WFTU DELEGATION TO SWAZILAND

World Federation of Trade Unions

Media Release

Athens, Greece – July 26th, 2011

DELEGATION TO SWAZILAND

A delegation of the World Federation of Trade Unions travelled to Swaziland on the 20th to the 23rd of July 2011 to express once more the long lasting solidarity of the WFTU and its affiliates to the Swazi people and their struggle. The delegation met with the trade union federations, with the leadership of the trade union organizations, with the leadership of the banned democratic political party, PUDEMO and with the leadership of other organizations.

WFTU was fully updated for the brutal and anti-labor policy the Swazi people are undergoing, the heroic struggle of the trade union movement and the political parties who are struggling against the harassments and the terrorism of the monarchy as well as for the positive steps for the unity and the common struggle of the all the federations and the trade unions under a common umbrella-confederation with the name TUCOSWA.

The WFTU delegation discussed with the trade unionists and the political activists for the initiative of WFTU to organize on the 14th September 2011 in Strasburg, France an International Conference with the subject: “The struggle of the Swazi people for liberation and democracy”.

The delegation participated in the mobilization on the 21st of July 2011 of the trade union leadership and organizations who struggle to stop the HIV/AIDS to demand from the Swazi government to take all the necessary measures to maintain the supply of the ARV’s who are live-saving for the HIV patients.

WFTU expresses once again its solidarity to the struggle of the Swazi people for freedom and democracy, trade union and social rights.

With internationalist solidarity, we will continue our efforts to support their struggle in order for the poor people of Swaziland not to pay for the international economic crisis and the corruption with salary cuts and lay-offs. We will continue our struggle against the policy of the IMF which intents to strangle the working people in each country in favor of the profit of the multinational companies. We join voices with the Swazi people for trade union and democratic rights.

We demand the obviation of the banning of the political parties and the withdrawal of the accusation of being a terrorist group against PUDEMO. We demand the immediate release of all the imprisoned and the repatriation of those in exile. We struggle for the end of monarchy. We welcome the formation of the new umbrella confederation TUCOSWA, which strengthens the common struggle of the Swazi working people.