Fourth of July

FRIDAY, JULY 1, 2005
MOUNTAIN INN
MBABANE, SWAZILAND

       YOUR ROYAL HIGHNESS, PRINCE SIHLANGUSEMPHI, REPRESENTATIVE OF HIS MAJESTY, EMAKOSIKATI, YOUR ROYAL HIGHNESSES, HONORABLE CHIEFS, ROYAL COUNCILORS, HONORABLE MINISTERS, EXCELLENCIES, MEMBERS OF THE DIPLOMATIC CORPS, HONORABLE MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT, HONORABLE MEMBERS OF THE HIGH COURT, DISTINGUISHED GUESTS, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,

       LET ME EXPRESS A WARM WELCOME TO ALL OF YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY AS WE CELEBRATE THE SIGNING OF THE AMERICAN DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE 229 YEARS AGO.

       THIS DAY IS SPECIAL FOR AMERICANS WHEREVER WE ARE ON THE FACE OF THE GLOBE.    THOUGH WE COME FROM MANY CULTURES, RELIGIONS AND ETHNIC GROUPS, ON THE 4TH OF JULY WE EXPRESS OUR UNITY IN THAT DIVERSITY.

       229 YEARS AGO, OUR FOUNDING FATHERS SHOWED EXTRAORDINARY WISDOM IN CHOOSING THE DEMOCRATIC PRINCIPLES UPON WHICH OUR GOVERNMENT AND SOCIETY ARE BASED AND BY WHICH THEY SURVIVE AND PROSPER TODAY. OUR FOUNDING FATHERS CREATED A SYSTEM THAT BALANCES LIBERTY AND ORDER, AND THAT PROTECTS THE RIGHTS OF ALL.

       THOUGH IT TOOK A WHILE AFTER OUR OWN INDEPENDENCE UNTIL WE TRULY RESPECTED THE EQUAL RIGHTS OF ALL OUR CITIZENS, THESE DEMOCRATIC PRINCIPLES HOLD US TOGETHER, BESTOWED ON US FIRST BY THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE AND THEN LATER BY OUR CONSTITUTION.

      AMERICANS ARE UNITED BY A SYSTEM THAT HAS WITHSTOOD THE TEST OF TIME AND ONE THAT WE ARE DETERMINED TO PROTECT AND SUSTAIN.

      ONE OF OUR MOST FAMOUS PRESIDENTS WAS THOMAS JEFFERSON, OUR THIRD PRESIDENT AND A MAN OF ENORMOUS INTELLECT AND LEARNING.  JEFFERSON DID MANY GREAT THINGS IN HIS LIFE BUT PERHAPS MOST SIGNIFICANT AMONG THEM WAS TO AUTHOR THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE WHERE HE EXPRESSED MOST ELOQUENTLY THE ESSENTIAL CONCEPT OF HUMAN RIGHTS: IN JEFFERSON’S WORDS “TO LIFE, LIBERTY AND THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS.”

      THE PHRASE “THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS” IS VERY CONCISE AND MAY NOT FULLY TRANSLATE INTO SOME LANGUAGES AND CULTURES.

      BUT IT IS A CONCEPT THAT SUMS UP WHAT IT SHOULD MEAN FOR EVERY CITIZEN TO LIVE IN A FREE AND DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY, HERE IN SWAZILAND AS MUCH AS IN ANY COUNTRY OF THE WORLD, INCLUDING MY OWN.

     IN THE CONTEXT OF SWAZILAND, JEFFERSON’S PHRASE COULD ENCOMPASS THE RIGHT TO A SAFE AND SECURE HOME, TO A GOOD EDUCATION, TO THE CHANCE TO HAVE A CAREER OR PROFESSION, TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE A DECENT LIVING FOR ONE’S FAMILY, AND TO LIVE A HEALTHY LIFE FREE OF HIV AND AIDS.

