The leader of Swaziland's main opposition, People's UnitedDemocratic Movement (PUDEMO) party is expected at the country's High Courttoday (Monday) to defend terrorism charges brought against him by King MswatiIII's government. Mario Masuku was recently arrested as part of a crackdownunder the country's new anti-terrorism laws. He is alleged to have verballysupportered recent bombings of government institutions by some members of hisparty and has reportedly urged those bombings to continue. But PUDEMO condemnedthe arrest, claiming it is another attempt by the absolute monarch to clamp downon dissenting views. Majahenkhaba Dlamini is Swaziland'sattorney general. He tells reporter Peter Clottey that the idea is not topunish political opponents, but to punish entities and persons involved interrorist acts.
"Itis a bit broad because the act (terrorism act) has got various activitiesdefined as constituting an offense under the act. Not only that of causingterror by an application or by violence of one form or another, includingexplosives, bombs or whatever means of description, it's a whole list ofactivities intended to suppress terrorism," Dlamini noted.
Hedenied that the new terrorism law is violating the opposition leader'sconstitutional rights.
"Ifyou look at the act, it has got absolutely nothing to do with the criticism ofthe government. In fact it excludes certain political groups if they everexpress whatever views they might be expressing like unions and all thosegroups those are excluded. It says absolutely nothing about political party ofany description it is only concerned with entities responsible for doing thevarious acts or activities, which constitute an offence. And as we understandit is in line with international convention," he said.
Dlaminisaid the opposition PUDEMO seems not to understand the terrorism act which itsleader Masuku is currently facing.
"The unfortunate thing isthat in the first place like we are saying, the act itself makes an offence ofwhat he (Masuku) is supposed to have said. That is the starting point, andsecondly the person who is said to have perpetrated the offense, at least thosewho have been found are of course in custody and I hope they would be tried indue course. But not for a terrorist act because at the time the act happenedthe Suppression of Terrorism Act had not come into force. So, they wouldprobably find some other offense that might have been committed, I don't knowwhat it would be ultimately. So, that is the position," Dlamini pointed out.
He said those who have beencritical of government policies have not been charged for doing so.
"Of course there are otherpolitical parties who have been criticizing the government and they don't ofcourse agree with the government polices, nothing has been done to thosebecause they haven't committed offense by merely criticizing government. But ifthey go beyond criticizing and take up arms against the citizens of thecountry, there is noting that the government can do except to respond in termsof the law," he said.
Dlamini said the currentterrorism law would support the government charges against the oppositionPUDEMO leader.
"I can only say it isunfortunate if other laws are drafted in different term. But the law inquestion will seem to support the charge. I don't know what the court will doat the end of the day because they are responsible for interpreting the law.But it seems that the acts that are supposed to have been perpetrated by Masukuare acts, which the law presently condemn as being in support of a terroristgroup or a terrorist act. That I think is what they are being charged with,"Dlamini noted out.
MarioMasuku is the first person to be arrested under the new anti-terrorism law,which was introduced last September. If convicted, he could spend the rest ofhis life behind bars.
Meanwhile,Reporters sans Frontières (RSF) has condemned the Swazilandattorney-general's threatening statement that journalists who criticize KingMswati III's government could be arrested under a new anti-terrorism law thathas just been used to crack down on opposition groups.
Attorney-GeneralMajahenkhaba Dlamini warned last week that journalists critical of thegovernment could be viewed as supporting terrorists and could be arrested underthe Suppression of Terrorism Act, which provides for sentences of up to 25years in prison.