Swaziland King Renames The Country 'The Kingdom Of eSwatini'

The Guardian: Swaziland king renames country Kingdom of eSwatini

King Mswati III declares name change 50 years after independence from British rule.

The king of Swaziland, Africa’s last absolute monarchy, has announced that his country has changed its name to the Kingdom of eSwatini to mark 50 years since independence from British rule.

Meaning “place of the Swazi”, eSwatini is the Swazi language name for the tiny state landlocked between South Africa and Mozambique. Unlike some countries, Swaziland did not change its name when it gained independence in 1968 after being a British protectorate for more than 60 years.

King Mswati III declared the name change during independence day celebrations at a packed sports stadium in the second city of Manzini. “I would like to announce that Swaziland will now revert to its original name,” he said, wearing red military uniform.

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Update #1: Swaziland king renames country 'the Kingdom of eSwatini' -- BBC
Update #2: King renames Swaziland as 'eSwatini' -- AFP

WNU Editor: eSwatinin?!?!?

Is Coca-Cola Supporting A Dictator?

Coca-Cola Accused Of Propping Up Notorious Swaziland Dictator -- The Guardian

Swaziland's King Mswati III accused by activists of human rights abuses and of looting national wealth.

Coca-Cola has been accused of propping up one of Africa's most notorious dictators.

The multibillion dollar beverage company owns a concentrate-manufacturing plant in Swaziland, an impoverished kingdom ruled by Africa's last absolute monarch, Mswati III.

The king has travelled to Coca-Cola's headquarters in Atlanta in the US, much to the disgust of Swazi political activists who blame him for human rights abuses and looting the nation's wealth.

Mary Pais Da Silva, co-ordinator of the Swaziland Democracy Campaign, called for Coca-Cola to pull out of the country immediately.

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My Comment: When 40% of your GDP is dependent on Coca-Cola .... you know your economy has a problem. But to ban Coca-Cola will probably bring about more hardship and suffering to the people of Swaziland .... including the loss of jobs and incomes to many who are dependent on it. My prediction .... in the end it will be the people of Swaziland .... with help from South Africa that borders it .... and sanctions .... that will eventually get rid of this pathetic dictator.

Swaziland Hit By Unrest And Protests

In Swaziland, Heavy Crackdown Beats Back Egypt-Inspired Protests -- Christian Science Monitor

Three days of protests took Swaziland – Africa's last absolute monarch – by surprise. Police and the Army fired tear gas and water cannons to control 1,000 protesting teachers and students.

Protests in the tiny mountain kingdom of Swaziland have taken a brief pause, but not before sending a warning sign to the country’s monarch, King Mswati III, that sustained civilian protests are not just a North African affair.

Protesters in the southern African nation are calling for the king – Africa’s last absolute monarch – to allow multiparty democracy and to reconsider salary cuts to civil servants. The king himself has not responded publicly, but a heavy crackdown by his Army and police – including preemptive arrests of labor leaders, journalists, and student activists, as well as the use of tear gas and water cannons on the streets – is a clear signal that the Swazi royal family is not ready to cede power yet.

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More News On The Unrest In Swaziland

Swaziland Labor Unions Call Off Protests for Fear of Demonstrators' Lives -- Bloomberg
Swaziland: Govt Cracks Down on Pro-Democracy Demonstrations -- allAfrica.com
Swaziland minister plays down uprising -- Times Live
Army cracks down on Swazi activists’ -- The Zimbabwean
Tunisia. Egypt. Yemen. Swaziland? -- William J. Dobson, Washington Post