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afrol News, 30 October - The reported abductions of young Swazi girls to become wives of autocratic King Mswati III is now generating protest even within Swaziland, where the King's word is law. Nine Swazi civil rights groups today dared to speak their mind plainly. - In order to enforce the culture of responsibility we would like to declare our utmost condemnation of the recent abduction of three girls by messengers of His Majesty King Mswati III, the nine groups declared today, in a language that only seems modest outside Swaziland. They include three organisations promoting women's rights and groups dedicated to children's rights, press freedom and human rights at large. Widow and single mother Lindiwe Dlamini, 39, provoked the challenge to the King by not accepting the kidnapping of her 18-year-old daughter, Zena Mahlangu. Ms Dlamini went to an Mbabane court to demand that King Mswati return Zena to her. Such a case is unheard of in Swaziland, where the playboy King merely follows tradition when abducting virgins to see whether they please him and eventually may marry them. Mswati has already married nine Swazi girls in this way. Nevertheless, there is no legal basis for these abductions, not even in Swaziland. The surprising law suite from a woman that is expected to be proud to have the opportunity of becoming the King's mother-in-law has sparked a massive debate in Swaziland. Prince Masitsela fuelled the debate by asking Ms Dlamini as to who she is to challenge the King in an interview with the 'Times of Swaziland' on 21 October. - We feel this question was not directed to Lindiwe [Dlamini] alone but to all citizens of this country, the nine Swazi rights groups today answer Prince Masitsela. "We therefore ask ourselves who are we in this country. Can we as individuals claim to be Swazi citizens? Can we claim to have basic Human Rights?" they continue. The seldom statement further says the groups were "greatly disturbed that this comes at a time when the youth of Swaziland is supposed to be on a 5-year period of chastity in respect of Umcwasho." The Swazi King last year had turned to the ancient 'Umcwasho' tradition in his alleged fight against the HIV/AIDS pandemic, already affecting on third of the country's population. Virgins were ordered to avoid sex during the next five years - female virgins, that is. The groups ironically note that "the example set by His Majesty King Mswati III serves to water down our efforts aimed at curbing HIV-AIDS in Swaziland." A wide-spread critique against the King's 'Umcwasho' "action plan" is that it had come instead of public spending to curb the pandemic and to strengthen run-down health services. It was also "worrying" that the King may not necessarily marry all three of these girls he had kidnapped, the groups say. Those he chooses not to marry would be "stigmatised for the rest of their lives - thus denying them their right to respect and dignity." It is common knowledge that a girl's virginity has short life expectancy within the royal premises. But this virginity - or claim of it - traditionally is vital to find a respectable husband. It was therefore "undisputable" that the family, privacy, honour and reputation of Ms Dlamini and her daughter "were interfered with" in violence of their human rights, the groups say. "Her family will never be the same again, her children's school performance have been greatly affected and that will have a negative impact on their future economic empowerment." - In conclusion, we would like to emphasise that it is time culture is practiced in accordance with the fundamental Human Rights, the statement ends. "As responsible citizens we feel we cannot sit and wait for more girls to become victims of an outdated cultural practice. We therefore appeal to the courts to also act responsibly by allowing the mother to continue to raise and guide the child until she is 21 years and ready to engage independently in a Lawful Consenting Relationship." But not all Swazis agree to the human rights groups and to the "modern" mother of Zena Mahlangu. To many, the rich traditions of the Kingdom spare them from the corruption and decay they observe behind the mountains and over the sea. All political parties have been banned in Swaziland since the King suspended the constitution in 1973. Human rights and democracy, that's not necessarily a majority choice in the small kingdom.
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