Swazi King Mswati III sent his top advisers to meet with union leaders in a bid to avert anti-government protests next week in Africa’s last absolute monarchy, a labour leader told the AFP news agency.
The king’s Liqoqo Advisory Council met with union leaders late yesterday (7 April 2011), hours after Prime Minister Barnabas Dlamini announced a ban on the protests planned to start Tuesday (12 April 2011), said Muzi Mhlanga, head of the Swaziland National Association of Teachers.
‘The king is scared of a revolution, so he sent his advisers to find out what we want,’ said Mhlanga, whose group is one of the protest organisers.
‘We told him we want a transitional government and multiparty democracy.’
‘The king is pleading that we cancel this thing. We told him it would be difficult because the decision has already been taken by our members,’ he added.
The council called a new meeting with the unions this afternoon for further talks, he added.
To read the full AFP report, click here.
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