Aug20 Sd2006

Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
w.b.yeats


This week in Toronto more than 20,000 people gathered for the
XVI International Aids Conference. The registration fees were
posted in US dollars ranging from $550 to $995 for regular
delegates and $150 to $240 for youths/students. (American
dollars in Canada eh?) Added to that the cost of travel,
accommodation and meals, it's easy to see how these events
become big business.

While participants discussed microbicides, ARVs, vaccines,
malnutrition, poverty, women's rights, 3 by 5, traditional
medicines and so on, the newspapers in Swaziland choose
a different angle for the HIV /Aids crisis. You see, if God has
all the cures then the Swazi government can not be held
responsible.

Aug 14 Accept Jesus to overcome HIV/AIDS, says activist


Last month the Commonwealth Secretariat replied to a letter by a
Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) of New Brunswick.
Matthew Neuhaus, Director of Political Affairs, wrote "Under
the new Constitution, Article 25 guarantees the freedom of
assembly and association, which includes the establishment
of political parties...The Commonwealth is in close dialogue
with His Majesty the King and key political leaders on this,
to ensure that this constitutional right is upheld and protected."
It seems Mr Neuhaus didn't read the news article "NNLC
Rejected" from March 11th of this year.

Mar 11 NNLC rejected

The Peoples United Democratic Movement of Swaziland has
criticized the Commonwealth's position for more than a decade.
Dr Jabulane Matsebula, of PUDEMO's International Office in
Australia, once again responds to this ongoing hypocrisy. He
brilliantly points out what the Commonwealth refuses to look at
in his paper entitled Violent Political Repression in Swaziland.

Aug 14 PUDEMO: Violent Political Repression in Swaziland

If you've an opinion for the Commonwealth Secretariat, let them hear it!

Director of Political Affairs - Mr Matthew Neuhaus
m.neuhaus@commonwealth.int

Secretary General - Mr Don McKinnon
info@commonwealth.int


Ask you MLA to write a similar letter to the Commonwealth.
MLA addresses can be found at http://www.gnb.ca/legis/index-e.asp
If that page is not working, try first name.last name@gnb.ca


FOR MORE INFORMATION see http://swazilandsolidaritynetworkcanada.wikispaces.com/