Mar22 SD2007

In 2005, Maude Barlow wrote her fifteenth book entitled Too Close for Comfort: Canada's Future within Fortress North America. It's a chilling view of "deep integration" with the USA - we are to provide big brother with all the natural resources (oil, water, minerals, etc) and Mexico can provide the cheap labour. It's the American Dream. The 19th century notion of "manifest destiny" seems to be forever expanding. Their greedy eyes search each continent and they found a small African kingdom in the mountains. "Free trade" is always free for the USA but it's the people of the other country who will pay dearly.


According to the Times of Swaziland "March 17 either signals that freedom of peaceful assembly is finally being recognized or that every member of society is now unhappy with government and has moved from the comfort zones and demanding action." There were several organizational gatherings - the new police union, Swaziland Youth Congress (SWAYOCO), the People’s United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO), the Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT), the Swaziland Federation of Trade Unions (SFTU) the Swaziland Nurses Association (SNA), the Swaziland Coalition of Concerned Civic Organisations (SCCCO) and the Swaziland Federation of Labour (SFL).They "were also planning on how to beat government." April 12th will mark the 34th anniversary of the 1973 Decree which banned all political parties and gathering - the Swazi people will not accept this any longer.

SWAZI STORY TO 18m US VIEWERS

THE OBSERVER TIES UP WITH US TV

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manifest_Destiny

Mar 18 Police Union - We fooled them!

To follow current events in Swaziland see LATEST NEWS

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at http://swazilandsolidaritycanada.blogspot.com/

Mar8 Sd2007

Women of Inspiration

The king's newspaper, The Swazi Observer, is very much like a bad winter cold which just keeps spreading germs around and around. March 8th marks International Women's Day but Saturday's Weekend Observer got off to an early start with Dumisa Dlamini's article entitled Femininity is a Magical Wand for Women. Clearly it is the epitome of irrational thinking but what can we expect from the king's cheer leading journalists? Welcome to 21st century misogyny.

Dlamini's "feminine" depiction of half the population reduces women to objects of desire, materialistic wretches and empty headed vain creatures. This magical "she" is a perverted alchemist's concoction combining a seductive Salome, a materialist Marie Antoinette and a power hungry Margaret Thatcher! Is the author describing the mother of the king, the wives of the king, women in politics?

Indlovukazi - "she elephant", mother of the king - lives in luxury and tosses bit and pieces to destitute children and the elderly. Yes, isn't it generous to give stationary to rural schools while students can't pay school fees?

Inkhosikati - the wives of the king - are often the "patron" of NGOs or Arts organizations but prefer their Cinderella privileged lives. Need they pray for the nation?

And then there are women in politics like Constance Simelane. As Minister of Education, this absurdly ignorant women warned junior high students about the consequences of premarital sex - "crooked penises" and "mutilated genitals" - rather than explain the very real consequences of HIV/Aids! Now as the Deputy Prime Minister, Simelane wants parents arrested if they encourage their children to speak English at home.

So where shall girls and young women find their role models as we celebrate Women's Day? The true heroines of Swaziland are the young and teenage girls who try to manage family households after their parents are deceased, the grandmothers who watched their children die as they continue to care for the grandchildren left behind, and the widows who take to the streets to demand respect from the parasitic Swazi government. These are the women of dignity whom we remember and celebrate - the courageous and the noble. We shall not forget La Fakudze.

Jan 8, 2006 Death of LaFakudze

Feb 19, 2007 Widows’ march shocks traditionalists

Mar 3, 2007 FEMINITY IS A MAGICAL WAND FOR WOMEN

Feb 22, 2007 Indlovukazi donates E10,000 ($2000) stationery to rural schools

Feb 21, 2007 Inkhosikati LaMbikiza made executrix

Feb 22, 2007 Arrest parents who insist on English at home - DPM

Feb 24, 2007 Royal Exploitation:150 girls strip naked at Prince’s home