COSATU is the Congress of South African Trade Unions and today they have sent this press release out concerning Swaziland.
Mar 17 COSATU condemns Swazi police brutality
Briefly, textile workers in Swaziland have been on strike since Mar 3 so the "royal police" and army have been called in. The Swaziland Coalition of Concerned Civic Organisation has reported today that Royal Swazi Police use teargas, baton rounds (rubber bullets) and live ammunition on unarmed and unprotected women who are legally striking for the right to the lowest standard of living that can be called decent.
Mar 17 SCCCO Statement on Police and Army at textile strike
Also see SWAZI POLICE SHOOT IN THE BACK
For Canadians:
Please write to Canadian Foreign Affairs asking that they:
1) immediately contact the Swazi government to request that police and army refrain from this bloody frenzy!
2) request that a Canadian mission be immediately dispatched to Swaziland to evaluate the conditions in this "unique democracy".
Mr Maxime Bernier
Minister of Foreign Affairs
BerniM@parl.gc.ca
Canadian High Commission in Pretoria
Ms Ruth Archibald
High Commissioner to South Africa, Botswana, Swaziland and Lesotho
pret@dfait-maeci.gc.ca
Mr Vincent Charron
High Commission Swaziland Desk
Vincent.Charron@international.gc.ca
If you are able to write one note copied to these 3 addresses I would appreciate it very much. If you know others who are concerned about human rights and workers' rights, kindly forward to them. Thanks.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Monday, March 3, 2008
Mar 3 SD 2008
Discontent in Swaziland grows daily yet the government fails to address the fundamental issues: food shortages, inadequate health care, high rates of unemployment, political repression and the list grows. Since 2007 police have been struggling to form a union which will have strength to negotiate collectively and now the army is following suit.
Feb 26 Over 600 000 needed food aid late last year
Feb 26 Govt hospitals are a health hazard
Feb 20 Aggrieved soldiers form secret union
When the Prime Minister isn't busy flying all over the world to talk of Swaziland's "unique democracy" or chowing down the country's wealth, he can be found praying with the police. This fellow who talks of "preserving our Swazi culture" seems to use God and religion as long as it keeps him and the sycophants in power. If the police were truly allowed to "excel in their duties in order to fight crime in the country" they would be heading straight to the royal palaces!
Feb 24 PM prays with the police
In the past two weeks there have been at least three cases of petrol bombing incidents at the parliament and a police station. The authorities behave as if more oppression will change the situation and fail to realize they can not simply blow out a fire! The king's newspaper, the Swazi Observer writes of "terrorists" which sounds too much like Bush rhetoric. In 2005, Brussels based International Crisis Group wrote a report entitled Swaziland: The Clock is Ticking. In April of 2006 Laurie Goering of the Chicago Tribune wrote "Swazi frustration isn't hard to understand."
Mar 3 Nhlangano police station petrol bombed
Feb 24 Parliament ‘bombed’ — again
Feb 26 Over 600 000 needed food aid late last year
Feb 26 Govt hospitals are a health hazard
Feb 20 Aggrieved soldiers form secret union
When the Prime Minister isn't busy flying all over the world to talk of Swaziland's "unique democracy" or chowing down the country's wealth, he can be found praying with the police. This fellow who talks of "preserving our Swazi culture" seems to use God and religion as long as it keeps him and the sycophants in power. If the police were truly allowed to "excel in their duties in order to fight crime in the country" they would be heading straight to the royal palaces!
Feb 24 PM prays with the police
In the past two weeks there have been at least three cases of petrol bombing incidents at the parliament and a police station. The authorities behave as if more oppression will change the situation and fail to realize they can not simply blow out a fire! The king's newspaper, the Swazi Observer writes of "terrorists" which sounds too much like Bush rhetoric. In 2005, Brussels based International Crisis Group wrote a report entitled Swaziland: The Clock is Ticking. In April of 2006 Laurie Goering of the Chicago Tribune wrote "Swazi frustration isn't hard to understand."
Mar 3 Nhlangano police station petrol bombed
Feb 24 Parliament ‘bombed’ — again
Feb 17 Petrol bombers left note for authorities
Feb 16 Parly marquee petrol bombed before opening session
April 19, 2006 Observers see trouble ahead in Swaziland
Feb 16 Parly marquee petrol bombed before opening session
April 19, 2006 Observers see trouble ahead in Swaziland
A recent documentary about Swaziland was released on dvd in January and features several activist from the People's United Democratic Movement (Pudemo) and Swaziland Youth Congress (Swayoco). Without the King contrasts royal life of a 'princess of the palace' with daily life in Moneni. This is a realistic look at the huge disparities in Swaziland - huge disparities created and perpetuated by the royal elites. To watch a 2 minutes preview click youtube.com/without the king
This documentary will be shown in Saint John on Wednesday March 5 at the public library at Market Square. It is an 80 minutes presentation which will be shown at 11am, 1pm and 3pm.
Thanks to Mackenzie for finding another site which focuses on Swaziland. The blogger is Richard Rooney an Associate Professor of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Swaziland. It seems even academics know the power of and take advantage of alternative media.
http://swazimedia.blogspot.comTo follow current events in Swaziland see LATEST NEWS
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