One of Swaziland’s foremost
pro-democracy groups has called on governments and activists across Africa to
support the campaign for freedom in the kingdom ruled by King Mswati III.
The Swaziland Solidarity
Network (SSN) made the call ahead of a Mobilising International Solidarity for
the Democratisation of Swaziland conference in Johannesburg on Saturday (29
July 2017).
SSN spokesperson Lucky
Lukhele told News 24 Africa
needed to be leading the fight for democracy in Swaziland where King Mswati
rules as sub-Saharan Africa’s last absolute monarch.
Lukhele told the news
station, ‘Before we go to Europe, Africa must take its part in liberating the
people of Swaziland. We are dealing with a monarch system in Swaziland,
therefore, democracy is not going to be given on a silver platter. It’s not
going to be easy to achieve democracy in that country we need solidarity.’
Swaziland has been condemned for many years by international freedom watchdogs. Political parties cannot contest elections and all groups, including SSN, that advocate for democracy are banned under the Suppression of Terrorism Act (STA).
Swaziland has been condemned for many years by international freedom watchdogs. Political parties cannot contest elections and all groups, including SSN, that advocate for democracy are banned under the Suppression of Terrorism Act (STA).
In 2014 the United States withdrew trading privileges from Swaziland under the Africa Growth Opportunity
Act (AGOA) because the kingdom had
not fulfilled all the requirements of the programme, including respect for
human rights.
The US
wanted Swaziland to implement the full passage of amendments to the
Industrial Relations Act; full passage of amendments to the STA; full passage
of amendments to the Public Order Act; full passage of amendments to sections
40 and 97 of the Industrial Relations Act relating to civil and criminal
liability to union leaders during protest actions; and establishing a code of
conduct for the police during public protests.
Amnesty International in April 2015 renewed its criticism
of Swaziland for the ‘continued persecution of peaceful political opponents and
critics’ by the King and his authorities.
The human rights organisation called for both the STA
and the Sedition and Subversive Activities Act (SSAA) to
be scrapped or drastically rewritten.
It said the Swazi authorities were using the Acts, ‘to
intimidate activists, further entrench political exclusion and to restrict the
exercise of the rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful
assembly.’
The one-day conference is hosted by the People’s
United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO), probably the best-known of the
pro-democracy organisations in Swaziland. It is also banned under the STA. PUDEMO
invited a number of organizations based in South Africa and internationally,
among others the South Africa Communist Party, the trade union federation, COSATU,
and the African National Congress (ANC).
See also
TERROR ACT CHANGES STALL
AT SENATE
http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2017/03/terror-act-changes-stall-at-senate.html
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