Catholic Bishop in Eswatini Cautions against Revenge, Calls for Calm amid Protests

On June 28, the protests turned violent after security officers used force to stop the peaceful demonstrators. 

The following day, the government imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew. Internet access has also been limited in the country.

In his July 2 statement, Bishop Ponce de León underscores the need to restore “calm” in the country even as strategies of addressing the reasons behind the protests are being formulated.

“The restoration of calm should not make us think that the reasons behind the unrest have been addressed,” he says.

As a way forward, the Bishop advocates for dialogue that seeks to accommodates a variety of views and viewpoints in line with what Pope Francis recommends in his October 2020 Encyclical Letter, Fratelli Tutti.

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“As Pope Francis wrote in ‘Fratelli Tutti’ (All brothers and sisters): ‘Authentic social dialogue involves the ability to respect the other’s point of view and to admit that it may include legitimate convictions and concerns,’” the Local Ordinary of Manzini says.

The Bishop goes on to appeal for the restoration of Internet services in the country saying with Internet shutdown, inhabitants of the landlocked the nation “depend on the information being offered by foreign media and not by our own people.”

The Internet, the member of the Consolata Missionaries says, “will also allow Churches, NGO’s, political organisations and other bodies to share their own calls for calm and dialogue. The Churches will also be able to provide essential spiritual support in this time of crisis.”

In a Thursday, July 1 interview with ACI Africa, the Director of the Denis Hurley Peace Institute (DHPI), Johan Viljoen, expressed fear that lives will continue to be lost in the ongoing violence.

While the government has denied allegations that people have been killed in the ongoing protests in Eswatini, Mr. Viljoen told ACI Africa that scores of protesters have already been killed.

“There is fear that if this conflict is not resolved urgently, the violence will escalate to an uncontrollable situation and many people will be killed,” the Director of DHPI, the peace entity of the Southern African Catholic Bishops Conference (SACBC), said.

He added, “There is fear that if this conflict is not resolved urgently, the violence will escalate to an uncontrollable situation and many people will be killed.”

In his July 1 statement, Bishop Ponce de León implores, “We continue to pray to the Father in Jesus’ name that the Holy Spirit pour on all of us the gift of wisdom to know God’s will and the gift of courage to take the necessary steps to achieve it.”

Magdalene Kahiu is a Kenyan journalist with passion in Church communication. She holds a Degree in Social Communications from the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA). Currently, she works as a journalist for ACI Africa.