SPECIAL MESSAGE ON THE PEOPLES PRESIDENT
21 March 2009
To all members and comrades of PUDEMO, all our friends and allies, we bring to you some very important thoughts from the President Mario Masuku.
It is important that we report to you that the President is doing fine in the prison walls of the dictatorial and repressive regime of the kingdom of Swaziland.
Comrades, the President assures you that he remains resolute and committed to the fight for a democratic Swaziland. The fighting spirit remains unbroken despite the harsh conditions and hostility paralleled with his medical condition.
The President takes great pleasure and comfort to the great work and contribution that PUDEMO is doing at the moment. He fully recognizes the contribution of solidarity by our friends on the international front. The President takes pride and draws confidence from the consistent work that is done on a daily basis.
He further recognizes the work of the Swaziland United Democratic Front that has remained unshaken in its objective of uniting our people for the liberation of the people of Swaziland.
Special thoughts go to the NNLC and its President, the labour movement, students and the church for their contribution towards the march for the democratization of Swaziland. The regime has become desperate and must be pressurized constantly.
The key towards the success of the struggle is UNITY and CONSISTENCY!
NOMA KUKUBI SIYAYA KU MULTI-PARTY
(INSPITE OF ALL THE CHALLENGES WE SHALL GET TO MULTI-PARTY DEMOCRACY)!
AMANDLA! AMANDLA!
Contacts
Dep. President – Sikhumbuzo Phakathi – 27-73-142-7594 (external)
Publicity Officer – Zakhele Mabuza – 26-607-3453 (internal)
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Friday, March 20, 2009
Statement on the Amnesty International Initiative to Apply Pressure on Swaziland
Statement on the Amnesty International Initiative to Apply Pressure on Swaziland
The Peoples United Democratic Movement welcomes and appreciates the initiative by Amnesty International to apply serious pressure on Swaziland to scrap off the Suppression of Terrorism Act of 2008; and cause the country’s leadership to democratize. We note that this has been a result of the tireless work of struggle put up by the democratic forces in the country; and the invaluable contribution of our friends and allies beyond the borders of Swaziland.
We call upon all democratic forces in the country, particularly the Swaziland United Democratic Front, the church and many others, to continue raising the heat against the regime; and surely our international friends will always be ready to compliment the efforts.
It is time the Swazi royal regime is firmly put on the spot. It can no longer hide and fool the world by claiming that the people of this country are enjoying peace, human rights and democracy when the contrary is true. Currently we have a scenario of atrocities that include the detention of PUDEMO President Mario Masuku; the abduction and torture of our comrades; the threat by the Prime Minister to fire all those workers in the public sector who are viewed to be anti status quo; the list is endless.
We further challenge all other international organizations including the SADC, AU Commonwealth, EU and many others to take the cue from Amnesty International. They no longer have a reason to disregard the atrocities that are committed constantly by the Swazi royal regime. They have a duty and responsibility to assist the people of this country to rid themselves of this dictatorship.
FORWARD WITH PRESSURE, FORWARD!!
Contacts
Dep. President – Sikhumbuzo Phakathi – 27-73-1427594 (external)
Publicity Officer – Zakhele Mabuza – 268- 607 3453 (internal)
The Peoples United Democratic Movement welcomes and appreciates the initiative by Amnesty International to apply serious pressure on Swaziland to scrap off the Suppression of Terrorism Act of 2008; and cause the country’s leadership to democratize. We note that this has been a result of the tireless work of struggle put up by the democratic forces in the country; and the invaluable contribution of our friends and allies beyond the borders of Swaziland.
We call upon all democratic forces in the country, particularly the Swaziland United Democratic Front, the church and many others, to continue raising the heat against the regime; and surely our international friends will always be ready to compliment the efforts.
