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Recent Articles about Southern Africa Repression / prisoners[South Africa] Renewed appeal for Solidarity with the Boiketlong 4 Aug 15 18 Desde Uruguay, solidaridad con los cuatro de Boiketlong Aug 16 17 The situation in Swaziland
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Thursday December 01, 2005 21:08 by Michael - ZACF
Statement by the People's United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO) This is a public statement by the People's United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO), the mainstream political opposition movement in Swaziland. We, the Zabalaza Anarchist Communist Federation (ZACF) of southern Africa, also organise in Swaziland and support the pro-democracy movement, but agitate for it to go beyond the usual bourgeois betrayal and involve a destruction of the Swazi capitalist state and its replacement by decentralised popular assemblies of communities and producers. As the only revolutionary organisation in Swaziland, our members are among those who have suffered jail at the hands of the monarchist police, so our position is directly informed by personal experience. This is a public statement by the People's United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO), the mainstream political opposition movement in Swaziland. We, the Zabalaza Anarchist Communist Federation (ZACF) of southern Africa, also organise in Swaziland and support the pro-democracy movement, but agitate for it to go beyond the usual bourgeois betrayal and involve a destruction of the Swazi capitalist state and its replacement by decentralised popular assemblies of communities and producers. As the only revolutionary organisation in Swaziland, our members are among those who have suffered jail at the hands of the monarchist police, so our position is directly informed by personal experience.
1st December 2005The royal family regime wastes public funds to buy support from soldiers and police - Swaziland must stand up fight to overthrow the family now!The Dlamini family regime has once again proved to the people of Swaziland that it does not care about their welfare. Recent expenditure where about E333 Million has been used largely to increase salaries for cabinet ministers, member of parliament, police and soldiers. Only an insignificant amount was allocated to public spending where the people will benefit.
255 years of Royal slavery.Since 1750 one minority family has ruled the people of Swaziland with iron fist. Like everywhere in the world there comes a time when the people say enough is enough. The time for Swazis to say enough of Royal slavery has come. The hour to remove this iron yolk and the chains of oppression is now.35 years of state of emergency and Tinkhundla oppression.It was on April 12, 1973 when the Dlamini family repealed the independence constitution and assumed absolute control of our people. Political parties were banned, parliament dissolved and the King ruled our people by decree. A state of emergency was forced on our people. One man called a King assumed supreme powers over our people.This has taken many forms over the past 35 years. The people have been virtually held hostage by one man and his family under the guise of a Royal family. The people have been demanding their human dignity and rights in peace over the past 35 years. The people have over the past 35 years peacefully resisted this modern day slavery. Many peaceful demonstrations, hunger strikes, memorandums and letters, petitions and various representations to the family have been made. The family has responded violently to this peaceful resistance.Over the past 35 years the family responded violently on the peaceful people, and these took different forms:
Other forms of abuse of our people by the Dlamini family.The family has continued to loot the resources of the people of Swaziland. These have taken the following forms:
The ConstitutionThe king and his family had on numerous occasions made it clear that there was no need for a constitution in Swaziland.The people under PUDEMO fought many battles for a constitution of the country. When the pressure was unbearable on the family, the King decided to hijack the initiative and force a Royal constitution on the people. The major problems the people have with the constitution include the five major areas:
The question here, what should a people do to free themselves from such a vicious family? PUDEMO believe in dialogue. The proof of this is its tolerance over the past 25 years. However, in Swaziland the king does not want dialogue. He is scared of allowing the people to be free to decide their own future. This is because he knows that a free Swazi will not agree to be a servant that provides service for free under the guise of culture and tradition. Challenge the king to open genuine national dialogue. We challenge anyone out there who thinks he can convince the king to allow the people of Swaziland to a genuine dialogue that will help usher in a new democratic political dispensation to help. Swaziland is in crossroads today; either dialogue or war. Let the world know, we never chose war, but war has been imposed on us by the king and his family. This has happened over a period of 35 years. PUDEMO shall never surrender to the oppression of the king and his family. King Mswati will be remembered as the King who failed the people of Swaziland. He will be remembered as a last king who allowed the country to engage in a bitter civil war that destroyed this tiny African state at a time when the rest of the region was embracing democracy and progressing forward. Never again shall our children be slaves of King Mswati's children. We know the price we have to pay for our freedom. We are prepared to pay the highest sacrifice for the freedom of our people and the generations to come. We are prepared to die for our freedom. The people want a process that is driven by them, that cannot be reversed, and that can guarantee amongst others:
This hard fact can never be taken away from our history as a nation, and we salute our comrades, both fallen and alive for their heroic struggle and selfless sacrifice for the people to be free from 255 years (1750 – 2005) of royal bondage. Finally we call upon the freedom loving people of the world to support us morally, financially and otherwise for freedom of our people is near. The struggle for the emancipation of the Swazi people continues.
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