SWAZI TORTURE P.M. ‘DECLARES WAR’

More people and organisations are lining up to slam Barnabas Dlamini, Swaziland’s illegally-appointed Prime Minister, who called for pro-democracy dissidents and foreigners to be tortured.

Swaziland’s labour unions want him to recant and withdraw his statement that has made headlines across the world.

Dlamini said he wanted to use ‘Sipakatane’ otherwise known as ‘bastinado’, a form of torture that involves flogging the bare soles of a person’s feet with a spiked wooden or metal implement to temporarily or permanently cripple them, on dissidents and foreigners who supported democracy in Swaziland, ruled by King Mswati III, sub-Saharan Africa’s last absolute monarch.

Union leaders say this statement amounts to a ‘declaration of war against foreigners as well as Swazis’.

The Times of Swaziland, the kingdom’s only independent daily newspaper, quoted Mduduzi Gina, Secretary General of the Swaziland Federation of Trade Unions (SFTU), saying the torture will be used on those fighting for people’s rights.

Dlamini had been annoyed that trade unionists from South Africa had visited Swaziland this week to show solidarity with Swazis fighting for their human rights as part of the Global Day of Action for democracy in Swaziland.

Gina said Dlamini’s statement was ‘a clear indication of war against citizens of other countries. We request the prime minister to withdraw the statement for peace to prevail in the region and to allow government to work in peace with civil society organisations in the region.’

The Swaziland Federation of Labour (SFL) said Dlamini’s statement was not going to help the kingdom in any way and described it as ‘cheap talk’.

‘What law did we break by enlisting people from outside? He should say which law we broke instead of threatening us,’ SFL Secretary-General Vincent Ncongwane said.

He said the PM took advantage of his access to the media to issue a statement that he would not repeat to the outside world.

Meanwhile, the Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT) said workers had a right to express their grievances as per the Industrial Relations Act which gives them freedom of assembly and association.

‘SWAZI NEWS’ ON MASS ACTION

Here are two reports from the Swazi News, an independent newspaper in Swaziland, about the forthcoming Global Day of Action.

Link

4 September 2010

SFTU’s mass protests on Tuesday-Wednesday

MBABANE - The country’s two major cities, Mbabane and Manzini will next week Tuesday and Wednesday come to a standstill as unions embark on a national protest.

Speaking to Swazi News, Swaziland Federation of Trade Unions (SFTU) Secretary General Mduduzi Gina explained that government failed to meet their demands hence the protest action was inevitable.

‘’We met with the Labour Advisory Body on Wednesday about our demands sadly government did not comply," said Gina.

Some of the demands include the withdrawal of the Public Service Bill which forbids civil servants from joining political parties, setting aside of the scholarship policy for consultations with all stakeholders, abolishment of SEC’s E55 monthly service charge and the removal of Swaziland Post and Telecommunications Corpora-tion’s (STPC) workers from essential services category.

Gina also explained that during the protest action government will be petitioned for the abolishment of employment through labour brokers/agents, shortage of drugs in public health institutions and making available Swaziland National Provident Fund contributions to contributors upon termination of employment despite their age.

The ministry of Natural Resources and Energy will be petitioned on September 8, 2010 on the E55 monthly service charge by SEC.

Unions allowed to march but…

MBABANE-The municipal council of Manzini has given permission to labour unions to use the city during their two-day demonstrations.

However, it has banned them from using streets within the heart of the town.

“It is true that I received a letter yesterday from the city council where they want us to use out- of-town streets like the one before Sydney Williams school," said Gina. Gina further revealed that out-of-town streets will serve no purpose as they intend to raise awareness about their grievances.

The letter also states that no noise would be allowed for security reasons. Gina again said; "We will be assembling at Jubilee Park as per the norm. We will use the Ngwane Street." The SFTU secretary general explained that the mass protest action is legal as every procedure was followed.

Government has repeatedly argued that workers should not include political issues in their demands but the workers have alleged that their lives were determined by the politics so it was impossible for them not to discuss political issues.

The protest action has attracted international attention as a number of trade unions throughout the world have set next week as a week to focus on Swaziland. News from other parts indicated that workers the world over, those affiliated to the International Federation of Trade Unions hold marches where the kingdom has embassies or diplomatic ties.

