6 October, 2011Mary Pais Da Silva is a 33 year old lawyer, working as coordinator for the Swaziland Democracy Campaign. Currently in Geneva, Switzerland, together with a delegation of six persons from different movements in Swaziland, she wants to set the human rights record straight.
SWITZERLAND: The Swaziland delegation came to Geneva, Switzerland, for the United Nations Universal Periodic Review of the Human Rights situation in the world, to set the Swaziland human rights record straight. Da Silva took the opportunity to visit the IMF headquarters and have talks with IMF assistant general secretary Fernando Lopes.
"The Swaziland minister of justice, appointed by the king, didn't present the true picture," Da Silva says. "We have made an own review, which we have submitted to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights."
The Swaziland Democracy Campaign (SDC) is an offspring of the Swaziland United Democratic Front, an umbrella organization for a multitude of movements in the country, including unions. It works globally to lobby for democratic reform and a multiparty system in Swaziland, a kingdom, where human rights and political activists are brutally assaulted by police, and where people are exposed to arbitrary arrests and raids.
"People have been detained for long periods, after which they are dumped in remote areas," says Da Silva. "There have even been killings." Recently a young man was arrested for wearing a t-shirt bearing the logo of PUDEMO, an opposition party.
"We have SDC chapters all over the world," says Da Silva. They are mainly in Africa, most of them in South Africa, but also in the United Kingdom, Denmark, USA and Canada. "We organize demonstrations and organize lobbying activities."
Mary Da Silva has travelled extensively in Africa in her capacity of coordinator for the Democracy Campaign. "My family taught me about equality, and I early became involved in human rights work." She has also worked with poverty issues and children's rights. In 2008 she came in contact with PODEMO. In February 2011, when the Democracy Campaign was launched in Swaziland, she became fully involved.
"The IMF will continue to support unions and social movement struggles for democracy in Swaziland and everywhere else," Fernando Lopes assured Da Silva.
"The Swaziland minister of justice, appointed by the king, didn't present the true picture," Da Silva says. "We have made an own review, which we have submitted to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights."
The Swaziland Democracy Campaign (SDC) is an offspring of the Swaziland United Democratic Front, an umbrella organization for a multitude of movements in the country, including unions. It works globally to lobby for democratic reform and a multiparty system in Swaziland, a kingdom, where human rights and political activists are brutally assaulted by police, and where people are exposed to arbitrary arrests and raids.
"People have been detained for long periods, after which they are dumped in remote areas," says Da Silva. "There have even been killings." Recently a young man was arrested for wearing a t-shirt bearing the logo of PUDEMO, an opposition party.
"We have SDC chapters all over the world," says Da Silva. They are mainly in Africa, most of them in South Africa, but also in the United Kingdom, Denmark, USA and Canada. "We organize demonstrations and organize lobbying activities."
Mary Da Silva has travelled extensively in Africa in her capacity of coordinator for the Democracy Campaign. "My family taught me about equality, and I early became involved in human rights work." She has also worked with poverty issues and children's rights. In 2008 she came in contact with PODEMO. In February 2011, when the Democracy Campaign was launched in Swaziland, she became fully involved.
"The IMF will continue to support unions and social movement struggles for democracy in Swaziland and everywhere else," Fernando Lopes assured Da Silva.