Swaziland’s Police Chief Isaac Magagula has labelled students in the kingdom as
anarchists after they campaigned for education for all.
Magagula was commenting on
a leaflet from the Swaziland National Union of Students issued to all potential
students seeking government scholarships which said in part, ‘right to
education campaign - free education or death’. Magagula who is National
Commissioner of the Royal Swaziland Police interpreted this as a call to
violence.
The Swazi
Observer,
a newspaper in effect owned by King Mswati III who rules Swaziland as
sub-Saharan Africa’s last absolute monarch, on Tuesday (1 August 2017) reported
Magagula saying, ‘[A]s the state security agency we find the message they seek
to propagate via the pamphlets very disturbing.’
The newspaper added, ‘He
went on to add that it is discernible that SNUS is all out to hold the country
hostage through sowing fear by stirring up anarchy and lawlessness.’
SNUS is not officially
recognised by the Swazi Government but it has grown in stature in recent years.
It has been at the forefront of a campaign against education cuts in Swaziland.
In June 2017, media
reported SNUS had asked ‘for police brutality to come to an end whenever
students demonstrate’. Police
routinely beat students and use tear gas when they protest.
In May 2017, SNUS launched a campaign for scholarships for all. They
want the Swazi Government to reverse a decision taken seven years ago to
prioritise courses and cut scholarships by 60 percent. Students want all
students admitted to higher learning institutions to have scholarships,
regardless of the programme they are doing or the institution they are in.
See also
GOVERNMENT
CHASES STUDENTS BEYOND GRAVE
ACTIVIST
STUDENT DENIED SCHOLARSHIP
POLICE SHOOT TWO STUDENTS IN HEAD
ARMED POLICE STOP STUDENTS PROTEST
SWAZI STUDENTS BEATEN TO PULP
SWAZILAND
POLICE ‘SHOOT STUDENTS’
http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2010/01/swazi-land-police-shoot-students.html
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