SUPPORT FOR ACTION FROM DENMARK

Support for the Global Day of Action for a Democratic Swaziland has come from Denmark.

Here is a statement from Africa Contact.

Danish Unions and major Political Parties, as well as representatives

of Danish Civic Society, strongly support the Global Day of Action for

Multiparty Democracy in The Kingdom of Swaziland.



The Swaziland Democracy Campaign (SDC) has called for a Global Day of

Action on September 7 to focus on the lack of democratic development

in the Kingdom of Swaziland. For too long, the country's grave

challenges including a HIV/TB epidemic has been taken hostage by a

dictatorial Kingship that has been unable to move the country forward

and out of its deadlock. Today, state of affairs in Swaziland are

blocking the economic and political development that is desperately

needed to face the country's run-down healthcare and educational

system. Following questions in the Swazi parliament into the

corruption of the Royal family, the late King Sobhuza, at the time

only a constitutional head of state - amassed all legislative,

judicial and executive powers in 1973. The takeover was as

illegitimate as it was unjustifiable according to traditional Swazi

culture and customs, which always seeks a pluralistic dialogue on

issues and challenges facing the country.



Today, the current regime, headed by his son King Mswati II, is only

able to sustain itself through Africa’s longest lasting state of

emergency, leaving no space for any kind of political activity. Basic

freedoms of expression and assembly are being violated and leaders of

the democratic movement are being harassed and branded terrorists.



As representatives of the international community, the Global Day of

Action gives us an opportunity to demand an end to the State of

Emergency; that all executive, judicial and legislative powers be

returned to parliament; the unbanning of all political parties; an end

to the prosecution and harassment of the country’s democratic leaders;

and a return to a constitutional monarchy as before 1973.



Socialdemokratiet (the Danish Social Democratic Party), Enhedslisten

(the Danish Red Green Alliance), Swaziland Democracy Watch, Fag og

Arbejde (Danish National Union of Public Service Workers), BUPL

(Danish Preschool and Pedagogics National Union), Frit Forum (Danish

Social Democratic Students Movement), Internationalt Forum (Danish

Youth Organisation for International Solidarity), Africa Contact -

Denmark



Contact information:

In Swaziland contact Morten Nielsen from Africa Contact’s

Danish delegation at +268 768 683 49



THE SDC CAMPAIGN:

Swaziland Democracy Campaign is a broad coalition of progressive

organizations in Swaziland and South Africa that are united in their

demand for multiparty democracy in Swaziland. The global day of

Action calls for people throughout the world to be involved in some

form of action to help raise the issues facing the people of Swaziland.



There are three forms of action that one can choose from;

Joining the main Global March taking place in Manzini, Swaziland

Organizing a march to the Swazi embassy or consulate in your

country, or where no such embassy exists, to government offices to

raise the demands of the Swazi people

Sending messages of solidarity and demands to the Prime Minister’s

offices in Swaziland, including a copy to the SDC.

DEMOCRATISATION IN SWAZILAND

This is taken from Peter Kenworthy’s Stiffkitten blogsite (10 August 2010). It is a follow up article to History and Politics in Swaziland.

Morten Nielsen: Democratisation in Swaziland must come from below

The repression and persecution of the democracy movement in Swaziland has increased, says Morten Nielsen from Africa Contact. On the positive side, there has been an attitudinal change in Swaziland that can be seen in the strikes by 10-20.000 women in the textile industry in 2008, as well as in the of the steady progress of the democracy movement.”

These strikes violate all gender and cultural norms in Swaziland”, says Morten Nielsen, “and the democracy movement is gathering strength. The regime is worried”.

Amongst other things, this change in attitude is due to the increasingly repressive nature of the regime and because the Swazi economy is “in free fall”, he claims. This has led to cuts in public services and benefits such as pensions, education and the health system, which in turn has led to “an increasing social anger in Swaziland that can be felt when speaking to Swazis, although people are also scared”.

To read the full article, click here.

DANISH REPORT ON ACTIVIST KILLING

News about the death in jail of Sipho Jele has travelled around the world. The following report was originally published in the Danish newspaper Arbejderen (The Worker). Thanks to Peter at Africa Contact in Denmark for the translation into English.

SOURCE

Killed because of a T-shirt

10 May 2010



Political activist, Sipho Stephen Jele, was arrested on May-day because he wore an opposition party PUDEMO t-shirt. Now he has been murdered by police.



Another political prisoner has apparently been killed by police in the kingdom of Swaziland in southern Africa.Tuesday morning a fellow prisoner in Sidvwashini prison found the body of 35-year-old Sipho Stephen Jele hanging from a rafter in the toilet, according to the Times of Swaziland.



He was arrested on 1 May in Manzini, allegedly for having worn a t-shirt with a PUDEMO logo at an event at the Salesians of Don Bosco Sports Ground.PUDEMO (People's United Democratic Movement) is the country's largest illegal movement and opponent of the monarchy.The police raided Sipho Stephen Jeles home in Ncabaneni to look for his PUDEMO membership card, after which he was taken into custody.



The Times of Swaziland have spoken to the aunt of the deceased, Julie Jele, who last saw him Saturday, in handcuffs.



- I need an explanation from the police about how my nephew died. They found no gun or other dangerous weapon during the search, she said.



The following day, after Jele had been found dead , police told Sipho’s grandmother that he had committed suicide, after which they tried to force Sipho’s family to bury him – probably to avoid an autopsy, said Danish organization, Africa Contact.The organisation has been in contact with a PUDEMO-representative, who denies the police’s allegation of suicide.



