COURT FAILS TO STOP SWAZI PROTEST

AFP

4 September 2011

SOURCE

Court bid to stop Swazi protests

The Swaziland government has sought a court injunction to block a week of planned pro-democracy protests in a country were political parties are banned.

Unions said the demonstrations would go ahead across the country as part of a "Global Week of Action for Swaziland," stepping up pressure for democratic reform on King Mswati III.

Trade Unions, the only organisations legally allowed to hold demonstrations, said the government had launched a last minute injunction at the Industrial Court on Saturday.

The court ruled that the unions had to remove certain grievances from their list of demands, including a call to scrap generous perks for politicians, but the unions said they would go ahead with the protests.

The head of Swaziland Federation of Trade Unions, Barnes Dlamini, said: ""This time around we are not stopping.

"Once we hit the streets nobody is going to stop us from saying what we want to say."

The protests come as South Africa is poised to sign a controversial $343m bailout to help ease a crippling financial crisis in the kingdom.

Political parties have been banned in Swaziland since 1973 and Mswati holds ultimate executive, legislative and judicial power.

The demonstrations are being organised by a coalition of pro-democracy movements known as the Swaziland Democracy Campaign.

To read the full AFP report, click here.

SUPPORT FOR ARRESTED UNIONISTS

Unite trade union, UK

Statement

16 May 2011

SOURCE

Swazi trade unionists arrested while participating in a joint Unite and DFID project

Unite the union has called on the government of Swaziland to immediately and unconditionally release three Swazi trade unionists, who were participating in a UK government funded project with Unite, promoting equality and tackling HIV and Aids.

Unite the union has condemned the deplorable actions of the Swaziland regime, who on the 14 May arrested the three Swazi trade unionists.

The three colleagues, Barnes Dlamini, Gugu Malindzisa and Emmanuel Dlamini, who are the Swazi coordinators for the Unite and DFID [Department for International Development] project were arrested while they facilitated a workshop, in the Eastern Town of Siteki, on building capacity within society in order to tackle HIV and Aids and empowering women.

Simon Dubbins, Unite director of international, said: ‘I think it is astonishing that in a country which has the highest prevalence rates of HIV in the world, we find a government - through its own paranoia - is trying to halt the good work of the trade unions in trying to tackle the biggest threat that faces the Swazi people.’

Unite calls on the Swazi regime to immediately and unconditionally release these colleagues.

See also

UNION ARRESTS SPARK GLOBAL ACTION

http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2011/05/union-arrests-spark-global-action.html

40 POLICE SURROUND UNION OFFICE

About 40 police have surrounded the Swaziland Federation of Labour (SFL) trade union office in Manzini, completely trapping the trade union leaders and members inside, the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) reports.

‘From a call we received from Vincent Ncongwane [SFL secretary general]the crackdown continues and seemingly fiercer than before. Police are everywhere in Manzini and Mbabane harassing members of the public. These tactics are meant to intimidate and scare people away from the marches and activities planned for the next three days.’

Cosatu also says that Barnes Dlamini, President of the Swaziland Federation of Trades Unions and others who were arrested this morning (11 April 2011) have now been released.

ALL SWAZIS ARE SUSPECT, SAY POLICE

Cops raid Swazi activist

AFP

SOURCE

Swazi police today (11 April 2011) raided the home of a top union leader as security forces cracked down on activists on the eve of planned protests against King Mswati III, Africa's last absolute monarch.

"People who are suspected to be behind the hostile events planned in the country are being raided, irrespective of their position," said police commissioner Isaac Magagula.

"Everyone is a suspect until proven otherwise," he told AFP.

"Right now we are conducting massive raids at places suspected of hiding material which is considered to be a threat to national security," he said.

The early morning raid was at the home of Barnes Dlamini, president of the Swaziland Federation of Trade Unions, who is one of the organisers of the demonstrations planned to start tomorrow (Tuesday).

"They produced a warrant. They were looking for guns, explosives and any material within my house that would connect me to any terrorist act," said Dlamini.

Dlamini said police had visited his home over the weekend, while he was in South Africa, and harassed his family. He said they did not find anything.

Unions are at the forefront of the protest calls because political parties are banned in Swaziland.

Last week the national organiser of the banned Swaziland Youth Congress, Mcolisi Ngcamphalana, said he was held and tortured by police for 24 hours.

Three days of protests are to be held from Tuesday in the main city of Manzini, said Vincent Ncongwane, secretary general of the Swaziland Federation of Labour.

Last week Prime Minister Barnabas Dlamini declared the demonstrations illegal and warned anyone who took part did so at their own risk.