     JEFFERSON ALSO UNDERSTOOD THAT RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS MUST BE BALANCED BY CIVIC RESPONSIBILITIES—TO UPHOLD THE RULE OF LAW, TO PAY TAXES, TO LIVE FREE FROM THE INFLUENCE OF CORRUPTION, TO RESPECT THE RIGHTS OF FELLOW CITIZENS, AND TO NOT PURSUE YOUR OWN HAPPINESS AT THE EXPENSE OF OTHER’S RIGHTS.

     SWAZILAND IS A BEAUTIFUL AND POTENTIALLY PROSPEROUS NATION THAT IS ATTEMPTING TO FIND ITS OWN WAY TOWARD OPPORTUNITY, SELF EXPRESSION AND HAPPINESS.

     THERE ARE MANY ROADBLOCKS IN THE WAY, NOT THE LEAST OF WHICH IS THE IMMENSE CHALLENGE OF DEALING WITH THE HIV AND AIDS PANDEMIC, AND WITH THE LEGIONS OF SICK AND ORPHANED YOU HAVE TO TRY TO CARE FOR.

     FIGHTING CORRUPTION AND CREATING ENOUGH JOBS AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY FOR YOUR PEOPLE THROUGH PRIVATE AND PUBLIC ENTERPRISE IN THE MIDST OF TREMENDOUS UNEMPLOYMENT, MALNURISHMENT AND OTHER CHALLENGES ARE OTHER ENORMOUS BURDENS.

     WITH WELL OVER $50 MILLION PROVIDED TO SWAZILAND IN PROGRAMS DEDICATED TO THE FIGHT AGAINST HIV/AIDS, TO THE CREATION AND PROTECTION OF JOBS THROUGH AGOA, TO FOOD AID, TO PROGRAMS SUPPORTING THE RULE OF LAW AND INCREASED INVESTMENT AND EMPLOYMENT, TO NAME JUST A FEW, I SUBMIT THAT IF THE UNITED STATES IS NOT SEEN AS SWAZILAND’S BEST FRIEND IN THE WORLD, IT PROBABLY SHOULD BE.

     AND WHILE WE WORK THE HARDEST TO “HELP THOSE WHO HELP THEMSELVES,” “SISITA LOTISITAKO” AND SUPPORT MOST STRONGLY THOSE GOVERNMENTS WHO SHARE A TRUE COMMITMENT TO REFORM, DEMOCRACY AND THE RULE OF LAW, WE ARE DETERMINED TO ASSIST THE GOVERNMENT OF THE KINGDOM OF SWAZILAND AS IT INEVITABLY MOVES FORWARD TO ADDRESS ITS LONG AND PRESSING LIST OF ISSUES AND CHALLENGES.

     THERE IS MORE THAT UNITES US THAN CAN EVER SEPARATE US….

     “KUNYENTI LOKUSI HLANGANISAKO KUNALO KU NGASEHLUKANISA”

      THOUGH THIS PARTICULAR EVENT IS DIRECTED MORE AT OUR SWAZI  AND INTERNATIONAL FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES, I WANT TO SAY JUST A WORD ABOUT THE OVER 3OO AMERICAN CITIZENS WHO LIVE AND WORK FULL-TIME IN SWAZILAND. I HAVE MET AND VISITED MANY OF THEM ALL ACROSS THIS COUNTRY AND THEY ARE ALMOST TO A MAN AND WOMAN ENGAGED IN SELFLESS WORK DEDICATED TO ASSISTING AND MAKING BETTER THE LIVES OF ORDINARY SWAZIS. WE ARE PROUD OF THEM AS ONE OF MANY GOOD FACES OF AMERICA.

      AND SO, ON THE 229TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE BIRTH OF AMERICAN INDEPENDENCE AND ON BEHALF OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, I WISH SWAZILAND THE BEST WISHES FOR PEACE, HEALTH, PROSPERITY AND HAPPINESS.  “EGAMENI LESIVE SE MELIKA NGINIFISELA LUNWELE LOLUDZE”

      NOW PLEASE JOIN ME IN A TOAST TO HIS MAJESTY KING MSWATI III.  BAYETHE!