…SADC cannot expect Eswatini to dialogue with terrorists
BY DELISA THWALA
MBABANE – His Majesty King Mswati III has made two requests to SADC, that Eswatini must be heard and that the country be removed from inclusion in upcoming Troika agendas as they should not be held to a predetermined process that is no longer fit for purpose.
His Majesty was speaking during a closed session of the SADC Troika, the King raised concern about what appears to be a predetermined approach to dealing with the political and security issue in Eswatini.
His Majesty says SADC cannot expect Eswatini to dialogue with terrorists.
“When we attended the SADC Summit in August last year in Kinshasa, DRC, the request made on behalf of the Kingdom of Eswatini was that SADC assists us with curtailing the terrorist outbreak that had befallen us as a country,”
“It was with great surprise that instead of assistance being given to Eswatini to curb these activities, we were effectively told that we should negotiate with the perpetrators of violence,” said His Majesty.
He further said the question that arose in mind was, where else in Africa has a Government been told to negotiate with terrorist entities?
“We are always happy to dialogue with those we disagree with within the provisions of our constitution, but not with terrorists. This was a very peculiar position and one that we were, in all honesty, disappointed with,”
“Any assistance given to any member state must be based on the facts as they obtain on the ground rather than a dogmatic adherence to a predetermined approach. In this way, we would be able to genuinely assist each other and not allow subjective intent to interfere with the pursuit of peace,” said His Majesty.
