LOBAMBA:Marwick Khumalo,the Lobamba Lomdzala Member of Parliament(MP) has warned Government against playing double standards when addressing the issue of the United States(US) looming sanctions.
This comes after Government Spokesperson Alpheous Nxumalo made a reckless statement, telling the United States(US)to back-off as the King and Government was not afraid of sanctions adding that, those who dream about the possibility of sanctions being instruments of forcing States around the globe to dance to a certain political rhythm must continue to do so.
Speaking in Parliament on Thursday, the Lobamba Lomdzala MP, applauded efforts to diplomatically engage the U.S. but warned that,the subsequent statements made by the same Government thereafter undermined the efforts to reverse the looming U.S. sanctions.
“We were happy to see a team of Government officials traveling to the USA to explain the position of the country on many other issues on diplomatic relations, this is what a country does.But what disturbed me and some of us, the same Government told the US to back-off. Kusuka the same Government atsi asinendzaba nalabo bantfu labo tsine, noma bangasenta ema-sanctions asknamsenenti nema-Merikha,you can’t blow hot and cold air as a Government”, said the Lobamba Lomdzala MP.
On another note, the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee passed Resolution 174 that seeks to among others, impose targeted sanctions on human rights violators in eSwatini.
The Resolution is now highly expected to be debated and passed by the U.S. Senate Congress and it comes after the killing of civilians and human rights defenders in eSwatini for demanding democracy, this include human rights lawyer Thulani Maseko who was assassinated at his home.
MP Marwick Khumalo.