ANC WANTS SADC SWAZI RIGHTS PROBE

South Africa’s African National Congress has called for Swaziland to be investigated by SADC for abuse of human rights.

King Mswati III rules Swaziland as sub-Saharan Africa’s last absolute monarch. Political parties are banned from taking part in elections and political dissent is crushed by the Suppression of Terrorism Act (STA), even though the Swazi High Court has declared it unconstitutional.

Reporting on the outcomes of the international relations commission at the ANC national policy conference, chairperson Miriam Segabutla said the people of Swaziland were suffering “gross human rights violation”.

The African News Agency reported Segabutla saying, “The commission reflected on the nature of the Swazi monarchy, where the King wields executive, judicial and legislative power.”

The commission recommended that the ANC explore mechanisms of strengthening its solidarity campaign on Swaziland and formalise the party-to-party relations with the People’s United Democratic Movement (Pudemo), Swaziland’s best-known political party.

Segabutla added the commission also supported the call by the people of Swaziland for the unbanning of political parties and the release of all political prisoners, and that the issue of Swaziland be placed before the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) for intervention.

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.’

See also

TERROR ACT CHANGES STALL AT SENATE

http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2017/03/terror-act-changes-stall-at-senate.html

 

COURT: SWAZI TERROR ACT UNCONSTITUTIONAL

http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2016/09/court-terror-act-unconstitutional.html

SWAZI TERROR DECISION TO BE APPEALED

http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2016/09/swazi-terror-decision-to-be-appealed.html

COPS HALT ANC LEADER MEDIA BRIEFING

Police in Swaziland broke up a press conference on Wednesday (12 February 2014) held by the Secretary-General of the African National Congress (ANC), Gwede Mantashe.

Journalists were reportedly ‘frog-marched’ out of the venue at Lugogo Sun, Ezulwini, by police.

The Swaziland Solidarity Network (SSN) said the meeting was to brief the media about a delegation led by Mantashe the day before that met with political parties in the kingdom.

In a statement, the SSN said, ‘Under the auspices of the Socialist International, the ANC delegation had robust and candid discussions with the Ngwane Liberation Congress, the Swaziland Democratic Party (SWADEPA) and Peoples United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO).’

All political parties are banned from taking parts in elections in Swaziland, where King Mswati III rules as sub-Saharan Africa’s last absolute monarch.  PUDEMO is also banned under the Suppression of Terrorism Act, as is SSN.

Reports on social media from people at the press conference said the Swazi police banned the press conference for ‘security reasons’.

International media, including the South Africa Broadcasting Corporation (SABC), were among the media excluded.

ANC ANGRY AT BRUTAL SECURITY FORCE

The African National Congress (ANC) in South Africa is the latest organisation to condemn Swaziland’s use of security forces to brutally quash democracy protests.

Swaziland is set for national elections later this year and democracy activists have been trying to draw attention to King Mswati III’s autocratic rule in the kingdom as sub-Saharan Africa’s last absolute monarch.

But, attempts to hold a prayer at a cathedral,a public meeting at a restaurant and a public rally in a township were all put down by police and security forces. Police claimed they were all threats to state security.

Leaders of the protests have been charged with sedition.

Chief among the democrats’ concerns is that political parties are barred from taking part in the election. Generally, in Swaziland, any political party that opposes the king’s autocratic rule are branded ‘terrorists’, banned outright and supporters are hounded by state security forces.

The ANC, in a statement, said it was, ‘[D]eeply concerned about the current political environment in neighbouring Swaziland where a group of unarmed civilians involved in a peaceful demonstration has been violently broken up by security forces.’

It likened the current situation in Swaziland to that under the apartheid regime in South Africa.

It said, ‘Having emerged from a brutal past of apartheid that has led to scores of our people being assassinated, assaulted, detained and imprisoned, South Africa is today a world-renowned democratic constitutional model. Were it not for the National Party-led minority regime having been forced by the masses of our people to engage in a dialogue with the African National Congress (ANC) and other liberation movements prior to 1994, this would not have been possible.

‘We therefore, call on the government of Swaziland to work towards the normalisation of the political environment by unbanning opposition political parties, releasing political activists and engaging in a meaningful dialogue with opposition political and trade union leaders to find a collective solution to the socio-economic situation faced by that country.

