By Laura Hirahara
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

MBABANE, Swaziland– In the midst of pro-democracy uprisings, Swaziland’s King Mswati II and his administration are taking a strict stance against the protesters and adopting an isolationist policy.  Despite attempted intervention from several African groups and international organizations, Mswati’s officials maintain the problem is ‘outsiders’ and not the need for reform.  Said Mswati’s Foreign Affairs Minister Lutfo Dlamini, “We have been threatened as a nation by outsiders that there will be an uprising. . .We needed to guarantee the safety of all Swazis[.]”

This statement was made on Wednesday in what has proven to be a tumultuous week for the small, land-locked country.  On Tuesday and Wednesday, police fired upon crowds of thousands with tear gas and water cannons.  Police entered the crowd and started beating the protesters with batons, arresting many.  The protesters are calling for reform from the government, namely in the areas of civil service pay and political parties.  Mswati has banned political parties, effectively eliminating the possibility of a multi-party democratic system in Swaziland.  Additionally, civil servant pay has been cut drastically.  The protesters are demanding that political parties be made legal again and the pay cuts be reversed.

Swaziland’s government has maintained throughout the unrest that this is the result of foreign agitators coming into the country to promote violence and treason.  However, the police and security forces seem to be targeting Swazi’s in crackdowns on unions.  On Wednesday, a unions’ headquarters was raided by police where approximately 300 teachers were gathered for a rally.  The forces again used tear gas and water cannons to disperse everyone from the meeting.

These actions have prompted the African National Congress (ANC) to speak out.  ANC Deputy of International Relations, Ebrahim Ebrahim, said on Thursday,

We call on the government of Swaziland to work towards the normalisation of the political environment by unbanning opposition political parties, releasing political activists and engaging in a meaningful dialogue with opposition political and trade union leaders to find a collective solution to the socio-economic situation faced by that country. . .The use of security forces to quell any form of political dissent and failure to address legitimate concerns of citizens can only lead to the worsening of relations between government and civilians, something that does not augur well for economic stability.

This is a strong statement from the ANC, which until Thursday had remained silent, allowing its partner, the trade union group Cosatu to work with the pro-democracy protesters.  Some hope this will change the king’s view of South Africa and the ANC.  Cosatu’s deputy international secretary, Zanele Mathebula, said up until Thursday, the ANC’s silence has given Swaziland’s government a reason to blame Cosatu.  “[The Swazi government] cannot understand how South Africa can allow Cosatu to be so vocal. They blame us- as if we are forcing the Swazi people to revolt against the king.”

Underlying the unrest are the stark realities of economic inequality in Swaziland.  King Mswati is Africa’s last absolute monarch and after years of funneling the country’s profits into private royal accounts, Mswati has become the 15th richest monarch in the world, with an estimated personal fortune of $200 million.  However, a majority of Swazi’s live in poverty, subsisting on less than $1 a day.  Life expectancy in the country is 32 years, a statistic supported by the HIV infection rate of 33 percent, the highest in the world.  Almost half the country is unemployed and up to a quarter of Swazi’s rely on food aid and donations for their survival.  Many believe the protests are the natural consequence of this growing gap between the wealthy royalty and the impoverished Swazis.  Said Deprose Muchena, acting Executive Director of the Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa (OSISA), “The Swazi government has shown its true colors to the world – it is repressive and authoritarian and only interested in its own survival.”

For more information, please see;

Mail & Guardian– Time For Change in Swaziland, ANC Says– 15 April, 2011

NYT– Police Fight Teachers as Unrest Begins to Mount– 13 April, 2011

Christian Science Monitor– In Swaziland, Heavy Crackdown Beats Back Egypt Inspired Protests– 14 April, 2011

By Laura Hirahara
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso– Burkina Faso’s president, Blaise Campaore, dissolved the government on Friday following an uprising by soldiers in the capital city of Ouagadougou and the presidential compound.  The soldiers, frustrated by the president’s refusal to pay them wages and promised bonuses, entered the compound on Thursday night, firing guns and rioting until the pre-dawn hours of Friday.  The uprising spread to the nearby barracks and then into the city.  Soldiers began speeding through the city streets in military vehicles and looting stores.  For several hours Thursday night, Campaore fled to his hometown approximately 30 km away, returning Friday.  In a radio address on Friday, Campaore announced he had fired his top military and personal guard commanders.  Part of the announcement read, “The secretary generals of ministerial departments will ensure the execution of current business.”

As the soldiers poured into the city they began stealing from shops in the capital, accosting merchants.  The soldiers also raided at least one radio station, injuring the staff and forcing it off the air.  One taxi driver reported being dragged from his car by soldiers who then drove away in his cab.  Many businesses, including gas stations and banks, have remained closed since the violence broke out Thursday night.  One witness, Pierre Tapsoba, who lives in a western neighborhood of Ouagadougou, said “I was going in the direction of the Lamizana [military] camp when I heard the gunfire. I saw people rushing back towards me, so I turned around and went back home. . . .I haven’t been out since. It’s bad.”  In an apparent effort to deter the soldiers, some shop owners set fire to busses.  As the looting continued Thursday, local merchants felt like the government had abandoned them.  Said one business association leader, Seydou Zangre, “We thought they [the government] were going to take measures for our security, but they did nothing.”

