Police in
Swaziland are to investigate themselves after reports that officers ambushed
and tortured striking workers.
An
unnamed senior officer was reported in the Swazi
Observer newspaper saying, ‘We as the police have opened an inquiry of our
own over the allegations made against our officers.’
It relates
to reported attacks by police on workers at the Plantation Forest Company, near
Pigg’s Peak.
The newspaper said two investigations had been started, one of them independent of the police. The Observer reported on Tuesday (20 September 2016) that the senior office said, ‘everybody involved, be it the police officers or the workers themselves were all under investigation’.
The newspaper said two investigations had been started, one of them independent of the police. The Observer reported on Tuesday (20 September 2016) that the senior office said, ‘everybody involved, be it the police officers or the workers themselves were all under investigation’.
Meanwhile,
the Swaziland Agriculture and Plantations Workers Union (SAPWU) want to open
individual assault cases against police officers, following the alleged
assaults on Friday 9 September 2016.
General-Secretary
Manqoba Dlamini said, ‘We intend opening various assault cases against the
police. This is because the violation by police happened at various times
during the strike, but the Friday’s assaults were severe and most shocking.
That fateful Friday, police picked up five females and assaulted them in a
secluded location and further accused them of arson attacks at the Plantation
Forest Company sports field,’ he said.
Dlamini said
the names of the police officers involved in the alleged assault were known to
them.
Dlamini also said SAPWU intended to alert the International Labour Organisation (ILO) of the strike action by workers of the Plantation Forest Company. He said, ‘The poor working conditions suffered by workers coupled by the low wages topped off by attacks by police have to be told to the international community. Worth noting is that the assaults that happened on Friday started as a labour dispute that turned ugly,’ he said.
Dlamini also said SAPWU intended to alert the International Labour Organisation (ILO) of the strike action by workers of the Plantation Forest Company. He said, ‘The poor working conditions suffered by workers coupled by the low wages topped off by attacks by police have to be told to the international community. Worth noting is that the assaults that happened on Friday started as a labour dispute that turned ugly,’ he said.
See also
‘HORROR
TALE OF SWAZI POLICE TORTURE
POLICE ‘BRUTALLY ASSUALT’ WORKERS
http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2016/09/police-brutally-assualt-workers.html
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