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.

OPPOSITION TO PUBLIC SERVICE BILL

The Swaziland Government faces more international criticism over its decision to sack public servants who show an interest in politics.

The government has introduced the Public Service Bill that says it will be an offence for a public servant to be ‘visibly associated’ with a political formation or organisation. It will also be an offence to be a member of a political party. Officers found guilty will be dismissed from their jobs.

The trade union organisation FOA – Fag og Arbejde – which has 200,000 members in Denmark has written to Barnabas Dlamini, Swaziland’s illegally-appointed prime minister, to say that the Public Service Bill will ‘make it practically impossible for public servants to exercise their right to organize themselves in political formations.

‘The law is formulated in such a way, so it can be used to suppress the trade union movements and hinder their effort to represent the members’ social and economic interests.’

‘We see that the real purpose of the bill is top intimidate anyone who speaks out against the government of Swaziland.’

FOA points out that the Public Services Bill violates several international conventions that Swaziland has in fact signed up to.

FOA has vowed to continue to put pressure on the Swaziland Government through the International Labour Organisation, the Danish Government, Public Service International and the European Parliament.

Meanwhile, in Swaziland today (4 September 2009) labour unions will petition the Prime Minister’s office and Parliament calling for the revocation of the Public Service Bill.

A joint public statement issued this week by the Swaziland Federation of Trade Unions (SFTU) and Swaziland Federation of Labour (SFL) said, ‘This follows the disregard by the government of Swaziland to the various calls by the labour federations, the public sector employees and the public at large on the provisions of the Public Service Bill.’

SWAZILAND UNIONS STEP UP PROTESTS

Trade unions in Swaziland have vowed to continue to march to defend the Swazi Constitution, despite a threat from the prime minister to ban all protests in the kingdom.

Barnabas Dlamini, the illegally-appointed prime minister of Swaziland, threatened to ban all protests after trade unions and civil society groups staged a march earlier this month (April 2009) to try to force the Swazi Government to honour its constitutional obligations to introduce free primary schooling. The Swaziland High Court has ruled that the government should uphold the constitution.

Despite police attempts to illegally ban the march and violence during the protest, the trade unions have said they will continue the protest and have called for two days of action next month.

The Swaziland Federation of Labour, the Swaziland Federation of Trade Unions and the Swaziland National Association of Teachers in a joint statement said they have no regrets in holding the demonstration and would march again on 19 and 20 May.

The trade unionists accused parliamentarians of having been cowed to silence as government violated the constitution and ignoring the court judgement in support of free primary education.

They said they would continue with the action because the government needed to be marched against and protested against until it changed course.

The statement said, ‘We note the threats from the prime minister to ban marches. He must remember that the courts (despite the contempt his government treats them with), will be the final determinants on the proposed bans.

‘Despite all that, Mr Prime Minister the protests will continue. We cannot do otherwise and be silent whilst our taxes are wasted. If parliamentarians simply keep silent and fold their arms, for reasons best known to them, we will not.’