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Wednesday 18 August 2010

SWAZILAND GLOBAL DAY OF ACTION - 4

Media statement issued by the People’s United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO) on 17 August 2010.

PUDEMO supports Global Day of Action

Isolate the Swazi Dictatorship!

Things must change, things will change!

The People’s United Democratic Movement-PUDEMO welcomes the intensification of the call for democracy in Swaziland. For the past 27 years the people’s movement has been in the forefront of the struggle mobilizing and uniting our people against the despotic Swazi regime which denies our people their basic rights. For 27 years our members have been harassed, arrested, tortured and killed. For 27 years the people of Swaziland have fearlessly rallied behind PUDEMO in the struggle for democracy. It has been a long walk with the international community turning a blind eye on the issues.

Today we are encouraged to note that the peoples of the world through their organisations from South Africa, UK, Botswana, Ghana, Australia, US and many other countries, trade unions, NGO’s and political parties and even some bold and honest governments are openly coming out to support our struggle. With one amplified voice the people of the world are supporting our call for democracy in Swaziland. The Swazi regime can no longer hide behind the veil of culture to perpetuate its oppression against the people. The world cannot be fooled any longer. The advent of the Swaziland Democracy Campaign-SDC has indeed ushered in new blood in the way we wage our struggle. As the slogan goes “raising the voices of the people of Swaziland” the SDC is once again proving its worth by organising a global day of action on Swaziland, which we fully support.

To all peace and democracy loving people of the world, we call for intensification of marches across the world to every Swazi embassy around the world. Picket against visits of the ruling elite in your countries. Mobilise your members and representatives to raise the voices of the people of Swaziland. We call on you to popularize and amplify the demands of the people of Swaziland. Demand:

Ø The unbanning of PUDEMO and all other political parties

Ø Unconditional return of all political exiles

Ø Release of all political prisoners

Ø End to arrest , torture and killings of political and trade union activists

Ø End to state sponsored terrorism against the people

Ø All inclusive constitution making process for a democratic constitution

Ø Freedom of expression and association

Ø Respect of children’s and women’s rights

Ø End to the muzzling of the media by the Swazi royal family

Tell the world that in Swaziland it is a terrorist offence to belong to a political party; it is a terrorist offence to wear a t-shirt with the name of your political party and for that you die. Journalists are threatened with death if they report on the political crisis facing the country. While over 70 % of the population lives below the poverty line, over 26 % of the total population living with HIV/AIDS (which is 49% of the adult population), over 40 % unemployment rate, high mortality rate, and a generally collapsed public health and education systems; the royal family lives on over $ 67 000 per day and have access to an exclusive state of the art private royal hospital built using poor people’s taxes.

PUDEMO also welcomes the recent commitment shown by the government of Norway to help in the current crisis in Swaziland. We call on more governments in particular in the SADC region and Africa in general to start condemning Swaziland’s royal regime for its dictatorship.

The President of PUDEMO Mario Masuku on behalf of all the struggling people of Swaziland calls for more support for the pro democracy forces of Swaziland as led by PUDEMO and under the umbrella of the Swaziland United Democratic Front-SUDF.

We therefore urge all the democracy loving people of both Swaziland and the world to come out in vigorous support of this historical activity! No amount of state intimidation and cheap archaic propaganda will sustain this oppressive regime for long- this is the beginning of the end for the discredited Tinkhundla oppressive and corrupt regime!

Issued by the PUDEMO Media and Publicity Department

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