It is time the Swazi royal regime is firmly put on the spot. It can no longer hide and fool the world by claiming that the people of this country are enjoying peace, human rights and democracy when the contrary is true. Currently we have a scenario of atrocities that include the detention of PUDEMO President Mario Masuku; the abduction and torture of our comrades; the threat by the Prime Minister to fire all those workers in the public sector who are viewed to be anti status quo; the list is endless.
We further challenge all other international organizations including the SADC, AU Commonwealth, EU and many others to take the cue from Amnesty International. They no longer have a reason to disregard the atrocities that are committed constantly by the Swazi royal regime. They have a duty and responsibility to assist the people of this country to rid themselves of this dictatorship.
FORWARD WITH PRESSURE, FORWARD!!
Contacts
Dep. President – Sikhumbuzo Phakathi – 27-73-1427594 (external)
Publicity Officer – Zakhele Mabuza – 268- 607 3453 (internal)
Statement on the Victory by the Swaziland National Ex-Mineworkers Association
Statement on the Victory by the Swaziland National Ex-Mineworkers Association on Free Education in Swaziland
We have always maintained over the years that the Swazi royal regime lacks vision and its action are not people-centered.
We salute the great work done by the Swaziland National Ex-Mine Workers Association to expose the regime, most recently by influencing the High Court of Swaziland to rule in their favour and order the state to offer free primary education in the country. The regime has been refusing to oblige in this regard, in total defiance of what is provided in its own constitution. Their refusal was anchored in the argument that the regime does not have the resources, an argument that was reiterated by the King when he opened parliament last month. A great lie indeed!! We believe there is a lot of money in Swaziland, but the priorities of distribution are not people- centered. Not when the regime is ruthlessly and arrogantly splashing money to:
*Build palaces at the cost of over R 100 m.
*Pay the military (R 148m); the police (R 128m).
*Buy new cars for Cabinet Ministers at the cost of R20m.
*Buy two cars for an embassy at R 6m.
*Use R 43m to equip the security forces to fight and suppress the calls for multi-party democracy in the country.
[US$1=Rand 10]
The list is endless - all this at the expense of developing the country’s human resource.
The civil society is fully justified to challenge this. We implore it to continue challenging the regime on many other atrocious issues that it commits against the masses of this country. We also applaude the judiciary for standing firm, not be intimidated by the regime and correctly rule against it. However, we are waiting to see how the regime will react as it is known to defy court rulings with impunity.
Contacts
Dep. President – Sikhumbuzo Phakathi 27-73-142-7594 (external)
Publicity Officer – Zakhele Mabuza – 268-607-3453 (internal)
We have always maintained over the years that the Swazi royal regime lacks vision and its action are not people-centered.
We salute the great work done by the Swaziland National Ex-Mine Workers Association to expose the regime, most recently by influencing the High Court of Swaziland to rule in their favour and order the state to offer free primary education in the country. The regime has been refusing to oblige in this regard, in total defiance of what is provided in its own constitution. Their refusal was anchored in the argument that the regime does not have the resources, an argument that was reiterated by the King when he opened parliament last month. A great lie indeed!! We believe there is a lot of money in Swaziland, but the priorities of distribution are not people- centered. Not when the regime is ruthlessly and arrogantly splashing money to:
*Build palaces at the cost of over R 100 m.
*Pay the military (R 148m); the police (R 128m).
*Buy new cars for Cabinet Ministers at the cost of R20m.
*Buy two cars for an embassy at R 6m.
*Use R 43m to equip the security forces to fight and suppress the calls for multi-party democracy in the country.
[US$1=Rand 10]
The list is endless - all this at the expense of developing the country’s human resource.
The civil society is fully justified to challenge this. We implore it to continue challenging the regime on many other atrocious issues that it commits against the masses of this country. We also applaude the judiciary for standing firm, not be intimidated by the regime and correctly rule against it. However, we are waiting to see how the regime will react as it is known to defy court rulings with impunity.