In addition to the dissolution, Campaore effected a 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew on Saturday and France, the former colonial ruler of Burkina Faso, warned travelers to avoid the country.  This latest clash follows months of turmoil in the country.  In February, students protested against the government after a student in military custody died.  During the protests, several buildings were set on fire and six students died.  On March 22, soldiers led an attack in response to several soldiers who were sentenced to prison terms for rape, freeing some soldiers from jail.

The country has also faced pressure from its neighbors, where unrest has driven up the prices of pantry staples in Burkina Faso.  The violence in Côte d’Ivoire has disrupted supply lines Burkina Faso in addition to Niger and Mali.  This means the prices of several processed foods, such as sugar, vegetable oil and dried milk, have risen dramatically in the land-locked country.  This prompted a march by tens of thousands of protesters in the capital last week against the increasing cost of living.

In the radio address Friday that dissolved the government, Campaore said, “The government reassures the people that steps are being taken right now to resolve this situation and expresses its regret and compassion for all those who have suffered harm.”  Despite these reassurances, many believe Campaore is losing power and that this may signal the end of his 23 year reign as president.  Addressing the resent uprising in Burkina Faso, David Zounmenou, a researcher focusing on conflict prevention at the South African based Institute for Security Studies, said, “It may be the end of Blaise Compaore’s rule. . .The youth are inspired by what is happening in North Africa and you add to this the unhappiness within the army. He might have to think about a transition.”

For more information, please see;

Bloomberg– Burkina Faso President Dissolves Government as Army Rampages– 16 April, 2011

Reuters Africa– Burkina Faso Traders Riot Over Army Looting– 16 April, 2011

The Independent– Soldiers Go on Rampage Over Pay in Burkina Faso– 16 April, 2011

Aljazeera– Burkina Faso’s President Dissolves Government– 15 April, 2011

BBC– Burkina Faso’s Blaise Campaore Sacks His Government– 15 April, 2011

By Polly Johnson
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

HARARE, Zimbabwe – President Robert Mugabe said Thursday that the country will forge ahead with the takeover of foreign-owned firms, a plan laid out in a 2008 law.

During a speech Thursday at the burial of the deputy director of Zimbabwe’s intelligence organization, Mugabe addressed mourners, telling them, “We proceed with our indigenization and empowerment policy, and programs must be worked out to ensure that our resources are managed by us, they are controlled and exploited by us, and that they benefit the majority of our people.”

The Indigenization and Economic Empowerment Bill was signed into law in 2008, and permits local business owners to take fifty-one percent shareholder control of foreign mining companies that have a net asset value of one million dollars or more.

The Zimbabwe government defended the bill as a way of addressing past racial and historical imbalances and allowing local Zimbabweans to benefit from the country’s rich mineral resources.

However, upon its passage, the bill was met with heavy criticism. Opponents have argued that the law has simply been a way for Mugabe to buy and curry support among his party, ZANU-PF.

Mugabe’s opposition party, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), has opposed the law. However, he has not been so vocal about his opposition, which some critics have attributed to his not wanting to be labeled as “pro-white” or “pro-West.”

Last month, Mugabe took the initial steps towards enforcing the bill when he gave foreign mining companies forty-five days to transfer the majority stakes to local investors.

Mugabe’s goal is to take power away from the European and American corporations that dominate Zimbabwe’s economy. He has accused the foreign-owned companies of aligning with the West in an effort to remove him from power. “If our economy is controlled by outsiders, similarly the politics will be controlled by outsiders,” Mugabe said.

Western countries imposed sanctions on Mugabe and ZANU-PF in 2002 on charges of human rights abuses and rigged elections. As recently as 2010, Human Rights Watch (HRW) reported that ZANU-PF continued to engage in human rights abuses, and that there had been no meaningful progress in instituting human rights reforms. HRW has uncovered rampant abuses by Zimbabwe’s armed forces, including forced labor, child labor, killings, beatings, smuggling and corruption.

Mugabe, who is 87 and has run the country since 1980, does not appear to be slowing down. “We must demonstrate that we are ready to defend our country and sacrifice our lives. The enemy will try by all means to destroy us, but if we are united, we are strong,” he said. The MDC has warned that upcoming presidential and parliamentary elections could bring about a “bloodbath” in Zimbabwe.

For more information, please see:

ZimOnline – Firm takeovers to go ahead: Mugabe – 15 April 2011

CNN – Government takeover of companies in Zimbabwe to proceed, Mugabe says – 14 April 2011

Zimbabwe Mail – Mugabe says to proceed with foreign firm takeovers – April 14, 2011

CNN – Is ‘indigenization’ bad for business? – 7 April 2011

Zimbabwe Guardian – Shape up or ship out, Mugabe warns companies – 28 March 2011

Human Rights Watch – EU: Keep Sanctions on Mugabe’s Inner Circle – 29 January 2010