STOP THE LIES ON SWAZI DEMOCRACY

Lufto Dlamini, the Swazi Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, is getting agitated by the continuing demand across the globe that Swaziland become a democracy.

But the trouble is he is lying to the people of Swaziland and the world in his defence of King Mswati III, sub-Saharan Africa’s last absolute monarch and his puppet government.

Dlamini’s latest outburst came yesterday (28 March 2010) after news spread across the globe that democrats in Swaziland and their supporters across the world were demanding targeted sanctions against members of Swaziland’s ruling elite. One suggestion is that the European Union and others should stop paying for Swaziland’s leaders to travel outside the kingdom.

Dlamini reacted loudly and dishonestly to this suggestion. He told the Times Sunday newspaper, an independent newspaper in Swaziland, that the ‘current government was legitimately voted into office’.

He also said, ‘the Southern African Development Community (SADC) observers and other international organisations liked Swaziland’s election system.’

Let’s look at Dlamini’s statements. First, the government was not elected by the people. Barnabas Dlamini, the prime minister was not elected by anyone.

King Mswati ignored the Swaziland constitution and gave the job to Dlamini.

More than half the cabinet ministers were appointed by the king, along with 10 members of the House of Assembly and 20 senators. The other 10 senators are chosen by MPs – none are elected by the people. That’s not what I call a government ‘legitimately voted into office’.

The king also chooses members of influential committees and councils in Swaziland. The Times of Swaziland, the kingdom’s only independent daily newspaper, reckoned that in total at least 20 princes and princesses and 16 chiefs have been appointed to highly influential decision-making positions that they will occupy for five years.

In his outburst Dlamini also said the SADC and ‘other international organisations liked Swaziland’s election system’.

That statement is a distortion of the truth. The Commonwealth Expert Team (CET) that monitored Swaziland’s last election in 2008 was so unhappy with the system that it advised Swaziland to look again at its constitution, this time ensuring that there is full consultation with the people, civic society and political organisations.

The CET said that the elections were not entirely credible because the constitution banned political parties and members of parliament had few real powers.

The Pan-African Parliament (PAP) also denounced the poll because political parties were not allowed to take part.

Immediately after the election amid many accusations that MPs had bribed voters, the Times of Swaziland called many new MPs ‘cheats’. It said, ‘We no longer have an election; we have a selection of those who were able to buy their way into power.’

Even Swaziland’s Attorney General (AG) Majahenkhaba Dlamini has said that candidates bribed voters to win parliamentary seats.

After the elections, the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) criticised the Swaziland Supreme Court for siding with the Swaziland state and confirming a constitutional right to ban political parties in the kingdom.

Then it was the Swazi gender activists who were angry that King Mswati III betrayed their hopes, and the Swaziland Constitution, by not appointing more women to the House of Assembly and the Senate.

And it goes on. All of this is no secret. Lufto Dlamini knows this and we should not let him get away with telling the international community that all is well in Swaziland.

SWAZI KING SUPPORTS IRAN LEADER

As hundreds of thousands of people take to the street in Iran to protest at the recent stolen election, one man was quick to offer his support to the contested president.

Step forward Mswati III, the king of Swaziland.

King Mswati sent his congratulations to Iran President Mahmound Ahmadinejad, rejoicing in ‘this happy occasion’.

According to the Swazi Observer, the newspaper in effect owned by King Mswati, sub-Saharan Africa’s last absolute monarch, King Mswati told Ahmadinejad, ‘I would like to express my firm belief that cordial relations which have always existed between our two countries will continue to be enhanced and strengthened in the years to come for the mutual benefit of our nations and peoples.’

Of course, no one is surprised that King Mswati was quick to offer his congratulations to someone who stole an election. For a long time he has been buddying up to Robert Mugabe, the despot who stole the elections in Zimbabwe last year and recently he was feted by Mugabe.

King Mswati also knows a thing or two about dodgy elections. He held his own in Swaziland last year but banned political parties from taking part. The European Union refused to send a team to ‘monitor’ the elections because it couldn’t see the point since the elections were obviously not free.

The Commonwealth Expert Team did send a delegation and called for a multi-party system to be introduced to save Swaziland.

The Pan-African Parliament also criticised the Swazi elections as unfair because parties were banned.