Contacts
Dep. President – Sikhumbuzo Phakathi 27-73-142-7594 (external)
Publicity Officer – Zakhele Mabuza – 268-607-3453 (internal)
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
More Plans for Repression in Swaziland
More Plans for Repression in Swaziland
On Monday, the Prime Minister informed Parliament that his government was preparing legislation targeted at public workers who are viewed to be political and critical of the oppressive regime. He boldly declared that his government already has identified targets and the Intelligence Branch will be used to hunt down and identify more targets. All the identified public workers will be forced to resign/denounce their membership in political organization. These are members of political organizations that are anti-status quo in general, PUDEMO in particular is the intended target.
As PUDEMO we have come to the following conclusion with regard to the government’s new repressive strategy:
a)In the near future, there will be politically enforced retrenchments within the public sector especially on those who are critical of the state’s dictatorship.
b)The offensive will not only end in the public sector, but will be extended to the private sector, especially because the king and government hold shares in many of the leading companies and parastatals.
c)Comrades will now be rendered unemployable in the country. Job opportunities will now be reserved as a reward for the passive and those who are pro-status quo. Employers will be forced to either toe the line or lose business.
d)The king’s mandate, that was issued last year when appointing the current Prime Minister, is firmly in motion. The strangulation of critics of the Swazi dictatorial regime is being implemented and varying strategies are constantly being crafted.
All this happens in a country that has its head, King Mswati III, currently entrusted by the SADC to chair the organization’s TROIKA on Peace, Politics and Governance. We ask ourselves if the country really deserves this honour when it has political crises, is an enemy of peace and good governance? Surely this act must be strongly condemned and not allowed to be part of a democratic, progressive and peaceful environment that characterizes the Southern Africa region.
Contacts:
Dep. President – Sikhumbuzo Phakathi 27-731427594
Sec. General – Sphasha Dlamini 268-6089783
Sec. for International Affairs – Sonke Dlamini 27-829231401
Information and Publicity – Zakhele Mabuza 268-6073453
On Monday, the Prime Minister informed Parliament that his government was preparing legislation targeted at public workers who are viewed to be political and critical of the oppressive regime. He boldly declared that his government already has identified targets and the Intelligence Branch will be used to hunt down and identify more targets. All the identified public workers will be forced to resign/denounce their membership in political organization. These are members of political organizations that are anti-status quo in general, PUDEMO in particular is the intended target.
As PUDEMO we have come to the following conclusion with regard to the government’s new repressive strategy:
a)In the near future, there will be politically enforced retrenchments within the public sector especially on those who are critical of the state’s dictatorship.
b)The offensive will not only end in the public sector, but will be extended to the private sector, especially because the king and government hold shares in many of the leading companies and parastatals.
c)Comrades will now be rendered unemployable in the country. Job opportunities will now be reserved as a reward for the passive and those who are pro-status quo. Employers will be forced to either toe the line or lose business.
d)The king’s mandate, that was issued last year when appointing the current Prime Minister, is firmly in motion. The strangulation of critics of the Swazi dictatorial regime is being implemented and varying strategies are constantly being crafted.
All this happens in a country that has its head, King Mswati III, currently entrusted by the SADC to chair the organization’s TROIKA on Peace, Politics and Governance. We ask ourselves if the country really deserves this honour when it has political crises, is an enemy of peace and good governance? Surely this act must be strongly condemned and not allowed to be part of a democratic, progressive and peaceful environment that characterizes the Southern Africa region.
Contacts:
Dep. President – Sikhumbuzo Phakathi 27-731427594
Sec. General – Sphasha Dlamini 268-6089783
Sec. for International Affairs – Sonke Dlamini 27-829231401
Information and Publicity – Zakhele Mabuza 268-6073453
Sunday, March 8, 2009
NAKED STATE PROPAGANDA TO PROMOTE OFFENSIVE AGAINST CALLS FOR DEMOCRATIC TRANSFORMATION
NAKED STATE PROPAGANDA TO PROMOTE OFFENSIVE AGAINST CALLS FOR DEMOCRATIC TRANSFORMATION
8 March 2009
As PUDEMO, we wish to address ourselves to two important issues as propagated by the royal regime in Swaziland with regard to what the state called ‘salary increase’, for workers in the public sector, and the so called proposed ‘national dialogue.’ As the vanguard organization we wish to clearly state that we disagree and condemn this state propaganda aimed at patronizing the populace.
