WFTU DELEGATION TO SWAZILAND

World Federation of Trade Unions

Media Release

Athens, Greece – July 26th, 2011

DELEGATION TO SWAZILAND

A delegation of the World Federation of Trade Unions travelled to Swaziland on the 20th to the 23rd of July 2011 to express once more the long lasting solidarity of the WFTU and its affiliates to the Swazi people and their struggle. The delegation met with the trade union federations, with the leadership of the trade union organizations, with the leadership of the banned democratic political party, PUDEMO and with the leadership of other organizations.

WFTU was fully updated for the brutal and anti-labor policy the Swazi people are undergoing, the heroic struggle of the trade union movement and the political parties who are struggling against the harassments and the terrorism of the monarchy as well as for the positive steps for the unity and the common struggle of the all the federations and the trade unions under a common umbrella-confederation with the name TUCOSWA.

The WFTU delegation discussed with the trade unionists and the political activists for the initiative of WFTU to organize on the 14th September 2011 in Strasburg, France an International Conference with the subject: “The struggle of the Swazi people for liberation and democracy”.

The delegation participated in the mobilization on the 21st of July 2011 of the trade union leadership and organizations who struggle to stop the HIV/AIDS to demand from the Swazi government to take all the necessary measures to maintain the supply of the ARV’s who are live-saving for the HIV patients.

WFTU expresses once again its solidarity to the struggle of the Swazi people for freedom and democracy, trade union and social rights.

With internationalist solidarity, we will continue our efforts to support their struggle in order for the poor people of Swaziland not to pay for the international economic crisis and the corruption with salary cuts and lay-offs. We will continue our struggle against the policy of the IMF which intents to strangle the working people in each country in favor of the profit of the multinational companies. We join voices with the Swazi people for trade union and democratic rights.

We demand the obviation of the banning of the political parties and the withdrawal of the accusation of being a terrorist group against PUDEMO. We demand the immediate release of all the imprisoned and the repatriation of those in exile. We struggle for the end of monarchy. We welcome the formation of the new umbrella confederation TUCOSWA, which strengthens the common struggle of the Swazi working people.

WORLD UNIONS IN SWAZI SOLIDARITY

Statement of solidarity with peace-loving people of Swaziland from the World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU).

SOURCE

14 April 2011

The WFTU expresses shock and condemns the brutal response of the Swaziland government against the peaceful demonstrations by its own citizens. It is well known all over the world that the people of Swaziland are demanding a democratic government which will rule in the genuine interests of all the citizens of that country. It is also known that the oppressed and exploited people of Swaziland are against the concentration of the resources of that country in the corrupt hands of the family of the monarchy and its cronies. It is also known that the corrupt and cruel conduct of the despotic rule of the monarch has reduced that country into a ruin of abject poverty. The citizens are victims of unemployment and diseases. This kind of cruelty is unacceptable in our modern day and age.

We call on the monarchy and its henchmen to stop the brutal assaults of the people

We call on the Swaziland police to stop arresting and torturing the people and their leaders. We stand by our friends in the Swaziland Federation of Trade Unions (SFTU), Swaziland Federation of Labour (SFL) and the Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT).

We call for the immediate and unconditional release of all arrested comrades and their leadership. Over the past three days over 50 union leaders and the whole leadership of PUDEMO inside Swaziland have been arrested for organising peaceful protests to demand free political activity and protest against job cuts and retrenchments.

We call for the recognition of the legitimate democratic demands of the people of Swaziland primary being the unbanning of political parties. We call on the regime to open dialogue with the liberation movement of the people of Swaziland, Peoples United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO).

We call on the leaders of Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the African Union (AU) to intervene and assist in finding a democratic solution that will be acceptable to the people of Swaziland. Our call also goes to the South African government to play its role in the situation in Swaziland.

We reiterate our unequivocal solidarity with the people of Swaziland and the leaders of their organizations. We call on all our members, worldwide, to take solidarity action with the people of Swaziland. All our member unions must establish Swaziland Democracy Campaign chapters in their countries in order to intensify the global solidarity movement in support of the liberation struggle led by PUDEMO and its allies in the Swaziland United Democratic Front-SUDF.

As the WFTU we will always be on the side of the oppressed. Our 16^th congress was very clear in giving us marching orders in support of all struggling people of the world.

Let the struggle intensify until freedom is achieved.

ALUTA CONTINUA!

SOLIDARITY WITH SWAZI PROTEST

Solidarity messages in support of the protest march held in Swaziland on Wednesday (17 November 2010) have come in from all over.

Here are some of them.

Action for Southern Africa (ACTSA) supports the people of Swaziland in their quest for democracy, development, rights and justice. We support the efforts of those in Swaziland who are progressing the struggle for democracy, rights and freedom, in spite of the challenges imposed against them by the regime and add our voice of support to those from across southern Africa. The Swazi people are denied democratic rights; their freedom to organise and of expression is under the attack and in a country with the highest rate of HIV in the world there is a deepening economic crisis.

The Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa (DENOSA) joins the international community in supporting nurses and the entire working class of Swaziland as they embark on a mass action to demonstrate their opposition to the oppressive regime that exists in their country. With great admiration we commend the courage of Swaziland workers and community for their bold move to fight for democracy. We also wish to emphasize that we stand with them in their struggle to abolish the rule of a dictatorial rule.

POPCRU joins the millions of progressive Allies in general in the country and across the globe to offer our unqualified support in consolidation of the demands for Democracy by the people of Swaziland and for the people of Swaziland. We applaud all progressive organizations in Swaziland unqualified for resolving to merge to form one Federation as part of the deepening of working class hegemony in the fight for Democracy and Freedom of Association in Swaziland. We reiterate a call for all revolutionaries to join all Swazis, Civil Society, Organized Labour and Community Based Organizations in Swaziland to work together for a real change against poverty, under-development, repressive regime, high prevalence of HIV/AIDS and absence of freedom of association.

SAMWU salutes the trade union, civil, faith-based and social organisations of Swaziland for their continued courageous struggle for the democratic soul of Swaziland. As the infamous anniversary of Black Wednesday is once again upon us, we are reminded of the complete absence of democratic rights in Africa’s last remaining dictatorial monarchy. It is very clear at this time that the democratic movement in Swaziland is not only in a state of renewal, but is showing a determination that has not been seen for many years. The unity of purpose that is being shown by all democratic organisations is truly inspirational, despite the heavy handed responses of the repressive regime.

Swaziland Democracy Campaign South Africa takes this opportunity to express its full and profound support to the Wednesday, 17 November 2010 mass action in Swaziland, led by its counterparts, the SDC Swaziland Chapter. We salute the courage of Swazi workers and progressive forces in general for their undying commitment to the democratic cause. In this regard, we continue to render our fullest support. We further assure our comrades inside Swaziland and the world in general, that we shall never abdicate our responsibility to offer practical solidarity to the struggling people of Swaziland. The hostility of the Tinkhundla regime is the more reason for us to intensify our solidarity.

World Federation of Trade Unions salutes the gallant people and the working people of Swaziland in their determined and unwavering struggle against oppression and exploitation. We stand on the side of the masses of people who struggle to abolish poverty and want, unemployment and diseases, homelessness and hunger – the people who say enough is enough to the rule by the corrupt monarchy that continues to squander resources of the country whilst the poor citizens are ravaged by poverty and diseases, and HIV/AIDS in particular. We call on all peace loving people and organizations, all over the world, to support the efforts and struggle of the people of Swaziland led by their progressive organizations.

And a solidarity message from Unison is posted here.