The now, feared and loathed

“

I warn you against shedding blood, indulging in it, and making a habit of it, for blood never sleeps” - Saladin

News of their alleged brutality, and killings is frightening...

Coupled with their frenetically deteriorating policing methods which they seem to bask in employing, lately, this has caused citizens of the country to be increasingly scared out of their wits by the actions in the line of duty of members of this formerly noble profession.

Dare fear them not -do so at your own peril...

Many of us grew up regarding, venerating, and treating them as paragons, heroes - worthy of being trusted, and emulated.

In fact, some of us during our childhood days, had high hopes of one day being part of their profession. Their smart uniforms, clad in shorts, coupled with their calm, and reassuring demeanor was alluring. One felt safe around them.

But, now? Your guess is as good as mine..

These are our men in blue - the now, feared, loathed, and detested members of the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS)!

What, for Pete’s! sake, has gradually turned members of this formerly loved, respected and admired, profession from being viewed as protecters, and icons of the nation; to being regarded in fear, abhorred and treated as a pariah; not even worthy of being touched even with the longest barge pole by the citizens of the country?

Why have they turned against the people they swore on oath to protect and defend to the death?

Why are they allegedly and incessantly being accused of brutalising citizens of the country to such an extent that they are lately being regarded as ‘predators’ who act on brutal impulse; accused of being trigger-happy, desultory and capriciously harassing, intimidating to those they view as anti-authourity, are allegedly implicated and/or, accused of being responsible for horrendous killing of even innocent citizens of the country?

Sakhala kangaka ngani bo-sir, sive se Maswati maphoyisa etfu, kungeneni kantsi yenabakitsi, bo? Ifa kuphi? Maye, besinitsandza, nkosiyami!

But now? Sesiyanesaba. We are scared of you and sadly, the numbers of those who fear and abhor you, are now frighteningly escalating by the day.

The latest incident - the Mpaka shooting incident is scary and has deeply shocked and rattled many in the whole country...

I do not want to delve too much, for now, into the incident because I believe (hopefully) that it is, or will be under intense investigation by the relevant, police structure - if ever, that is. Hopefully, the truth, as it always does have the knack of revealing itself in the long run, will eventually unravel itself.

I cannot help, but be nightmarishly haunted by the heart-rending, paternal wailings, heard in a video uploaded on social media platforms early last week of the mother of the young, female victim of the controversial, Mpaka shooting incident.

Oh! My God!, but, why?

It is very painful as a parent to lose one of your offsprings - a budding, young life, irrespective of whatever circumstances it took place under. Condolences to members of the victims families. May the Living and avenging God console all of them.

Before I tackle today’s theme of this article, please kindly allow me to share with the reader the following, important content sourced from the ‘United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Vienna’.

It is titled, ‘Handbook on police accountability, oversight and integrity’. Kindly read it to the end.

It contains a wealth of information. I sincerely hope the police hierarchy reads this, too:

Quote - Summary:

“For the purposes of the present Handbook, accountability is defined as a system of internal and external checks and balances aimed at ensuring that police carry out their duties properly and are held responsible if they fail to do so.

“Such a system is meant to uphold police integrity and deter misconduct and to restore or enhance public confidence in policing.

“Police integrity refers to normative and other safeguards that keep police from misusing their powers and abusing their rights and privileges.

“For the police to be able to take responsibility for actions and wrongdoings, they need to receive proper direction.

“They also need to be well-prepared and equipped to carry out their functions in a professional way, and need to be assured of proper working conditions.

“Line managers must supervise their staff, and police actions and operations need to be reviewed and evaluated.

“Moreover, effective accountability requires a proper complaints system that is easily accessible to the public and that can effectively investigate allegations and recommend disciplinary sanctions or refer cases for criminal prosecution.

“It should also be able to make recommendations that target the underlying causes of misconduct.

“Effective police accountability involves many different actors representing the different layers of modern-day democracies, including government representatives, the parliament, the judiciary, civil society actors and independent oversight bodies such as national human rights institutions.

“Primarily, it involves the police themselves.

“Key elements of an effective police accountability system include: Legislation (in line with international human rights law) specifying the functions and powers of the police.

