The "Matsafa" prison on the outskirts of the Eswatini capital of Mbabane is notorious for its miserable conditions. It has imprisoned scores of government opponents, but recently the cells have also housed at least 15 convicted criminals deported from the US to the small kingdom in Southeast Africa, ARD reports.
Eswatini, which was formerly called Swaziland, first accepted five criminals born in Vietnam, Jamaica, Cuba, Laos and Yemen in July. Ten more were deported in October. As Washington claims, the men were "so barbaric" that their home countries did not want to accept them.
"A dumping ground for people"
According to the Eswatini government, the prisoners pose no danger as they are in secure, isolated sectors. However, residents living nearby are worried, ARD notes.
Human rights activists in Eswatini also worry that their country is not sufficiently prepared to safely house these criminals. Prince Bailey of the opposition movement "United Democratic Front" asks why his country has allowed itself to be "used as a dumping ground for people who the American leadership does not consider worthy of living in the United States".
The United States has paid millions
The Eswatini government has ignored the criticism. Instead, it says it is working with the International Organization for Migration to arrange for the men to travel to their home countries. One Jamaican criminal has already been sent back to his homeland, authorities in Mbabane say.
Meanwhile, it has emerged that Eswatini and the US have struck a secret deal. The country has received over $5 million in compensation for hosting the foreign criminals, the finance minister confirmed. This is a significant sum for a poor country like Eswatini.
Directly into the king's pocket?
According to the human rights organization "Human Rights Watch", which has reviewed the document, Eswatini has committed to accepting up to 160 prisoners. The public has not been informed of how the agreement was reached.
Zakiti Sibandze, chairwoman of the local Women's Union, is calling for more transparency from the government. She points out that according to the Constitution, parliament should have considered the issue and given its approval - only then could such agreements be signed. However, this is exactly what did not happen, the ARD points out. The secret agreement was concluded behind the backs of parliament and the prosecutor's office - and personally by King Mswati III. Investigative journalist Zweli Martin Dlamini is convinced of this.
He fears that the millions from Washington are going straight into the king's pocket. Mswati III, who is the last absolute monarch in the world, is known for his luxurious lifestyle. He owns numerous palaces, two private jets and a fleet of expensive limousines.
Complaints and criticisms
Eswatini is among the least developed countries in the world, notes Stefan Ueberbach of the ARD. Unemployment is high, 70 percent of the people live below the poverty line. There are no parties, and candidates stand alone in the elections. Even if elected, their political influence is rather modest - the last word always belongs to the king, and protests against the government are suppressed.
Human rights activists like Mpandlana Shongwe are seen as an extra-parliamentary opposition. Shongwe does not spare criticism of the disputed agreement to accept criminals: "We strongly condemn this action by the United States, this show of force. And if money was given for this purpose, we strongly reject that too."
In the meantime, many human rights organizations have filed complaints with the country's Supreme Court to prevent further deportations. A decision is expected in a few months, but the public's anger over the secret deal is unlikely to evaporate.
Author: Stefan Ueberbach ARD