In Solidarity with the People of Mozambique and Swaziland
Last year on 26 November 2024, I moderated the 7th Southern Africa Human Rights Defenders Awards hosted by Southern Defenders in Johannesburg, South Africa. It was a special moment for many reasons. One of them is that the human rights community honoured the champions of the struggle for human rights. The annual ceremony, established in 2018, celebrates the courage, resilience, and dedication of human rights defenders (HRDs) in Southern Africa.
This annual event honours individuals and groups who would have made significant contributions to the promotion and protection of human rights, often at great personal risk. Since its establishment, I am glad that the organisors have consistently paid attention to the work of many grassroots movements who over the years have been marginalised.
It has to be made very clear that when we speak of human rights defenders, we do not only refer to celebrity lawyers, NGO leaders, or any such groups who headline our press. While these maybe human rights defenders in their right, there are many human rights defenders in the communities whose name do not turn heads, but are doing human rights work in many incredible ways.
They are many times in real danger of disappearing without triggering an outcry. These people, I believe, must be celebrated. It is the right thing to do to mention these champions before I proceed with my reflection because the night belonged to them.
So, on the night of 26 November 2024, we gave two awards.
One is a special award dedicated specially to women human rights defenders. This award went to the Swaziland Rural Women’s Assembly (SRWA). The SRWA unites rural women across Eswatini, empowering them to collectively address challenges and advocate for justice, equality, and sustainable development. The SRWA promotes feminist leadership, encouraging women to take leadership roles in their communities and governance. The assembly campaigns against gender-based violence, patriarchy, and social exclusion, striving to create a society where women’s rights and equality are upheld.
It also emphasises sustainable development, food sovereignty, and the protection of natural resources vital to rural livelihoods. Through its advocacy and community-building efforts, the SRWA amplifies the voices of rural women, fosters resilience and inspires future generations to advocate for equity and justice.
As soon as we announced the winners for this award, the room broke into song and dance, a community affirmation that the award was well deserved.
The overall Southern Africa Human Rights Defender of the Year Award went to a very special man, Gamito dos Santos Carlos. Gamito, a 32-year-old from Nampula, Mozambique, is a social activist, human rights defender, and the Executive Director of the Kóxukhuro Association. The association promotes human rights, environmental protection, democracy, and good governance. During the 2024 General Elections in Mozambique, he distinguished himself as an electoral observer and chaired the Electoral Conflict Response and Management Committee. He played a crucial role in ensuring legal adherence and democratic integrity throughout the election process.
Beyond election monitoring, dos Santos Carlos supported democracy defenders and vulnerable populations, offering protection to those injured or detained during protests. He aided approximately 69 democracy defenders who were detained, and assisted 22 individuals who were injured in protests. Additionally, dos Santos Carlos provided medical and legal assistance to HRDs at risk, facilitated the relocation of threatened individuals, and helped secure housing for 10 defenders in danger.
As we speak, Mozambique is a country under fire and human rights defenders like Gamito represent the resilience of ordinary people in times repression.
While we celebrate people like Gamito and the SRWA, we know there are thousands of activists around the world, many of them ordinary people with no name recognition who fight for human rights. Honouring the few does not delegitimise the invisible millions. It honours all of them. In this space, we see them. We honour their efforts because they are equally important.
It is an act of solidarity with all human rights defenders around the world who are fighting in very difficult circumstances.
In his keynote address at the ceremony, Alan Glasgow, the Executive Director for Frontline Defenders said a lot of resources are poured into attempts to silence human rights defenders around the world and it is important that we who believe in their work stand in solidarity with them.
He said the human rights defenders we work with are an inspiration and we must show our commitment to their safety and security.
As I listened to Alan speak, and watched the swazi women dance, I was reminded of my experience responding to attacks on human rights defenders who were attending the SADC Peoples’ Summit in Harare last year.
At that time, the HRDs Namatai Kwekweza, Samuel Gwenzi, Robson Chere and Vusumuzi Moyo had been abducted and tortured. While on the surface, it all seemed like a few cases of human rights violations but we had the information that these cases were widespread. Many who received death threats asked us not to report their cases and simply went underground.
As we opened the People Summit at Moto Republik and later at Sherwood Golf Club, the fear was palpable. Many young people who are simply members of ZimRights slept in fear of that knock on the door.
This is the reality if not worse in many African countries that claim to be independent. The work of defending human rights feels lonely and forbidden. When a community of defenders comes together to say, ‘No matter where you are, we see you and we honour the work you do.’ It is special. Solidarity, since time immemorial has always shaped the human struggle. Without it, all freedom will vanish.
Speaking at the ceremony, I encouraged the defenders in the house not to tire in giving solidarity in a struggle.
“The temptation to give up is strong when we are attacked, persecuted and tortured.” I said, “It is okay to be afraid. But when there is solidarity around us, we build courage to fight it through, even though we are afraid.”
I recall the words of Alice Mogwe, President of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), speaking at the Zimbabwe Solidarity Dinner held in 2023 in Banjul, when she said, “If my neighbour’s house is on fire, my house is on fire.” This wisdom of solidarity cuts across cultures.
The enemies of freedom want us to believe we are alone. That our cause is not legitimate. But when we stand with each other, we write a new narrative, that fighting for human rights is not only legitimate, it is an obligation.
What kind of a person snores loudly when a neighbour’s house is burning? Only a heartless kind.
That is why Desmond Tutu castigated such people. He said, “If an elephant has its foot on the tail of a mouse and you say that you are neutral, the mouse will not appreciate your neutrality.”
As I reflect on the awards night, on that act of solidarity, the situation in Mozambique comes into mind. Mozambique occupies a special place in the story of Zimbabwe, and in the story of Africa. It was its founding President Samora Machel who said, “The independence of Mozambique would ever be meaningless as long as other African states remained under colonial domination.”
As we honour my brother Gamito dos Santos Carlos and the Swaziland Rural Women’s Assembly (SRWA), I stand with the people of Mozambique who are going through a horrible and avoidable situation. I also stand with the people of Swaziland who everyday face a brutal and arrogant monarchy. I remember brother Thulani Maseko who paid the ultimate price. There is no way for us to find peace when our neighbours house is burning.
This is why I am inviting civil society in Southern Africa to rise in solidarity with the people of Mozambique and Swaziland. We have spoken in hushed tones, issued press statements. Maybe we must do more before it is too late.
As I said before, those who violate human rights have the power of money, the police, and the armies. We the people have nothing but each other. Together, we defend. Together we shift power to the people.
