MBABANE – Two senior journalists from the Times of Eswatini are reportedly targets for assassination.
This newspaper has received highly classified information that members of the underground forces, on the sidelines of the recent People’s United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO) elective conference, hatched a plot to kill the two reporters. Insiders confided that the motive behind the assassination was to send a statement to the media fraternity that any journalist reporting negatively against efforts to dismantle tinkhundla would be dealt with. It had also been established that members of the underground forces were acting on allegations that some journalists, mainly the two threatened scribes, set up social media propaganda platforms to put brakes to processes of democratic reforms.
revealed
Insiders said the underground forces were told that these journalists used those social media platforms they allegedly created under pseudo names to support the King and royalty. Names of the people plotting to kill the reporters have been revealed, but cannot be disclosed at this stage. Identities of the scribes are being withheld as well for ethical reasons. The assassination plot has been reported to the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS), where it is receiving due attention. One of the reporters said he received the threats at a time when he was receiving same from one liSwati who accused him of running a social media platform to disturb Facebook media pages advocating for democratic reforms. He said the man accused him of insulting the Swaziland International Solidarity Forces.
“In fact, I have a space in the mainstream media where I can voice out my personal opinion on what is happening in the country. The mainstream media is the most powerful and authenticated platform for me. I have written more than 30 stories on the need for dialogue and I have also made use of the press releases from pressure groups,” the senior reporter said.
ethics “I have a duty to listen to both sides; those who either support tinkhundla or multiparty democracy. I follow journalism ethics, which encourage journalists to report objectively without taking sides,” he said. In politics, he said, governments are ethically, politically and morally obligated to take good advice from minorities or respect, if not uphold, the rights of the minorities.
He said there was a need for political education in Eswatini to capacitate the people to appreciate the philosophy that politicians counter, debunk or de-legitimise an ideology through an ideology – not through the barrel of a gun. “Killing me won’t help them and won’t give them the rights they are fighting for. Killing me is merely punishing innocent children who shall be left behind without a parent,” the journalist said. The other threatened journalist said it was a pity that the people who claimed to be introducing democracy to Eswatini were the very same individuals who were gagging the media. He said Journalism was one of the pillars of democracy. He said it puzzled him to see some factions within the mass democratic movement (MDM) undermining the right to freedom of expression and free press.
lack of tolerance
The senior reporter mentioned that he worked for an independent media that covered the interests of both ‘left’ and ‘right’. He said it was wrong for the ‘left’ to feel marginalised when journalists reported on what the ‘right’ was doing and vice versa. Managing Editor (ME) at the Times of Eswatini Martin Dlamini, said lack of tolerance for opposing views was a major threat to any democracy. Dlamini said: “Shooting the messenger is akin to shooting oneself in the foot.” He said management was not aware of any clandestine motives among its staffers and if such existed, let it be brought forward so that they could address it. “Ours is to remain impartial and report fairly on both sides of the political divide. As we do so, however, some are displeased when they get to read what they need to hear and not what they want to hear,” the ME said.
He urged all emaSwati to engage in constructive dialogue so that best ideas, as opposed to weapons, could give them all a better country. “In this case, we trust the law will take its course in dealing with these threats,” he said. Chief Police Information and Communications Officer Superintendent Phindile Vilakati said the matter was reported to the police for investigation.
The attack on journalists covering conflicts is considered as a war crime in international law. It is mentioned in the Geneva Convention of 1949 and their Additional Protocols that journalists covering conflicts should be afforded protection under international humanitarian law. Article 79 of the 1977 Additional Protocol I provides the following:
1. Journalists engaged in dangerous professional missions in areas of armed conflict shall be considered as civilians within the meaning of Article 50, paragraph 1.
2. They shall be protected as such under the conventions and this protocol, provided they take no action adversely affecting their status as civilians, and without prejudice to the right of war correspondents accredited to the armed forces to the status provided for in 4 A 4) of the third convention.
3. They may obtain an identity card. This card, which shall be issued by the government of the State of which the journalist is a national or in whose territory he resides or in which the news medium employing him is located shall attest to his status as a journalist.
A new report from the committee to protect journalists (CPJ) has shown that the killings of journalists around the world has jumped by 50 per cent in 2022 compared to the previous year, driven largely by attacks in Ukraine, Mexico and Haiti.
watchdog
The New York-based media watchdog reported that 67 news media workers were killed worldwide in 2022, the highest number since 2018, with more than half (35) taking place in Ukraine, Mexico and Haiti. This was sourced from AlJazeera, which quoted the report. Journalists in the three countries said the increased danger forced them to work under extreme stress. It has been reported that the effect was particularly notable in Haiti, where seven journalists were killed in 2022, a huge number for a small island country of about 12 million people. Some were killed by violent street gangs that have basically taken over the capital, Port-au-Prince, but at least two were shot by police.