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ALERT! ZACF MEMBER ARRESTED BY "WHITE" SWAZI DICATORSHIP

category southern africa | repression / prisoners | news report author Wednesday October 05, 2005 23:51author by Zabalaza Anarchist Communist Federation - ZACF Report this post to the editors

"mk", a member of the zacf's underground structures in swaziland was among eight swaziland youth congress (swayoco) members arrested by police following a swayoco demonstration in the city of manzini last saturday (1/10/05).


ALERT! ZACF MEMBER ARRESTED BY "WHITE" SWAZI DICATORSHIP

"mk", a member of the zacf's underground structures in swaziland was among eight swaziland youth congress (swayoco) members arrested by police following a swayoco demonstration in the city of manzini last saturday (1/10/05). the swayoco demonstration was to protest against king sobhuza ii's autocratic decree of 1973 that outlawed all pro-democratic political activity in this, africa's last remaining "white" (monarchist) dictatorship. today sobhuza's successor, king mswati iii, presides over one of the world's highest hiv/aids infection rates, in a country where for people to draw water from a stream without permission is a crime - while he continues to splurge millions of rands on a private jet, swan around in a R2-million luxury maybach vehicle and a string of palaces, and kidnap schoolgirls as his brides.

over the past two years, the zacf has established a presence in swaziland as the only grassroots revolutionary organisation pushing for the overthrow of the king and of the british-south african extractive capitalism he supports. working within and outside of swayoco, the zacf has popularised anarchist class struggle ideas among politically-conscious youth. countering saturday's swayoco demonstration in which the zacf particpated, the royal swazi police fired warning shots and in the resulting chaos, arrested "mk" and seven swayoco comrades. last month, however, the shoe was on the other foot, when an armoured police "hippo" that wandered into comrade-controlled territory found itself stoned and petrol-bombed.

"mk" and his seven comrades have apparently been charged with "disturbing the peace" - a charge that was of course not levelled at the police who started the shooting. "mk" was visited in the "zakhele detention centre" in manzini last night (4/10/05). he is in high spirits, but is an ill man and is not able to take his regular medication. bail has been set at R1,500 by the state, but civic organisations are trying to get the bail reduced to R500 - still a huge sum in this extremely poor southern african country.


MI & MD,
International Secretaries,
Zabalaza Anarchist Communist Federation,
South Africa & Swaziland


ZACF
Postnet Suite 153
Private Bag X42
Braamfontein
2017
South Africa

Related Link: http://www.zabalaza.net/
author by Nestor - Anarkismopublication date Thu Oct 06, 2005 01:12author address author phone Report this post to the editors

This report in Italian:

Related Link: http://www.anarkismo.net/newswire.php?story_id=1463
author by Anonymouspublication date Thu Oct 06, 2005 02:11author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Hi,

i pulled up the information for the Kingdom of Swaziland's ambassador/embassy in Washington DC,

Ms. Nomalungelo Magagula
Embassy of the Kingdom of Swaziland
3400 International Drive, NW., Suite 3M
Washington, D.C. 20008-306
202-362-6683

would ZACF like for those outside Swaziland to contact their ambassadors/protest at embassies to try and put pressure for the release of MK?

in solidarity
G

author by mitchpublication date Thu Oct 06, 2005 11:08author email wsany at hotmail dot comauthor address author phone Report this post to the editors

Ok, appeal with appropriate US Embassy address has been forwarded to a number of lists/comrades.

Protest letter sent to Swazi US Embassy , by the WSA, late today.

author by Martinpublication date Thu Oct 06, 2005 20:54author address author phone Report this post to the editors

20 BUCKINGHAM GATE
LONDON, SW1E 6LB
UNITED KINGDOM

TEL: +44 (0) 20 76306611
FAX: +44 (0) 20 76306564
email: enquiries@swaziland.org.uk

author by m schmidt - zacfpublication date Fri Oct 07, 2005 01:43author address author phone Report this post to the editors

while we are not great fans of petition & picket politics, sometimes it does have its place and we would be okay with comrades abroad picketing swazi embassies demanding the release of the "manzini 8".

for security reasons, we would prefer that any pickets / posters refer to the eight detainees as swaziland youth congress (swayoco) members rather than mentioning the zacf.

such actions will at least educate people abroad about conditions in swaziland, where i've personally seen riot police arresting people singing gospel songs - because it's an illegal gathering!

author by m schmidt - zacfpublication date Fri Oct 07, 2005 23:26author address author phone Report this post to the editors

good news! "mk" has just been released on a reduced bail of R500 and he is doing fine. he and his comrades are due to appear in court on october 17, but no official charges have been put to them yet.

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