PUDEMO+Mlumati+Declaration,+1st+July+2006

=PUDEMO's Mlumati Declaration 1st July 2006=


 * We**, the Peoples' United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO), a movement of the struggling masses of the people of Swaziland met in foreign lands, Mlumati College in the Republic of South Africa's Mpumalanga province on this 28th June to 1st 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 subjects and objects for 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 that is made to further entrench the current social order where one family oppresses our people
 * The Tinkhundla self-inflicted crisis like the economic mismanagement, rampant corruption, and political bankruptcy are a catalyst for its downfall.
 * The international community have 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 a lot of our people dying at the hands of the police.
 * True freedom had never come without any 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 supported our struggle in form or another.


 * We resolve that:**

victory.
 * 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 inter-alia 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 pledge for international support for our movement, as without them 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 until a free multiparty democratic Swazi society where all people are given equal opportunity is achieved.
 * 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 institution, and shall continue to take us forward as we march to
 * Our 6th general congress which is due in the next few months has been tasked to take up 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 a civil war like other African countries.


 * On the international front we declare:**


 * Our solidarity with the struggling people of the world; the people of the Darfur, Cuba and the Palestine. We support a creation of an independent Palestinian state with the unconditional return of all its 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,


 * Issued by the People's United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO) of Swaziland

1st July 2006.

For more information please contact I Bonginkosi Dlamini The Secretary General Tell: 09268 383 8718 Cell: 09268 607 5479**

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