Kenworthy News Media
Protestors in Swaziland during the strike. Pictured from Facebook
Norwegian union confederation protests police brutality against striking workers in Swaziland, writes Kenworthy News Media.
In a letter sent to Swazi
Prime Minister, Ambrose Mandvulo Dlamini, on Tuesday, the Norwegian
Confederation of Trade Unions, LO Norway, protests against police firing rubber
bullets and teargas at public sector workers on strike last week. Several of
the strikers, who were demanding cost of living adjustments and a 7,85 per cent
salary increase, were injured.
– LO Norway is shocked to
learn that the General Secretary of the National Public Service and Allied
Workers Union (NAPSAWU) was shot with live ammunition, requiring his urgent
transfer to Raleigh Fitkin Hospital. LO Norway condemns in the strongest terms
this brutal attack, part of the letter reads.
– In addition, your
government directed the National Industrial Relations Court to have the strike
declared illegal, under reasons of being a “threat to national interest”. We
recall that the use of violence, even for purported reasons of internal
security, constitutes a serious violation of human and trade union rights, the
letter continued.
Union condemnation
Others, including the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), Public Services International (PSI) and the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU), have also condemned the conduct of the Swazi police.
– Respect for workers’
rights, good faith dialogue and a government that responds to people’s needs
and concerns – just like any other country, this is what Eswatini needs, not
state violence against the people. Eswatini’s King Mswati pledged to us earlier
this year to build these bridges, yet now we are seeing the government pulling all
stops to undermine them, said ITUC General Secretary Sharan Burrow.
– PSI condemns in the
strongest terms the barbaric behavior of the Kingdom of eSwatini police who
fired rubber bullets and threw teargas into crowds of striking workers who were
only demanding a Cost of Living Adjustment they have not received for 3 years
now. Workers attacked included Dumisani Nkuna, Secretary General of the Manzini
Branch of our affiliates the National Public Services & Allied Workers
Union (NAPSAWU), who was shot in the back, PSI said in a statement.
Public sector workers were
last awarded salary adjustments in the 2015/2016 financial year and all
negotiations with employers have not yielded any positive results, PSI added.
– Employers have remained
adamant on their position of a 0% salary increment. This put in the context of
annual inflation rates estimated as follows: in 2017 it was 6.22%, in 2018 it
was 4.83% and in 2019 it is estimated to be 5.63%., the statement concluded.
COSATU, in neighbouring
South Africa, also issued a strongly worded statement.
– We strongly denounce and
rebuke the manner in which Swaziland police have dealt with the strike action.
The peaceful workers’ protest turned into a battlefield when King Mswati once
again set his gladiatorial “trigger happy” police force on unarmed civilians in
the city of Manzini. Live ammunition, rubber bullets and tear gas were opened
on 8000 workers who were demonstrating, as part of the public servants’ strike
for an increase in cost-of-living salary payments, COSATU said in a statement.
In its annual Freedom
in the World-report,
independent watchdog organisation Freedom House concludes that “political
dissent and civic and labor activism are subject to harsh punishment under
sedition and other laws. Any criticism of Swazi culture and traditions or
defacement of national symbols—including the king’s image—can draw fines and up
to two years in prison”.
Human
Rights Watch concluded in
their 2017 report that “Swaziland continued to repress political dissent and
disregard human rights and rule of law in 2017”.
See also
Swaziland
police brutality under attack from international workers’ group
https://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2019/10/swaziland-police-brutality-under-attack.html
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