So Mswati knows who his friends are. He is lucky; the only difference really between Swaziland and Iran is that the people of Iran have the courage to fight back.

UPDATE ON SWAZI FREEDOM CAMPAIGN

What follows is a document circulated on the Swaziland Solidarity Network Forum yesterday (12 June 2009) giving an update on a campaign that has been running in South Africa since January 2009 to draw attention to the jailing of Mario Masuku, President of the People’s United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO) and human rights abuses generally in the kingdom.

Summary of the meeting between the Swaziland Solidarity Network and the High Commission of the Kingdom of Swaziland

Background

The meeting comes against the background of the arrest of the President of the Peoples United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO), Comrade Mario Masuku. Cde Masuku has been in jail since November 15, 2008 under charges of terrorism.

Under the rubric of the Free Mario Masuku Campaign, the SSN with its allies in the SACP, COSATU, YCL, ANCYL, COSAS, SASCO have held weekly demonstrations at the Johannesburg consulate of the Kingdom of Swaziland. These protests have been held every Friday since the third week of January 2009 without any fail with the exception of public holidays.

In more than 15 memoranda submitted, the Swazi authorities failed to respond to any of the demands. Last Friday on the 5 June 2009, protesters refused to leave until there was a commitment from the Swazi High Commission and official feedback. Alongside internal political pressure in South Africa, the region and internationally, this prompted the High Commissioner, Mr. Mswane to make a commitment to meet with SSN. The meeting was scheduled for today at 09h00 and lasted for 1hour 30 minutes.

Memorandum

The key demands were the following:

The unconditional release of PUDEMO President Mario Masuku

The unbanning of political parties

A democratically elected national constituent assembly to develop a new constitution

The return to Swaziland of all exiles

Since the arrest of advocate Thulani Maseko, Mario’s lawyer, his release has been added as demand in all the memorandums. Maseko was arrested following remarks attributed to him that the two comrades Jack Govender and Musa Dlamini who died in a bomb explosion in Swaziland, ‘died for the liberation of Swaziland, and that the bridge at which they died should be named after them’.

Meeting with the High Commissioner

The meeting was attended led by the SSN national chairperson, Cde Solly Mapaila with a delegation of five. The high commissioner was accompanied by the Johannesburg consular Mr. Tsabedze and High Commission staff. The meeting can be characterised as cordial. SSN had an opportunity to raise its demands and dissatisfaction relating to lack of serious response on the royal Swazi side.

The main issue that SSNB Chairperson highlighted is the need to recognise the inevitability of dialogue and a peaceful transition. He called on the Swazi authorities to begin negotiations with PUDEMO and all political and social forces.

The High Commissioner (HC) agreed with the principle of dialogue, but seemed to suggest the inclusion of Swazi traditional consultation platforms such as the Vusela. This is not necessarily SSN’s thinking about genuine and broadly inclusive dialogue, but does not exclude it. PUDEMO has the right to determine which platforms are more free and democratic to conduct talks.

The High Commission will inform SSN about feedback from Swaziland. It was agreed to meet more frequently.

Inauguration

SSN called for King Mswati not to be invited to the inauguration of President Jacob Zuma. This campaign was successful and the Swazi King was booed on arrival at the union buildings. A protest march was also held on Friday before the inauguration in Pretoria at the HC.

State of the nation address

SSN issued a statement, accusing the SA government of complicity and the opportunity the state of the nation address missed to highlight the lack of democracy in Swaziland. SSN will meet with foreign affairs to discuss in detail its position on Swaziland. The meeting will take place at the end of June.

SADC

A letter has been written to current SA deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe in his previous capacity as President and SADC chair. SADC is giving attention to the matter. Nothing has been heard from them.

Pan African Parliament

A memorandum was sent to the Pan-African Parliament President Dr. Getrude Mongella. There is a commitment to give it appropriate attention and advice on steps to be taken. Amongst others the PAP was asked to pressure the African Union to table Swaziland on its agenda.

Program of action

SSN will proceed to fight for democracy in Swaziland. There is a bold program of action being considered. The international balance of forces are against the King and his current rule.

Europe and the US are also joining in putting pressure. Developments in the region regarding the customs union are not favourable to authoritarian Swaziland. SSN and COSATU are seeking to combine economic and political pressure on King Mswati.