A protest to support democracy in Swaziland will take place in London tomorrow (7 September 2010).
The Trade Union Congress (TUC) in the UK said the protest will take place at 12noon outside the Swaziland High Commission, 20 Buckingham Gate, London SW1 E 6LB.
The TUC in a statement also condemned today’s arrests in Swaziland of pro-democracy activists. It called on the Swazi government to allow peaceful demonstrations to take place.
Tomorrow is slated as Global Day of Actionin Swaziland (and protests will continue for the rest of the week).
TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said, ‘The feudal dictatorship of the King of Swaziland has left his country racked with poverty, and with the highest rate of HIV/AIDS infection in the world.
‘His Government should be concentrating on fighting poverty and disease, not the Swazi people.’
Swaziland marks 42 years of independence from British colonial rule today. It should be an anniversary to enjoy, but for many Swazis there is little to celebrate. The country has the highest rates of HIV in the world, political parties are banned and the people denied basic human, civil and political rights.
This year has seen a dramatic escalation of government oppression of, and police attacks on, trade unionists. Peaceful demonstrations have been broken up, activists imprisoned and their homes raided. In May, police arrested activist Sipho Jelefor wearing a T-shirt supporting a pro-democracy political party. He was later found dead in prison. The police claim that Jele committed suicide, but pathologist reports say there were signs suggesting he was strangled.
Now Swazi ministers plan to create a law that would make it illegal for workers in the public sector to discuss ‘political’ issues or associate with a ‘political’ group. This will clearly have a massive impact on the ability of Swazi public sector workers to belong to unions.
We call on the UK government to make representations to the Swazi government over these violations of human rights, and urge people to email the Swaziland high commission – see www.tuc.org.uk/actsa – asking for the repressive law to be dropped.
The Trades Union Congress (TUC) in the UK is to join the Global Day of Action for Swaziland.
The TUC and ACTSA (Action for Southern Africa) will be joining trade unionists around the world to show solidarity with unions in Swaziland.
The TUC says poverty and feudalism in Swaziland, which is ruled by King Mswati III, sub-Saharan Africa’s last absolute monarch, ‘are sustained by a dictatorship where unions are heavily restricted and activists are harassed, arrested and worse. Now, the Government wants to stop trade unionism from existing in the public services.’
In response, the TUC and ACTSA are organising activities on Tuesday 7 September as part of Swaziland Democracy Day, which unions around the world will be marking. The aim is to mobilise support for democracy, good governance and respect for human rights in Swaziland, and oppose the Public Services Bill.
The Trades Union Congress (TUC) in the UK has called onthe British High Commissioner to South Africa and Swaziland to step in after democracy activist Sipho Jelewas found dead in jail after he was arrested for wearing a PUDEMO T-shirt.
The TUC considers the death suspicious – ‘redolent of the many apartheid-era police murders in South African jails explained away as suicides’.
The TUC has also protested to the Swaziland High Commissioner in London.
The TUC is asking that letters of protests and condolences be sent to HE Mrs Mary M Kanya, High Commissioner, Kingdom of Swaziland High Commission, 20 Buckingham Gate, London SW1E 6LB or faxed to +44 (0)20 7630 6564.
In a letter to the British High Commissioner in Pretoria, Dr Nicola Brewer, TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber wrote, ‘I was appalled to learn about the death in police custody of Sipho Jele, who as well as being an opposition PUDEMO activist in Swaziland, was a member of the Swaziland Agricultural and Plantations Workers Union (SAPWU), part of the TUC’s sister national centre the SFTU.
‘We understand that Sipho’s family were told on 4 May that he was found hanged in his cell after having been arrested at the SFTU’s May Day celebrations on 1 May for wearing a PUDEMO t-shirt and charged under the discredited Suppression of Terrorism Act. The nature of his death - so redolent of the many apartheid-era police murders in South African jails explained away as suicides - and the fact that the family were told to bury him quickly and without informing his trade union or political colleagues are deeply suspicious.
‘I would be grateful if you would convey to the Government of Swaziland the deep concerns that the British trade union movement has about Sipho Jele’s death, and if appropriate, add the concerns of the British Government. Sipho’s family has now been provided with a lawyer, and I would also ask that you urge the Government of Swaziland to allow an independent investigation into the circumstances of Sipho Jele's death, including an autopsy by an independent pathologist, and ensure that, if it is found that his death was suspicious, those responsible are identified and brought to trial.
‘I have been informed that the Swaziland Federation of Trade Unions and the Swaziland National Association of Teachers are planning a protest march next week to the Prime Minister's office to protest against the brutal death of Sipho Jele while in police custody and the general human rights abuse by the state's security agents, and, lastly, I would ask that you urge the Government of Swaziland to allow that march to take place unmolested - something that would be rare in that unfortunate country.’
