By Enyichukwu Enemanna
Human rights lawyers and activists have dragged the government of Eswatini before a High Court, accusing it of striking a secret third-country migrant transfer deal with the US President Donald Trump, stating that the deal is unconditional and must be scrapped.
The deal allows Washington to transfer migrants who have been rejected by both their countries of origin and the United States to a third-country.
Eswatini, Rwanda and Uganda top the list of African countries that have agreed to host such deportees from the United States.
The case was earlier scheduled for hearing at the High Court of Eswatini on Friday, but was adjourned till September 25 following the inability of government to file response papers, Reuters quoted the lead applicant as saying outside the court on Friday.
Eswatini’s Attorney General Sifiso Khumalo was reported as saying that the case had no legal basis. “It’s a frivolous legal application,” he said in a text.
Trump administration had in July deported five persons from Vietnam, Jamaica, Laos, Cuba and Yemen to the Southern African country.
They have all been tried and found guilty of felons, but Eswatini expressed no worries, saying it is holding the convicts in a solitary confinement until they can be repatriated.
The Eswatini Litigation Centre, which is championing the legal suit says the deal made with the U.S. was illegal because it did not pass through a parliamentary approval and that the terms were not disclosed.
They also say they do not know the condition of the deportees because no one has been allowed access to them.
“We want the executive to be held accountable, we want transparency dealing with matters of state importance, (and) respect for the rights of all individuals who are in Eswatini regardless of who they may be,” said lead applicant and lawyer Mzwandile Masuku.
Eswatini, an absolute monarchy ruled by King Mswati III, has previously said the deportees pose no threat and that the agreement was based purely on its good relations with Washington.
Trump has been soliciting for support from countries, seeking to deport millions of immigrants who entered the U.S. illegally as part of broader plan to curb illegal entry in line with his campaign.