1. Salary increase
The so much publicized declaration that the Finance Minister has requested Parliament to approve of a supplementary budget, so as to finance a planned increase in the salaries of public workers, is not honest. Workers in the public sector must be informed that the money requested is not meant to benefit them. On the contrary, it is meant to finance the king’s project of ‘strangling’ the democracy seeking elements in the country by all means necessary. We recognize that the police are going to benefit, but at a limited scale. The real destination of the bulk of the money is the military. The leadership of this country no longer has complete trust in the police force, but has full trust on the army in the campaign to suppress calls for democracy in the country. It is not a co-incidence that a new Ministry of Defence is soon to be created with the view to work towards sustaining the dictatorial regime. The regime is using the name of the public workers in its plan to finance the ever growing repression in the country!
2. National Dialogue
Responding to the growing pressure domestically and internationally for the Swazi regime to democratize, the government has resorted to its old tricks again in an effort to ease the pressure! Addressing editors this week, the Prime Minister declared that the regime is preparing for a national dialogue to resolve the political challenges in the country. However, he emphasized that the agenda will be pre-determined by the state and cannot be changed by anyone; and only labour formations will be invited to attend! We view this as cheap propaganda by the state aimed at deceiving the local populace as well as the international community that something is being done to address the peoples concerns on the political crises that the country finds itself in. PUDEMO condemns and does not recognize this initiative, but view it as poisonous propaganda which must not be accepted and believed by our people and the international community. In 1992, PUDEMO clearly put forward the correct and all inclusive approach to be adopted towards democratizing the politics of the country. As it is, we see no commitment from the King and his government towards embarking on a process towards genuine democratic transition in Swaziland; and the representation is not broad based. The regime seeks to undermine the existence of political parties including PUDEMO and its influence in the struggle for democratic change. We still maintain that there can be no democratic process without the involvement of political parties; and a broad based representation in the process.
Contacts
Deputy President - Sikhumbuzo Phakathi 0731427594
Sec General - Spasha Dlamini 009268 6089783
Sec for International Affairs - Sonke Dlamini 0829231401
Sec for Publicity and Information - Zakhele Mabuza 009268 6073453
8 March 2009
As PUDEMO, we wish to address ourselves to two important issues as propagated by the royal regime in Swaziland with regard to what the state called ‘salary increase’, for workers in the public sector, and the so called proposed ‘national dialogue.’ As the vanguard organization we wish to clearly state that we disagree and condemn this state propaganda aimed at patronizing the populace.
1. Salary increase
The so much publicized declaration that the Finance Minister has requested Parliament to approve of a supplementary budget, so as to finance a planned increase in the salaries of public workers, is not honest. Workers in the public sector must be informed that the money requested is not meant to benefit them. On the contrary, it is meant to finance the king’s project of ‘strangling’ the democracy seeking elements in the country by all means necessary. We recognize that the police are going to benefit, but at a limited scale. The real destination of the bulk of the money is the military. The leadership of this country no longer has complete trust in the police force, but has full trust on the army in the campaign to suppress calls for democracy in the country. It is not a co-incidence that a new Ministry of Defence is soon to be created with the view to work towards sustaining the dictatorial regime. The regime is using the name of the public workers in its plan to finance the ever growing repression in the country!
