Oilwatch Africa, Other 52 CSOs condemn Assassination of Thulani Maseko
Oilwatch Africa and other 52 civil society organisations in Africa and beyond coupled with six renowned individuals have condemned the gruesome assassination of Thulani Maseko, a highly decorated human rights lawyer in Swaziland.
Thulani Maseko was murdered on Saturday 21 January 2023.
In a statement signed by Oilwatch Africa and 52 Civil Society Organisations among individuals, they described the murder as an act that has marked a dastardly low in the attacks meted to human and democracy rights in Swaziland.
The statement noted that the organisations condemn the murder of this renowned activist in his own home and demand that the state assumes its responsibility of arresting the perpetrators and protecting citizens.
The statement described Thulani Maseko as a well-known campaigner committed to the respect of human rights and the use of dialogue as the key tool for the resolution of political disputes and conflicts.
The statement noted that the brutal murder of Maseko raises serious concerns about the heightened threat to human and environmental rights defenders and the overall rule of law in Swaziland.
The statement added ” The assassination of Maseko marks an ugly turn in the attempts to cripple dissent and eliminate the defenders of the masses on our continent. Human right defenders have been the target of executions, torture, beatings, arbitrary arrest and detention, death threats, and harassment as well as restrictions on their freedom of movement in Swaziland and elsewhere in Africa.
“During one of Maseko’s life challenges, he was arrested allegedly for contempt of court charges for having questioned the way the then Chief Justice was conducting the affairs of the Judiciary. He was sentenced to two years without an option of a fine. Sadly, he had to endure that imprisonment and completed the sentence before the Supreme Court accepted that his arrest and sentence were unlawful in the first place and an infringement on his right to freedom of expression.
The statement pointed out that as a family, African human and environmental rights campaigners share in the grief of Maseko’s murder calling on the international community, including the United Nations, African Union, Southern African Development Community, and individual governments, to demand that the government of Swaziland respect human rights.
“African governments must ensure they create an environment where human rights of all citizens are respected, and activists are not targeted for standing up to injustice. No more bloodshed!” the statement added.
Some of the organisations that endorsed the statement include; Friends of the Earth Africa, South Durban Community Environmental Alliance (SDCEA), South Africa, Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), Nigeria,
Connected Advocacy, Nigeria, Friends of Lake Turkana, Kenya, We the People, Nigeria, Bio Vision Africa (BiVA), Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ), New Apostolic Centre for Development (NCD),
OilWatch Ghana, Centre de Recherche et d’Actions sur les Droits Économiques, Sociaux et Culturels (CRADESC), Sénégal, Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), Policy Alert, Nigeria, Justiça Ambiental, Mozambique
Environmental Rights Action/ Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN)
Community Development Advocacy Foundation (CODAF),
African Center for Environment and Rural Development (ACERD),
Host Community Network, Nigeria (HoCoN),
Zero Waste Ambassadors (ZeWA)
Earthlife Africa JHB
Right to Know Campaign
Oil Change International
World March of Women -Kenya
Centre pour la Justice Environnementale – Togo
Les Amis de la Terre – Togo
Africa Institute for Energy Governance, Uganda
Action 54, South Sudan
Leadership Initiative for Transformation & Empowerment (LITE-Africa), Nigeria
Kebetkache Women Development & Resource Centre – Nigeria
Women Initiative on Climate Change – Nigeria
Annie Rural Health and Women Foundation – Nigeria
League of Queens International Empowerment, Nigeria,
LVC Southern and Eastern Africa, Kalkal Human Rights Development Organization (KAHRDO) ,Somalia , Abahlali baseMjondolo Movement SA.
Uplift (UK), War on Want (UK/Global), Sanlakas – Philippines, AbibiNsroma Foundation Ghana, Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (US/Global), Hawai’i Institute for Human Rights (Hawai’i), Oceania Human Rights (Hawai’i), Aotearoa New Zealand Human Rights Foundation (New Zealand), South African Faith Communities Environmental Institute (SAFCEI), Urgewald (Germany), Friends of the Earth International, Center for International Environmental Law, Transport&Environment , Global Justice Now (UK), Africa Climate Movement Building Space, Appui aux Initiatives Communautaire de conservation de l’environnement et de Développement Durable.
52. Raise Your Voice Saint Lucia Inc.
53. Women for Green Economy Movement Uganda