Practical instructions based on the legislation that reflect both the spirit and the letter of the law Opportunities for the public to voice their concerns.

Policies that set priorities on how to deploy police capacity Adequate police training, both basic and ongoing.

Equipment that is adequate for prescribed police functions

Proper reporting procedures and facilities.

Adequate supervision that supports officers in carrying out their duties professionally and reporting these correctly.

A working culture that promotes transparency and evaluation. Monitoring of police actions and operations by both police leadership and external organs. Complaints procedures, both for making complaints to the police directly and to independent bodies. Fair and effective procedures and policies on how to deal with misconduct, including both disciplinary and criminal codes, adequate investigative capacity, procedures for punishment and appeal procedures.

An independent body to oversee such procedures.

Scrutiny and oversight involving feedback to the police in order to improve future activities and prevent future wrongdoings. Evaluation and complaints procedures that contribute to the development of new policies, procedures and instructions.

Reliable statistics on police performance, related both to effectiveness in dealing with crime and public order, as well as to their integrity and public confidence. Procedures for overseeing the feedback, evaluation and complaints procedures and statistics..” - Unquote.

It is of vital importance that effective strategies are employed, and most importantly, the political will, is there to address, and curb incidences of police misconduct. The relationship between the police, and the public needs to be maintained, and kept healthy at all costs and times. The police in this country cannot solve crime on their own. They need the public’s help.

What we are currently witnessing in the country, lately - the unprecedented brutality perpetrated on the public allegedly by some members of the country’s police, and army personnel, as well as the alleged, retaliatory attacks on the police by unknown people, is suspiciously a classic case of ‘cause and effect’

We cannot afford to be sworn enemies with the police.

No! Their job is crucial. Better an enemy without than an enemy within. Let us get to the root causes of the problem before we throttle each other to the death.

We cannot allow a situation where we will be gradually, and systematically eliminated by the police.

On the other hand, we also cannot allow members of the police force to be brutally mowed down by faceless, and unknown people. It is crucial that we dialogue.

A lot of people have died brutally on either side of the political divide. It about time a truce is called. We can do it!

Why the deafening silence from leaders of the country? Come on, guys, we can salvage the situation, bafowethu!

Finally, I will be touch briefly on the theme of the article.

It is important that we involve the Living God in whatever that we do, individually, as well as collectively as a nation. Peace, and harmony will not only be difficult, but, impossible to achieve if we push God out of our lives, and plans.

We need to be vigilant of what the Bible says about the last days, especially about the increase in lawlessness.

God warned us about how events will unfold in the days leading to His Son Jesus Christ’s Second Coming. Christ foretold many crucial signs that would herald His Second Coming on this earth.

Watching how frenetic world events are unfolding will put us in the picture about where we are concerning earth’s final timeline, and calender.

Read, for instance, what the book of Timothy says about people’s behaviours in the last days:

“But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.” - 2 Timothy 3:1-5.

No one needs to be a rocket scientist to discern that all the above, and more, are increasingly becoming a prevailing, individual, as well national conditions in the country, and globally.

People are ‘chasing’ after money; they cheat for money, and kill in their quest to gain money.

Unscrupulous robbers boldly bomb automated teller machines (ATMs) in search of money.

This was unheard of twenty or more years, ago. Moral standards have degenerated to alarming levels.

Adultery, drunkenness, children being disobedient to parents has become a national scourge. Brutality is rampant. Mob justice has reared its ugly head again, and is getting worse. Police brutality, revenge attacks are on the rise. Pursuing pleasure rather than spiritual matters is paramount in the minds, and hearts of many. Political leaders are incessantly brutal on the people they lead. It is a case of an eye for an eye over those seeking political changes. Religious leaders are more into obsessive collection of tithes than preaching salvation, and warning the lost about God’s impending judgement on the inhabitants of the country, and the world. They claim godliness, but in reality are denying its power.

Let us pray for peace and harmony in this country before it is too late...

To our leaders, I plead with them: Give the people what they want, before it is too late, lest we are ushered into civil war.

Wishing everyone a blessed Sunday, and fruitful week ahead. Peace! Shalom!