2. National Dialogue
Responding to the growing pressure domestically and internationally for the Swazi regime to democratize, the government has resorted to its old tricks again in an effort to ease the pressure! Addressing editors this week, the Prime Minister declared that the regime is preparing for a national dialogue to resolve the political challenges in the country. However, he emphasized that the agenda will be pre-determined by the state and cannot be changed by anyone; and only labour formations will be invited to attend! We view this as cheap propaganda by the state aimed at deceiving the local populace as well as the international community that something is being done to address the peoples concerns on the political crises that the country finds itself in. PUDEMO condemns and does not recognize this initiative, but view it as poisonous propaganda which must not be accepted and believed by our people and the international community. In 1992, PUDEMO clearly put forward the correct and all inclusive approach to be adopted towards democratizing the politics of the country. As it is, we see no commitment from the King and his government towards embarking on a process towards genuine democratic transition in Swaziland; and the representation is not broad based. The regime seeks to undermine the existence of political parties including PUDEMO and its influence in the struggle for democratic change. We still maintain that there can be no democratic process without the involvement of political parties; and a broad based representation in the process.
Contacts
Deputy President - Sikhumbuzo Phakathi 0731427594
Sec General - Spasha Dlamini 009268 6089783
Sec for International Affairs - Sonke Dlamini 0829231401
Sec for Publicity and Information - Zakhele Mabuza 009268 6073453
Thursday, March 5, 2009
STATEMENT ON SWAZILAND’S BUDGET FOR THE SUPPRESSION OF REVOLUTIONARY DEMOCRATIC FORCES
STATEMENT ON SWAZILAND’S BUDGET FOR THE SUPPRESSION OF REVOLUTIONARY DEMOCRATIC FORCES
5 March 2009
We wish to remind our friends and allies, locally and abroad, that the king’s mandate of suppressing voices calling for democracy in Swaziland is still alive. The king’s cabinet is fully determined to carryout the mandate. The Finance Minister made it known that this financial year the regime has made a special budget for this mandate amounting to R43 million ($4.7m).
We further note the arrogance of the state security agents as represented by the Police Commissioner, in his press statement this week, when he declared that they will suppress any protest marches in demand for democracy in the country with ‘military precision.’ This follows the successful rally last weekend by our Youth League. With all this money and threats we have reason enough to believe and suspect that the state is even preparing itself to create killer squads as part fulfillment of the king’s mandate to hunt down perceived enemies of the regime, both domestically and outside the borders of the country. This is happening at a time when the king is Head of the SADC Troika, an organ that is tasked with ensuring democratic governance and peace in member states. We condemn this misplaced priority and wastage of national resources when:
Unemployment has exceeded 40% recently.
HIV/AIDS also stands at over 40%.
Health care is very poor and inaccessible to the majority and poverty stricken population that make up 70% of the overall populace.
There is lack of clean water and accessible roads in rural communities.
The government cannot afford to provide free education.
All that is in the mind of the Swazi regime is to spend available resources to kill, maim, harass and suppress the democratic forces in the country.
However, PUDEMO remains resolute and focused on the national demands which are:
The introduction of constitutional multiparty democracy that shall guarantee the freedom of association, assembly and expression.
An end to the 36 year old state of emergency.
A people driven national constitution.
The scrapping of the Suppression of Terrorism Act of 2008.
The release of President Mario Masuku.
The return of all political exiles.
Surely the SADC region cannot afford to continue harboring this dirty sport in its midst!
Contacts:
Deputy President – Sikhumbuzo Phakathi 27-731427594
Sec. General – Sphasha Dlamini 268 6089783
Publicity Sec. – Zakhele Mabuza 268 6073453
5 March 2009
We wish to remind our friends and allies, locally and abroad, that the king’s mandate of suppressing voices calling for democracy in Swaziland is still alive. The king’s cabinet is fully determined to carryout the mandate. The Finance Minister made it known that this financial year the regime has made a special budget for this mandate amounting to R43 million ($4.7m).
