Mlumati Declaration July 1, 2006.

PUDEMO’s Mlumati Declaration July 1, 2006.

We, the Peoples’ United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO), a movement of the
struggling masses of the people of Swaziland met in foreign lands, at
Mlumati College in the Republic of South Africa’s Mpumalanga province on
this 28 June to 1 July 2006, to chart a way forward towards our freedom
from the Swazi royal family and its surrogate government called
'tinkhundla'.

We meet in these foreign lands not out of choice, but for the simple
reason that we are denied the right to associate and the right to
conscience in our own country by a family that regards our people as mere
objects of abuse.

We noted that:

History has tasked us with the noble responsibility to free our people
from royal bondage and 'tinkhundla' exploitation.

Our people are poor and have the highest HIV/AIDS infection in the world
primarily because of their poverty.

Our women folk are the most oppressed sector of our people.

The liberation of our people must be an act of the people themselves.

The forces of change are not united around the liberation programme.

The oppressive forces are weak and in disarray.

The royal constitution, as we have always maintained, is a farce intended
to further entrench the current social order, where one family oppresses
our people.

The 'tinkhundla' self-inflicted crisis as well as economic mismanagement,
rampant corruption, and political bankruptcy are a catalyst for its
downfall.

The international community has seen the oppressive nature of the royal
government and the threat it poses to regional, continental and world
peace.

The royal family continues to unleash its police and army on the innocent
people of our country, and in the past year, we have seen many of our
people dying at the hands of the police.

True freedom had never come without sacrifice.

The people of South Africa have continued to give solidarity and support
to our people, and for that, our people are greatly indebted to them. The
same goes to the people of Denmark, and all those who support our struggle
in one form or another.


We resolve that:

PUDEMO shall continue with the historical role bestowed on it of leading
the forces for change in Swaziland.

The central task is to unite the people of Swaziland and work with and
within them for their liberation. In this regard, we resolve to continue
to engage and unite the primary motive forces of our society. These
include the workers, youth, women, business, rural folk, and the church.

There is an urgent need to redirect and invigorate the movement’s external
offices for the main purpose of intensifying the call to the international
community to isolate the king, his family and the 'tinkhundla' system of
government. Urgent tasks here include the continued exposure of the daily
suffering of our people at the hands of the royal family. Further, it is
resolved that the offices must intensify the call for the introduction of
smart sanctions against the royal family and the 'tinkhundla' system of
government. Lastly, the external offices must continue to muster
international support for our movement, as without it the freedom of our
people shall be delayed.

The royal constitution, which was imposed by the King on our people, is
rejected with the contempt it deserves. In this regard, PUDEMO shall not
participate in elections organized under the royal constitution. PUDEMO
shall continue to struggle for a free multiparty democratic Swazi society,
where all people are given equal opportunity.

PUDEMO and the people of Swaziland reserve the right to defend themselves
against the royal police brutality.

Solidarity is our key weapon that has paralyzed the royal oppressive
institutions, and shall continue to take us forward as we march to victory.

Our 6th general congress which is due in the next few months has been
tasked to present a concrete programme of action for our liberation.


We declare that:

PUDEMO shall continue to strive for a peaceful resolution to the Swazi
political crisis. We love our motherland Swaziland, and the people who
live in her and for that we shall continue to struggle for its liberation
from the clutches of 'tinkhundla' royal oppression.

The freedom of our people cannot be delayed further and the time for us to
join the free nations of the world is now. We call upon SADCC, the African
Union, the Commonwealth and the United Nations to intervene in Swaziland
before the country degenerates to civil war as in other countries of our
continent.


On the international front we declare:

Our solidarity with the struggling peoples of the world: the people of
the Darfur, of Cuba and Palestine. We support the creation of an
independent Palestinian state with the unconditional return of all lands
under Israeli occupation.

We also support the right to the Israeli state and its people to exist and
live side by side in peace with the Palestinian people.

We support a peaceful resolution to the crisis in Zimbabwe, Iraq, and
Afghanistan. We believe too many lives have been lost in the latter two
countries and any more person killed is one too many.

We congratulate the people of Nepal for freeing themselves from royal
oppression. They are a source of inspiration to our people.

Finally, we declare to the world our undying commitment to the peaceful
struggle for a free Swaziland, and we believe our time for freedom has
come.

Yours in the struggle for a free Swaziland,

Ignatius Bonginkosi Dlamini
Secretary General