Outrage in Eswatini as US sends foreign convicts after secret deportation deal

Times of Oman

2 days ago

Mbabane [Eswatini]: The arrival of five deportees from the United States to Eswatini has sparked public outrage and concern across Africa, with critics accusing the US of using the small southern African nation as a "dumping ground," CNN reported.
According to CNN, the Eswatini government confirmed that five foreign nationals deported from the US are being held in solitary confinement in undisclosed prisons. Acting government spokesperson Thabile Mdluli stated on Friday that the men pose "no threat to the country or its citizens" and that "critical engagements between stakeholders are still ongoing."
The deportation is the result of "months of robust high-level engagements" between Eswatini and the US, Mdluli said. However, she did not specify how long the individuals would remain in the country or when they would be repatriated, noting that "there are no timelines at present."
CNN reported that the five men are nationals of Jamaica, Laos, Cuba, Yemen, and Vietnam, and were convicted of serious crimes including child rape, murder, and robbery. Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin described them as "depraved monsters" whose home countries refused to take them back.
Human rights groups and opposition leaders in Eswatini, formerly known as Swaziland, have expressed alarm. PUDEMO, an opposition party, warned that accepting foreign deportees "poses a serious risk to our already vulnerable communities" that are battling high crime rates. The Swaziland Solidarity Network also criticised the move as an example of "clear racism" and said Swazi prisons are already overcrowded.
CNN noted that Eswatini, a landlocked monarchy with a population of just over one million, is already struggling with poverty, unemployment, and deteriorating human rights. More than half its population lives on less than $4 a day, according to the World Bank.
Eswatini's trade relations with the US have also been strained. In April, the country was included in a list of US tariffs announced by President Donald Trump, with Eswatini exports facing a 10% rate starting August 1. CNN cited sources who believe the deportation deal could be politically motivated.
Government spokesperson Mdluli told CNN that Eswatini is working with the US and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) to facilitate the eventual transit of the deportees to their countries of origin, though the terms of the agreement remain classified.
According to CNN, neighbouring South Africa, which refused a US request to accept third-country deportees, fears the convicts may attempt to cross porous borders into its territory. Another South African government source told CNN that this seems to be an attempt "to destabilise South Africa," given its porous borders and Eswatini's struggling economy. One diplomatic source said the move by Washington "was a provocation" and a direct security threat to the region.
Ken Opalo, a professor at Georgetown University, told CNN that African nations are under pressure from Washington to accept ambiguous deals, warning it is "foolhardy" to expect credible commitments from the Trump administration.
The uproar over the deportations reflects broader concerns about sovereignty, security, and transparency in US-Africa relations, especially in smaller nations like Eswatini, already grappling with internal challenges.