RURAL RAIDS ON FREEDOM ACTIVISTS

Swazi police have intensified their raids against pro-democracy activists in Swaziland.

This follows previous raids on members of the Peoples’ United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO), its youth wing, SWAYOCO, the Swaziland Coalition of Concerned Civic Organisations (SCCCO), the Swaziland Democracy Campaign (SDC), the Swaziland Federation of Trade Unions (SFTU), Swaziland Ex-Mineworkers Association, (SEMA) the Foundation for Socio-Economic Justice (FSEJ) and the Swaziland National Union of Students (SNUS).

The latest raids have struck in the deep rural poverty stricken Hluti-Lavumisa area.

The following is the latest news from Swaziland.

SOURCE

Following strict orders to strangle all democracy activists and boosted by the recent demands by the illegally-appointed Prime minister of Swaziland, Barnabas Dlamini to make arrests on the recent bombings that have shocked Swaziland, the Swazi police have intensified their raids on homes of PUDEMO leaders. Over the past weekend (26 – 27 June 2010) the raids were taken into the deep rural poverty stricken Hluti-Lavumisa area, the home area of PUDEMO Deputy President Skhumbuzo Phakathi. A number of homes were raided in the area.



Skhumbuzo Phakathi: the police arrived in a truck load armed to the teeth. They were in possession of a search warrant which said they were looking for bombs, seditious material and bomb making material and anything with terrorist links. Phakathi was not at home as he is based in South Africa. The police interrogated his father who told them he does not know where his sons are.



The police were also looking for Sizwesandile Phakathi the younger brother of the Deputy President who is former Publicity Secretary of SWAYOCO and current President of the South African Students Union (SAUS) and National Executive Committee member of SASCO. He was also not at home as he has been in exile since 1998.



Zweli Nxumalo: The police proceeded to the home of Zweli Nxumalo former Deputy President of the Swaziland Nurses Union which is situated five km from Phakathi’s home.. They also searched every house, in the process intimidating and harassing his mother. They said they were looking for guns and bombs. They found nothing illegal and Zweli was out

with his wife.



Norman Xaba: Again they did not find him at home but continued to search the houses and harassed his sisters Sbongile and Nombuso. Xaba is currently out on bail for being arrested for wearing a PUDEMO t-shirt last year. On several occasions they threatened that they will kill him. On a number of occasions he has been receiving death threats on his mobile phone. Xaba is the Deputy Chairperson of the rural Shiselweni region of PUDEMO.

Xolani Sbiya: The police raided the home which is also the home of the local induna (headman). They harassed his mother and took her to the Hluti police station where she was interrogated for over three hours on the activities of her son in SWAYOCO and in connection with the bombings. At the time of the raid Xolani was away. The police informed the sickly old woman that if she does not cooperate with them they will arrest her for her sons’ sins. She refused to cooperate.

Pastor Gadlaza Phakathi: The pastor was raided for allegations that he is harbouring PUDEMO activists. At the time of the raid he was out doing church work. At home the police harassed his blind mother telling her that his son will soon be in heaven.

Kholekile Macu: The PUDEMO women’s league executive in the Hluti area was woken up by loud bangs on her door. Her home was completely surrounded by heavily armed police. They searched every house and even the pit toilets. They accuse her and her husband of being ‘terrorists’ and keeping PUDEMO weapons. The police threatened the crippled Bheki Macu, the husband that if he continued with belonging to PUDEMO they will cut his other leg. They found nothing.

Bongani Ndzinisa: Who is also an official of the union SPRAWU His whole family was threatened that if he does not stop his association with PUDEMO everyone in the family will be killed. He was also summoned to the chief’s home. The induna promised to deal with the matter as Bongani is a well known man in the area and is a respected leader of the church.

Many other homes were raided in the Lavumisa area which links with the eastern sugar belt of Swaziland. The Swaziland Democracy Campaign (SDC) condemns this continued harassment of the people of Swaziland. We call on the international community to condemn Swaziland continued violation of human rights. We will continue to work with the pro democracy forces of Swaziland to bring change in that country.



As it stands now, anyone who will be arrested will not get bail as the Swazi government is working to make into law detention without trial.

SWAZILAND SINKING BACKWARDS

Swaziland is slowly sinking backwards towards the era of the lack of respect for the rule of law, democracy and human rights.

And there is very little political will on the part of the Swazi state to listen to and engage political dissenters.

Meanwhile, on the economic front, Swaziland continues to decline yet government’s spending on unnecessary and non-priority areas remains unchecked.

