Condemnation for the arrest of political and labour activists in Swaziland

Swaziland: Exhausted but not broken, Comrade Christine Olivier, IMF executive committee member and second deputy president of South African affiliate the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) relates how the Swazi police detained and deported her, along with other South African and trade unionists that were in Swaziland on a solidarity visit to give their support for the calls for democracy.

She describes how police stormed a meeting of organisers the day before the planned march, declaring that it was a political gathering which is banned under the repressive government of Swaziland's monarchy. When Swazi participants refused to single out their foreign guests, everyone present were arrested and detained at police headquarters.

At the police station, the South African trade unionists were separated from the group and their passports and cellphones confiscated.. The police accused them of "invading the country with the intention of overthrowing the monarch".

Several hours later the Swazi detainees, among whom was Frank Mncina the General Secretary of IMF affiliate Swaziland Amalgamated Trade Union (SATU)  were released.

The South African unionists were held and questioned for five hours, after which six trade unionists were taken in the night on a three hour journey accompanied by about a hundred police to a South African border point. The Pongola border point was deliberately chosen to ensure that the unionists were most inconvenienced as it is very far away from Johannesburg, where they all reside.

At the border, the police released all but one of the six trade unionists. Sikhumbuzo Phakathi, a Swazi citizen working in Johannesburg for a South African trade union is also the deputy president of PUDEMO, a banned political party opposed to King Mswati III government is presumed to be in jail now but Swazi activists have been unable to get confirmation on his whereabouts and well being.

Since this incident, more arrests have taken place of Swazi activists as well as the detention and deportation of other foreign activists including more South African trade unionists.

Mncina of SATU reports that about 700 people took part in yesterdays march in Manzini despite intimidation and the fact that police turned back buses bringing other protestors to the march. He says that the march was organised as a lawful labour protest after political and socio economic issues that were put forward to the Labour Advisory Board could not be addressed in that forum.

Swaziland is one of the world's last absolute monarchies ruled by King Mswati III, who is presiding over the 37^th year of the world's longest state of emergency. Political activist and journalist Mike Marqusee writes after a recent visit with trade unionists and democracy activists in Swaziland "King Mswati III controls the parliament, appoints cabinet ministers, judges and senior civil servants and makes and breaks the law at will. Political parties are banned, along with most demonstrations and meetings. Shouting the wrong slogan or wearing the wrong tee shirt can get you locked up as a "terrorist". Trades unionists and human rights activists face surveillance, house searches, arbitrary detention and torture. Strikes are illegal. Gatherings of any kind are often broken up by police assaults. The media is subject to constant harassment and intimidation. During the latest wave of repression, in May, democracy activist Sipho Jele, who had been arrested and interrogated, was allegedly "found" by police hanging from the rafters in a prison toilet." In July this year Mswati ruled out future political dialogue, rejecting public consultation.

Mswati is ranked 15^th richest monarch in the world, only two below Queen Elizabeth II of the UK. Mswati's lavish lifestyle is incongruent with the absolute poverty of his people. More than 70% live on less than a dollar a day and 25 percent on food aid.  Official unemployment is at 40%, with many Swazis seeking employment in South Africa as migrant workers. Swaziland has the highest HIV prevalence in the world with one in four Swazis between the age of 15 and 49 living with HIV/AIDS. It has the highest annual rate of AIDS deaths and 15% of households are headed by orphaned children.

Another march is scheduled to take place today in Swaziland's capital Mbabane. The Swaziland Democracy Campaign has also organised a picket at the Swazi Consulate today in Johannesburg, South Africa to demand an immediate end to the arrests and intimidation in Swaziland.

"Our detention and deportation won't silence us on the oppression of the Swazi people, it just makes seeking democracy more urgent" says Olivier of NUMSA "we will do it again and again and again until the people of Swaziland are free."

eSwaziland Siyaya: We are going to Swaziland no matter what!.