Costly+silence+of+SADC,+Swaziland+Solidarity+Network

Swaziland Solidarity Network, 16 August, 2006
=SADC on Swaziland: Your silence is too costly in human terms=

We note that SADC leaders are gathered in Maseru to discuss matters of regional significance affecting the lives of the people of Southern Africa.

The Swaziland Solidarity Network and the mass democratic movement of Swaziland led by PUDEMO have consistently expressed disgust at the way SADC has chosen to be silent or even prop up the Swazi dictator.

It is seriously not acceptable that the people of Swaziland could be subjected to a more than 33 years perpetual state of emergency instituted by the absolute monarchy in the name of Swazi culture, while the rest of the world remain silent, SADC in particular has chosen to ignore, or at worst defend the royal crisis at its doorstep.

We have noted that Amnesty International and other such credible institutions have done wonderful work in terms of exposing the royal dictatorship in Swaziland to the world, including its compilation of such reports as the one on Swazi police torture camps. In the midst of all that, we still have Commonwealth and SADC openly flirting with that royal monster and even hailing him for bringing about a new constitution, which changes nothing, except that it formalizes what the 1973 king's absolute decree had always provided for in pieces. In this sense, we demand the following;

The unbanning of political parties

Swaziland be removed from the SADC committee dealing with governance, democracy and human rights in the region, immediately. Free political activity and guaranteeing of the rights to associate, organize, and assemble without the royal hit squads brutally dispersing people

A democratic constitutional process involving all stakeholders in an environment without all the political hostilities Unconditional return of all exiles and the release of all political prisoners

Isolation of Mswati and imposition of smart sanctions against his regime until they comply with all democratic obligations We call on all the leaders of SADC gathered in Maseru to take all possible steps to ensure the speedy democratization of Swaziland in the interest of regional stability, democracy and development.

We call on SADC to enforce the code of conduct of elections, which calls for multiparty democratic elections and not some self-styled royal circus as the tinkhundla regime conducts in Swaziland. The people of the DRC have shown that resilience in struggle against despots, however determined, ultimately emerge victorious and we congratulate them.

Issued by the Secretary General Bongani Masuku Swaziland Solidarity Network. For more information contact:**
 * Lucky Lukhele**
 * Tel: 011 339 3621; Cell: 072 502 4141**

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