that the royal swaziland police force is now called"bomavutsa bhe" how could you be so proud of such a country just because it suits his majesty.i fear for my childs safety since im now a political activist exiled here in the u.k. And highlighting the torture that they put through to my dad it left me traumitized up to this day since he was wrongly accused of wanting to plot the king i as his child have had to go through this misery because i was being penalised for my fathers action of the past it just shows how mean and disgusting swaziland can be i have never had a job back same applies to my mother who is residing in the u.k. We shall fight until we see change!MSWATI MUST GO HES A PEODOPHILE