‘As seen in South Africa prior democracy, the use of security forces to quell any form of political dissent and failure to address legitimate concerns of citizens, can only lead to the worsening of relations between government and civilians, something that does not augur well for economic stability.

‘In the interest of maintaining the much-needed stability within the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC), we strongly believe that the situation in Swaziland requires an urgent attention.’

The use of state security forces to quash legitimate protest in Swaziland has put the international spotlight on the kingdom in recent weeks.

The Swaziland United Democratic Front (SUDF) and the Swaziland Democracy Campaign (SDC), in a joint statement said police in Swaziland were now a ‘private militia’ with the sole purpose of serving the Royal regime. 

In April, the  Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa (OSISA) reported to the AfricanCommission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) meeting in The Gambia that Swaziland was becoming a ‘military state’. OSISA reported that the Swazi army, police and correctional services were being deployed to ‘clamp down on any peaceful protest action by labour or civil society organisations ahead of the country’s undemocratic elections’. 

Separately, the US Embassy in Swaziland voiced its ‘deep concern’ about the way the police engaged in ‘acts of intimidation and fear’ against people seeking their political rights. 

See also

NOW, ELECTION MEETINGS ARE ‘SEDITIOUS’

http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2013/04/now-election-meetings-are-seditious.html

SWAZI POLICE NOW ‘A PRIVATE MILITIA’

http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2013/04/swazi-police-now-private-militia.html

SWAZILAND ‘BECOMING MILITARY STATE’

http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2013/04/swaziland-becoming-military-state.html

TIME FOR INTERNATIONAL ACTION NOW

14 April 2011

Swaziland Solidarity Network statement

SOURCE

THE TIME FOR INTERNATIONAL ACTION ON SWAZILAND IS NOW

The Swaziland Solidity Network welcomes the very encouraging statement released by the African National Congress [ANC] on the political crisis in Swaziland.

The statement acknowledges the fact that violence was completely one sided, with a fully armed police service brutally suppressing a peaceful protest.

However, the ANC, as a ruling party needs to take a stand and put pressure on its governing structures to force the government of Swaziland to unban political parties and initiate genuine dialogue.

The situation in Swaziland has the potential, in the next few days, to escalate into more violence and therefore the time for action is now.

Issued by the Swaziland Solidarity Network [SSN]

See also

ANC SAYS UNBAN POLITICALPARTIES

http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2011/04/anc-says-unban-political-parties.html

ANC SAYS UNBAN POLITICAL PARTIES

14 April 2011

ANC Media Statement

SOURCE

ANC CALLS ON THE SWAZI GOVERNMENT TO UNBAN POLITICAL PARTIES AND INITIATE DIALOGUE

The African National Congress (ANC) is deeply concerned about the current political environment in neighbouring Swaziland where a group of unarmed civilians involved in a peaceful demonstration has been violently broken up by security forces.

Having emerged from a brutal past of apartheid that has led to scores of our people being assassinated, assaulted, detained and imprisoned, South Africa is today a world-renowned democratic constitutional model. Were it not for the National Party-led minority regime having been forced by the masses of our people to engage in a dialogue with the African National Congress (ANC) and other liberation movements prior 1994, this would not have been possible. We therefore, call on the government of Swaziland to work towards the normalisation of the political environment by unbanning opposition political parties, releasing political activists and engaging in a meaningful dialogue with opposition political and trade union leaders to find a collective solution to the socio-economic situation faced by that country.

As seen in South Africa prior democracy, the use of security forces to quell any form of political dissent and failure to address legitimate concerns of citizens, can only lead to the worsening of relations between government and civilians, something that does not augur well for economic stability. In the interest of maintaining the much-needed stability within the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC), we strongly believe that the situation in Swaziland requires an urgent attention.

It is in the government of Swaziland’s interest and its people to resolve the internal conflict in that country – a step that will certainly bolster its political and economic relations with other countries. Having been involved in African Union (AU) missions to work towards ensuring an end to conflicts in North Africa, it is also in South Africa’s interest to see a politically stable Swaziland.