BARBARIC POLICE AT WORKERS' DAY

The following is a media release from the Swaziland Solidarity Network [SSN] about police tactics at the recent May Day / Workers’ Day celebrations

03 May, 2010

A Most barbaric form of "Dialogue" at May Day Celebrations by State police

Staying true to its new found but rather imaginary self-image of a tolerant and democratic government that is open to dialogue with the country’s opposition, the government of Swaziland had a rather unique sort of dialogue this weekend during the May Day celebrations. In a move which infuriated members of the two organizations who had converged at the Salesian sports ground in Manzini, the Swaziland Federation of Trade Unions (SFTU) and the Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT), the police disrupted the celebrations by arresting invited guests and workers and confiscating their recording equipment.

The four invited guests who were taken into the Manzini police station for questioning were: The People’s United Democratic Movement [PUDEMO] activist Mphandlana Shongwe; Swaziland Youth Congress [SWAYOCO] President, Wandile Dludlu; Dr. Sikelela Dlamini, a PUDEMO activist and Marie da Silva who is part of the recently launched Swaziland Democracy Campaign.

The reason given for taking in these four for questioning and disallowing them from taking part in the celebrations was the false statement they are not employed and thus should not participate in a function of workers. Despite the fact that it is untrue that all four are unemployed and cannot fit the definition of the word worker, unemployed people have always participated in May Day celebrations and in fact many of the people present at the event were not employed. The real reason behind what the workers have labelled “a barbaric act by police” is that these four are associated with the Liberation movement [PUDEMO] in the country. They were later released after it was certain that they had missed out of the celebrations. Other workers, however, were detained and charged.

An unidentified man from Ncabaneni was arrested and charged for contravening the controversial Suppression of Terrorism Act by wearing a t-shirt bearing the PUDEMO logo. Another unidentified man was also detained for unknown reasons but was later released without being charged. A teenage girl who was part of a drama group that performed at the event was saved by throngs of workers from the police who wanted to arrest her under the terrorism act as well for merely shouting the words “VIVA” to one of the proscribed entities. While all this was going on, a group of workers from SNAT, the teachers’ organization were taking pictures. This did not go down well with the police who confiscated the camera and only agreed to give it back to its owners after they had deleted all the pictures that showed their barbaric actions.

Despite being infuriated by the fact that their speakers had been barred from the event by the police who were intent on disrupting it, the workers decided to go ahead with the celebrations. It was evident, however, that the spirit of the event was not as jubilant as it otherwise could have been.

As the Swaziland Solidarity Network [SSN] we strongly condemns this barbaric behaviour of the Swazi police under the command of King Mswati and call for urgent intervention by SADC into the Swaziland situation before is too late.

Issued by the Swaziland Solidarity Network [SSN] South Africa chapter

ARRESTED FOR BEING UNEMPLOYED

Four pro-democracy activists were arrested in Swaziland on May Day (1 May 2010) because they are ‘unemployed’.

At least that’s the excuse the Swazi state forces gave when they stopped the four from attending a workers’ rally organised by the Swaziland Federation of Trade Unions.

Police said they arrested the four before the meeting started because it was a function especially for workers and the speakers were not workers.

Sikelela Dlamini, Mphandlana Shongwe, Wandile Dludlu and Marie da Silva – all well known activists - had been invited guests.

Police grabbed the original copy of Sikelela Dlamini’s speech and photocopied it for ‘filing purposes’.

Mphandlana Shongwe is one of the leaders of the Swaziland Democracy Campaign. He says he was subjected to house arrest after police arrested him. He said after being interrogated for two hours, he was taken to his home where he was warned to remain indoors.

He says he was ordered to make a statement in writing, explaining why he attended the Workers’ Day because he was not a worker. He said police also told him that he was not supposed to celebrate with workers because his group, the People’s United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO), was proscribed as a terrorist entity by government.

The four were taken to the Manzini Regional Police Headquarters. A police spokesperson said the four were not charged but were held for questioning.

Police were reported to be on the lookout the rally at the Salesian Sports Ground for anyone seen wearing T-shirts supporting banned organizations or who were heard shouting pro-liberation slogans.

A teenage girl who introduced a drama group by shouting VIVA was whisked away by marshals to safety. The police had wanted to apprehend her. One of the senior officers told the marshals that an offence had been committed.

Swaziland Federation of Trade Unions Secretary General, Mduduzi Gina, received a tip-off that police were planning to arrest him for praising one of the proscribed entities through a VIVA shout.

Plain clothed police confiscated a digital camera belonging to the Swaziland National Union of Teachers (SNAT) and deleted 35 pictures - they were apparently angry that they were being photographed.

Among the deleted pictures were some of police taking the four arrested political activists to a van.