These are just some of the conclusions in yet another report on Swaziland’s appalling record of human rights, civil liberties and political mismanagement.

The report just released by the Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa (OSISA) studied Swaziland for the period May – July this year (2009) and concluded that ‘events of the last three months reflect a continued state of emergency in Swaziland as the State has scaled-up its defiance of the rule of law and effected numerous acts of intimidation and violations of human rights. Of notable importance are the arrest of human rights lawyer, Thulani Maseko in June and the further arrests of political activists, Mpandlana Shongwe and Norman Xaba of the People’s United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO) in July.’

The 11,500-word report continues, ‘on the surface the sporadic arrests by the State may seem to the larger public – as the media is made to report – aimed at curbing or discouraging acts of terrorism. In retrospect, these have demonstrated a systematic targeting of political dissenters in line with the infamous King’s mandate to government and Parliament when installing the current Prime Minister [Barnabas Dlamini] last year.

‘This view has been cemented by the State’s capricious harassment and raids visited upon members of PUDEMO, the Swaziland Youth Congress (SWAYOCO) and the Foundation for Economic Justice’s offices, a non-government organization that has amongst other things supported the Swaziland Ex-Miners Association in the issue of Free Primary Education (FPE).

‘The arrest of Thulani Maseko came across as a direct onslaught on Human Rights, particularly in view of the sterling role he has played in putting to the test the constitution of the country in the courts. It should be recalled that Maseko is also representing the President of PUDEMO, Mario Masuku, in his case where he is incarcerated for contravening the Suppression of Terrorism Act.’

The report is just one of many recently to highlight the decline of human rights and civil liberties in Swaziland.

To read the full OSISA report click here.

SWAZI T-SHIRT TERROR TRIAL STARTS

Swazi police video recorded Saturday’s People’s Dialogue to collect evidence to use against speakers for promoting ‘terrorism’.

This emerged yesterday (20 July 2009) at a court case where one man was charged under the Suppression of Terrorism Act (STA) for shouting the words ‘Viva PUDEMO’ and another was charged with wearing a T-shirt in support of PUDEMO.

PUDEMO – the People’s United Democratic Movement – is banned, along with all other political parties, in Swaziland. Conviction under the STA can result in up to 25 years jail time.

Mbabane High Court was told that the Swazi police revealed that a police officer recorded all the activities during the People’s Dialogue in a video that will be produced in court as evidence.

According to the charge sheet it is alleged that Mphandlana Shongwe, ‘on 18 July 2009, unlawfully and knowingly gave support to terrorist groups (viz) PUDEMO and SWAYOCO by uttering the words ‘Viva PUDEMO, Viva SWAYOCO’ while Norman Xaba is alleged to have, on the same day, gave support to a terrorist group (viz) PUDEMO by wearing a T-shirt with the words ‘PUDEMO’.

Both men were granted E3,000 bail.

SWAZILAND’S T-SHIRT TERRORISM

In Swaziland wearing a T-shirt is now considered an act of terrorism.

This was revealed yesterday (18 July 2008) when a man was arrested and charged at the People’s Dialogue in Manzini.

He was wearing a T-shirt calling for the release from jail of Mario Masuku, president of the banned People’s United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO).

Norman Xaba was charged under the Suppression of Terrorism Act (STA) which allows for prison sentences of up to 25 years on conviction.

Also arrested and charged under the STA at the same event was Mphandlana Shongwe, who is reported to have ‘chanted slogans’ in sympathy with PUDEMO.

The arrests come as no real surprise in Swaziland where the STA is being used to oppress freedom of speech. Amnesty International, among other human rights organisations, has condemned the use of the act, introduced last year, to stop any criticism of King Mswati III, sub-Saharan Africa’s last absolute monarch, Barnabas Dlamini, the illegally-appointed prime minister and the government.

Dlamini has even gone so far as to threaten journalists with the STA if they publish reports about banned political parties in Swaziland.

It probably comes as no surprise that the arrests were made yesterday by plain clothed policemen who infiltrated the People’s Dialogue, which was called by churches, trade unions and civil society organisations to discuss issues in Swaziland.

Although organisers made it clear the meeting was not about challenging the power of the state, it was widely condemned by supporters of the status quo in Swaziland because it was convened as an alternative to an official ‘smart partnership’ meeting due to take place next month which will be attended by the king and the prime minister.

Supporters of the People’s Dialogue believe previous ‘smart partnerships’ had no value because they did not achieve anything.