We further note the arrogance of the state security agents as represented by the Police Commissioner, in his press statement this week, when he declared that they will suppress any protest marches in demand for democracy in the country with ‘military precision.’ This follows the successful rally last weekend by our Youth League. With all this money and threats we have reason enough to believe and suspect that the state is even preparing itself to create killer squads as part fulfillment of the king’s mandate to hunt down perceived enemies of the regime, both domestically and outside the borders of the country. This is happening at a time when the king is Head of the SADC Troika, an organ that is tasked with ensuring democratic governance and peace in member states. We condemn this misplaced priority and wastage of national resources when:
Unemployment has exceeded 40% recently.
HIV/AIDS also stands at over 40%.
Health care is very poor and inaccessible to the majority and poverty stricken population that make up 70% of the overall populace.
There is lack of clean water and accessible roads in rural communities.
The government cannot afford to provide free education.
All that is in the mind of the Swazi regime is to spend available resources to kill, maim, harass and suppress the democratic forces in the country.
However, PUDEMO remains resolute and focused on the national demands which are:
The introduction of constitutional multiparty democracy that shall guarantee the freedom of association, assembly and expression.
An end to the 36 year old state of emergency.
A people driven national constitution.
The scrapping of the Suppression of Terrorism Act of 2008.
The release of President Mario Masuku.
The return of all political exiles.
Surely the SADC region cannot afford to continue harboring this dirty sport in its midst!
Contacts:
Deputy President – Sikhumbuzo Phakathi 27-731427594
Sec. General – Sphasha Dlamini 268 6089783
Publicity Sec. – Zakhele Mabuza 268 6073453
Sunday, March 1, 2009
STATEMENT ON THE PUDEMO YOUTH LEAGUE (SWAYOCO) RALLY MARCH 1, 2009
PUDEMO Statement:
STATEMENT ON THE PUDEMO YOUTH LEAGUE (SWAYOCO) RALLY
ISSUED ON 1 MARCH 2009
The Youth League of PUDEMO successfully organized and held a rally yesterday (28 February) in the township of Msunduza in Mbabane. This was against the backdrop of arrogant threats by the Swazi regime that the rally must not be held because SWAYOCO is banned and so cannot freely operate in the country.
It must be noted that the objectives of the rally centred on the very issue of lack of democracy in the way the country is governed. Thus the Youth League demanded:
The release of the PUDEMO President, Mario Masuku detained under the Suppression of Terrorism Act of 2008 that is meant to target and deal with all those who are perceived as anti-status quo. The regime still refuses him visitation rights in complete and arrogant defiance of a ruling by the High Court of Swaziland that the rights must be restored.
The introduction of a constitutional multiparty democratic order in Swaziland that will guarantee freedom of speech, assembly and association.
The provision of basic, very necessary services to the people including free education, quality health care, meaningful social grants to the elderly, clean water, accessible roads, etc.
We further note that the regime continued to display its arrogance by deploying scores of armed security personnel in the capital city just to ensure that the rally does not succeed as the Police Commissioner had promised. However, against all these threats the rally went on and was successful, marking an important victory in the struggle for democracy in Swaziland.
That the state decided to unleash a huge amount of force in an attempt to stop the rally is further proof that the country is a dictatorship that cannot be accepted in the modern world. In its effort to stop the youth from expressing their demands, the whole area was turned into a war zone by the state police. In the process, young children, vendors and the whole community was not sparred from the police violence. Several comrades including the SWAYOCO President Wandile Dludlu are currently detained under the Suppression of Terrorism Act and the state security agents still continue to hunt down more with the intention of detaining them. However, this is victory to the struggle for democracy and a huge blow to the dictatorial regime in Swaziland.
Contacts:
Information and Publicity – Zakhele Mabuza 268-607-3453
Secretary General – Sphasha Dlamini 268-608-9783
Deputy President – Sikhumbuzo Phakathi 27-73-142-7594
Sec. for International Affairs (SWAYOCO) – Siyabonga Hlongwane 27-79467577
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