- The explanation that the police has given is absolutely untrue. We know that it does not fit, he said to Africa Contact.



According to the Pudemo representative, this occurrence is unfortunately only one of many examples of the imaginative explanations for deaths in police custody in Swaziland.



Sipho Stephen Jele, who had previously worked in Swaziland’s only pulp factory Usuthu Pulp, was in the process of taking a degree in engineering. He had previously been charged with treason in a trial in 2006, but was fully acquitted.



Prime Minister Barnabas Sibusiso Dlamini said in a press release, reported in the Times of Swaziland yesterday, that there will be an inquest into the death of Jele.



“I wish to state that His Majesty’s Government is taking the matter seriously since this involves the death of a person who was in lawful custody”.

MASUKU TELLS EU 'OPPOSE SWAZI KING'

The following is the acceptance speech made by Mario Masuku, president of Swaziland’s People’s United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO) at the Democracy Awards, in Denmark, 15 March 2010.





I am honoured to accept this democracy award as conferred on me today. Due to many reasons, I could not personally make it to be there with you physically.



The giving of this award and my acceptance of the same is a great departure from the way people and the world has viewed the struggle of the people of Swaziland for the past 37 years. Our movement PUDEMO has continued to wage a peaceful struggle against a very violent and brutal regime.



As we speak today, there are many Swazis who are forced out of the country due to the political and economic situation. Our movement and all the democratic forces of Swaziland under the banner of the Swaziland United Democratic Front-SUDF are committed to building a democratic state that respects the will of the majority.



We are aware that Denmark is among the major donors to the kingdom of Swaziland. The very generous donations that you send out there are not used for the benefit of the people but a few corrupt elements within government. We therefore call upon you to use your influence in the European Union to exert political and economic pressure on the ruling elite in Swaziland. We call on you to apply targeted sanctions that will restrict the travel of the oppressive regime to your countries. We call on you to support the voice of the people of Swaziland in their call for democracy. Stop selling weapons to Swaziland. We call on you to support the people’s movement- PUDEMO.



I accept this award on behalf of the million Swazis, 70% of which live below the poverty line, 26.2 % of which are HIV positive, 40 % of which are unemployed and generally a nation in need of immediate serious interventions. My people want democracy, peace and stability. And the current regime gives them more poverty and brutalization. This is their award in recognition of their resilience in the face of harassment. It is in recognition of the struggles waged by the rural people who are evicted from their land. It is in recognition of the humble people who have been deported out of the country for daring to stand up against abuse of human rights, the kids who go to school without food, the patients who go to hospital to await their death, the workers who serve our country yet are not rewarded, the urban poor who occupy the sprawling slums of our towns. This is for them.



Lastly we take this opportunity to salute the people of Denmark for recognising the work done by not myself but the collective struggling people of Swaziland as led by their liberation movement, PUDEMO. We hope this award will inspire us to be more focused and decisive. We will continue to move forward. And as a movement we have always said that our door is open for negotiations but the government refuses to recognise us as the people’s liberation movement instead they have passed a law which declares us as a terrorist organisation. But we are happy that the world cannot be fooled.

Our demands are clear:

Unban political parties

Respect the rule of law

Respect women and children’s rights

Unconditional return of all exiles

Multiparty democratic elections

A democratic constitution for the nation

End to corruption, nepotism

End to the brutalization and killing of unarmed civilians by the state security forces

We thank you for your gesture, and we are confident it will have the desired impact in instilling some sense in the minds of the powers that be in Swaziland.

SWAZI DEMOCRAT HONOURED ABROAD

The following is a media release from Swaziland Democracy Watch

15 March 2010

The SWADEWA Democracy Prize 2010 has been awarded to Mario Masuku by Swaziland Democracy Watch (SWADEWA) in the Danish Parliament.

Among the reasons for awarding Mario Masuku, SWADEWA stated:

"Mario Masuku's brave struggle for a better future for the Swazi people has made him a uniting figure and a source of inspiration for the numerous movements which are fighting for a free and democratic Swaziland, where the entire Swazi people benefits from national ressources".

Danish MP and spokesman on foreign affairs for the currently most well-supported party in Denmark, the Social Democrats, Mogens Lykketoft, presented the award, which consists of a golden megaphone and $1000.

Regarding Swaziland, Lykketoft stated: "It is important to get a government that can introduce general democratic rights such as free elections, freedom of speech, freedom of assembly and freedom of the press and a genuine democracy".

Furthermore, Lykketoft wished for a Swazi government with the ability and will to cooperate with neighbouring countries to fight poverty, take action against the problems with AIDS and the shockingly low average life expectancy age.

The prize was accepted by a friend and representative of Mario Masuku, who is from the Danish NGO, Africa Contact. He read out an acceptance speech from Masuku, who expressed that he was honoured to accept the award.

He added:

"My people want democracy, peace and stability. And the current regime gives them more poverty and brutalization. This is their award in recognition of their resilience in the face of harassment".

The Danish Secretary General of Amnesty International, Lars Normann Joergensen, congratulates Masuku with the SWADEWA Democracy Prize 2010 and says on behalf of Amnesty International:

"Amnesty International has in many years criticized the widespread persecution of the opposition in Swaziland and has especially been alarmed by the consequences of the Suppression of Terrorism Act".

He added:

"Amnesty International will continue to put pressure on the Swazi regime to remove those regulations that undermine the legal rights for political activists, journalists and common Swazi citizens."

Several NGO's, political parties and labour unions were present at the well-attended ceremony.