NO RIGHTS FOR GAYS: JUSTICE MINISTER

Chief Mgwagwa Gamedze, the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, says Swaziland will not give human rights to gay people, because they don’t exist in the kingdom.

Or, he concedes, if they do exist there are too few of them to worry about.

Gamedze was responding to criticism of Swaziland by a United Nations working group on human rights that said the kingdom should enact equality laws for LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) people.

He told the Times Sunday newspaper government would not recognise and legalise same-sex marriages because homosexuals either do not exist or form a minority in Swaziland.

The newspaper reported Gamedzesaying it was hard to introduce rights for people who did not exist. If they existed, he said, they were very few – ‘very very few’.

The newspaper reported Gamedze saying, ‘It was difficult for government to formulate a policy on homosexuals or enact a law to recognise them because they actually formed a minority if ever they existed.’

The minister said the position of Swaziland on homosexuals was that ‘the numbers do not permit us to start processing a policy’.

Gamedze’s ignorance is breath-taking, because, of course, there is no state in the world where LGBT people are in a majority, but that doesn’t stop other countries, such as South Africa, enacting laws to ensure members of this community have their rights. In a democracy it is up to the majority to ensure that minorities have the same rights as everyone else.

Gamedze showed further ignorance when he told the Times Sunday that there was no LGBTgroup in Swaziland that was asking for recognition. In fact one group called HOOP (House of Our Pride), had reported to the very same UN working group that had criticised the Swazi government.

HOOP had said LGBT‘are hugely discriminated against in the Swazi community, as they are not recognized at community meetings and their points are often not minuted at these meetings nor are they allowed to take part in community services’.

Police often ridicule LGBTpeople if they report they have been victims of violent crime, HOOP reported

HOOP is calling on the Government to include LGBT issues in its agenda to help to increase the acceptance of LGBT, even at community levels in Swaziland.

Not everyone in Swaziland is as ignorant as Gamedze.

Muzi Mhlanga, the Secretary General of the Labour Coordinating Council (LCC), told the Times Sunday the kingdom’s three main labour organisations backed human rights for LGBT people.

He said that rights for gays and lesbians were discussed everywhere they attended conferences. He said the LGBT community should not be discriminated against on the basis of sexual orientation.

He said, ‘We would definitely fight for a [union] member who has been fired or expelled from school or work on the basis of sexual orientation.’

See also

SWAZI MINISTER LIES TO UN ON GAYS

http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2011/10/swazi-minister-lies-to-un-on-gays.html

GAY PREJUDICE RIFE IN SWAZILAND

http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2011/09/gay-prejudice-rife-in-swaziland.html

SWAZILAND HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT

http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2011/11/swaziland-human-rights-report.html

SWAZI GOVERNMENT RUNS TO COURT

The Swazi Government has run to court to try to stop protests taking part in the Global Week of Action for Swaziland that starts on Monday (5 September 2011).

The Swaziland Labour Coordinating Council reports that the Industrial Court will meet today (Saturday 3 September 2011) at 12.00 hrs local time to hear the case.

See also

GLOBAL WEEK DAILY NEWS ED 2

http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2011/08/global-week-daily-news-ed-2.html

UNIONS TO MEET ON WAY FORWARD

14 April 2011

Labour Coordinating Council

Press Release

SOURCE

APRIL 12 PROTEST ACTION

The Labour Coordinating Council, which comprises of the Swaziland Federation of Labour, Swaziland Federation of Trade Unions and Swaziland National Association of Teachers, embarked on a protest action to promote and defend issues of socio economic interest billed for the 12th to the 15th April 2011.

The LCC held a crisis meeting at the SNAT Centre on the 13th April 2011, resolved and observed as follows;

The protest action was lawful in all aspects. However workers were very surprised and angered by the government's decision to arbitrarily ban this legal protest action. Thousands of workers participated in this action but were met with brute force unleashed by the armed forces on the instruction of the Prime Minister.

Hundreds of workers were subjected to violence, assaults, arrests, detentions and other forms of abuse, despite the legality of the action.

Our assessment is that the action was a resounding success. Workers have exposed the undemocratic nature of the Swaziland government and clearly sent a message to our people and the entire world that the time for multiparty democracy in Swaziland is now.

To this end, we wish to salute the Swazi workers and the entire Civic Society for this gallant effort. Our salute further goes to the friends of the Swazi struggle for their solidarity and sacrifice.

The LCC seeing the danger and frustrations to members and the leadership, decided to call for a sit in and a night vigil at the SNAT Centre on the 13th April 2011. However, a contingent of around 500 joint state security personnel forcefully broke into the premises of the Teachers Union Centre and physically searched the around 400 demonstrators gathered there. The force then pushed all the workers into the mist of the night. We are still compiling reports on the specifics of those that are missing.

The action has been officially suspended pending a decision of a General Council meeting as referred to below.

A Joint General Council meeting will be held on the 19th April 2011, starting at the SNAT Centre starting at 9hrs00 to decide on the way forward.

SFTU, SFL, SNAT.

SDC: LABOUR PROTEST SUSPENDED

Statement from the Swaziland Democracy Campaign

14 April 2011

SOURCE

PROTEST SUSPENDED!!

The leadership of the LCC (Labour Coordinating Council) has decided that in the best interests of its members, the protest action shall be suspended indefinitely.

This should not be taken as a sign of failure, but for what it is: a tactical retreat to re-strategise on the next phase of this mass rolling action.

It should be noted and applauded that the Swazi activists have not conceded defeat. We know that in every war, strategies are defined and redefined according to the prevailing circumstances and in this instance it is necessary to take a step back and take stock of what has happened. We draw our lessons from this and then plot the best way forward.

We in SDC Swaziland wish to express our profound gratitude to:

1. All our solidarity partners for the messages of solidarity and encouragement sent which have emboldened us more.
2. The international media for profiling the events and struggles of our country.
3. The Catholic Church of the Diocese of Manzini for offering sanctuary to activists despite the fact that security forces were camped at the Bishop’s house, Cathedral and Catholic Centre entrances.
4. Everyone else that has supported us in our plight.

We wish to assure the world that no matter how bad the brutality, repression, suppression and oppression; no matter how long this fight will take; we will persevere. We will win this one come what may.

To the government of Swaziland: WE WILL BE BACK SOONER THAN YOU EXPECT!