Bloomberg: “Eswatini, Africa’s last absolute monarchy, shut schools indefinitely as pro-democracy protests intensified. Lessons are suspended with immediate effect, Prime Minister Cleopas Dlamini said in a statement. The unrest comes four months after police and the army acted to crush similar widespread demonstrations in the kingdom. The pro-democracy protests have escalated recently with pupils and public-transport workers joining the calls for change. King Mswati, 53, who’s ruled the South African neighbor for more than 35 years, has dismissed the demands and rights groups have accused his security forces of abuses, including killings and beatings.”
“‘Despite the violent crackdown that we saw in June-July, the young people of Eswatini have come back and are persistent about their demands,’ Dewa Mavhinga, southern Africa director for Human Rights Watch, said by phone from London. ‘This is an indicator that the king is in an increasingly weaker position because he has not been able to make the protests go away.’ Two members of parliament on the forefront of calls for democracy and who were arrested in July on terrorism charges are due to appear in court for a bail hearing on Tuesday, the Eswatini Observer reported.”