8 September, 2010Swaziland government attempts to crush trade unionists and pro-democracy movement as international solidarity support for a just and free society for Swazi people grows.
SWAZILAND: A peaceful pro-democracy march was disrupted by police forces in the Swaziland capital, Mbabane on September 8. The marchers tried to hand a letter to the Minister of Labour, but police disrupted the protest and arrested four activists who were released afterwards.
The trade unionists and pro-democracy supporters were meeting to plan the marches, the first of which took place in Manzini on September 7, but police forces disrupted the preparatory meeting in Manzini on September 6, arresting 50 labour and pro-democracy activists and journalists.
IMF executive committee member and the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) deputy president Christine Oliver was among those arrested and deported, and Frank Mncina general secretary of Swaziland Amalgamated Trade Union (SATU) and IMF affiliate was arrested and released with a warning.
On September 7, police raided the Swaziland Federation of Trade Unions (SFTU), confiscating pamphlets and placards that had been prepared for the demonstration and arrested and deported at least nine members of the South African Municipal Workers' Union (SAMWU). On the same day, the People's United Democratic Movement President Mario Masuki was also arrested and put under house arrest.
The IMF has written to Swaziland Prime Minister Dlamini condemning the blocking of peaceful assembly and demonstrations, arrest of labour and pro-democracy activists and the police raid of the SFTU headquarters.
"The extreme action of mobilizing police forces to raid the headquarter offices of a trade union confederation, the SFTU, along with the arrests, police blocking delivery of a petition, and house arrest of prominent public figures can only by deplored by the world," writes IMF General Secretary Jyrki Raina.
A copy of the IMF letter is published on the IMF website. IMF calls on its affiliates to send similar letters to Prime Minister Dlamini, copied to King Mswati.
To read a first hand account of the arrests and deportations on September 6, go to the IMF Africa news page here.