Af Peter Kenworthy, Afrika Kontakt
(8. september 2011)
Tusindvis af repræsentanter for Swazilands demokratibevægelse har i denne uge været på gaden i et forsøg på at speede en demokratiseringsproces op, men det sydafrikanske lands enevældige konge og regering møder enhver form for fredelig protest med pressecensur, vold, tortur, og i nogle tilfælde, endda likvideringer og mord.
After a comparatively restrained conduct during the pro-democracy demonstrations in Swaziland earlier in the week, Swazi police have started detaining, beating, and even shooting at demonstrators. “Teargas and batons were allowed to do the talking by the forces as the enraged security forces unleashed their ugly side,” as local newspaper The Swazi Observer put it.
The demonstrators are demanding democracy and social reform in Swaziland, a small absolute monarchy where political parties are banned and two thirds of the population survive on less than a dollar a day. Swaziland is nominally a middle-income country.
According to a press statement from banned pro-democracy party, the People’s United Democratic Movement, the police started the “shooting of peacefully demonstrating students in the Swazi capital Mbabane” earlier today (8. September). “A number of them have been taken into hospital for sustaining serious injuries,” the statement further claimed.
The alleged shooting (which the police deny took place) comes after an incident yesterday, where police had pounced on members of the South African trade union federation, Cosatu, who were in Swaziland to support the calls for democracy of Swaziland’s unions.
“Police pounced on a demonstration in the small eastern town of Siteki this morning. The police were attempting to arrest Cosatu deputy president, Zingiswa Loti,” says Sikelela Dlamini from the Swaziland United Democratic Front. “Seeing this, Swazi trade unionists, attempted to shield their visitors. This caused the police to beat the ‘human shield’ to a pulp before arresting Zingiswa alongside Cosatu deputy international secretary, Zanele Matebula. Both were subsequently forcefully driven to the South African border by the police.”
According to Sikelela Dlamini, many prominent members of the Swazi democratic movement were beaten up during the incident, including Swaziland Federation of Labour Secretary General Vincent Ncongwane, IRALE’s Gugu Malindzisa, Swaziland Federation of Labour’s Phumelele Zulu and Swaziland National Association of Teachers Spasha Dlamini. “Spasha was doing badly, bleeding in a police cell, when I last checked,” he says.
Ifølge Afrika Kontakt er Swazilland et enevældige monarki der på overfladen ønsker at fremstå som et demokrati, men politiske partier er forbudt og i realiteten bestemmer den enevældige kong Mswati III alt. Landet er desuden plaget af stor fattigdom, ulighed og arbejdsløshed, samt verdens højeste antal aids-smittede per indbygger, mens kongen og eliten bruger enorme summer af statskassens penge på luksusforbrug.
Læs mere på:
http://www.sydafrika.dk/swazi-police-assault-pro-democracy-protesters
