Swaziland+conjuncture,+PUDEMO

=SWAZILAND IN THE CONJUNCTURE.=


 * //A PRESS STATEMENT RELEASED BY THE PEOPLE'S UNITED DEMOCRATIC MOVEMENT(PUDEMO) NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE ON THE 12TH JANUARY 2006.//**

The Political Environment In Swaziland.
We are saddened to state that the political condition in our country has deteriorated to the state it is currently in. The atmosphere we now live in is worse than a police state where people live in fear and uncertainty on their present and future. We remind our fellow citizens of the king's Proclamation of 12 th April 1973, where the present king's father unleashed a state of emergency, took control of (his) security forces and outlawed political freedom. We urge all Swazis to be calm, view the authorities as the dictatorship and aristocracy it is. We shall, no matter what, overcome!

The Recent Wanton Arrests.
PUDEMO acknowledges that there have, in the last few months in particular, a spate of bombings around the country. We regard these as signs and voices of a people tired of the tinkhundla regime. Because the state has reacted in the way it has, we will not judge the suspects, suffice it to say that all of them are members of the peoples' organization and our youth league, SWAYOCO. There is, at this stage, no evidence of their involvement in activities as outlined in the charges stated in the indictments, and we believe that the state is merely intending to destabilize PUDEMO and its structures. The aim is to intimidate the suspects, members of their families, employers, institutions of education and the communities they live in.

Our Solidarity with the Comrades.
No matter the circumstances, the leadership of PUDEMO, the entire membership in our structures and the Swazi citizens at large pledge our unconditional solidarity with these martyrs. To this end we are providing the best legal representation available at the organization's expense for ALL the accused. We, in addition, visit them wherever they are incaserated to ensure that they are in good health and spiritual conditions.

The Passing away Of LaFakudze – wife to Mduduzi Mamba.
We condemn in the strongest terms possible the death of comrade Mduduzi Manba's wife, LaFakudze, who passed away immediately after interrogation and suspected torture by no less than eight members of the king's royal police force on the 29 th December 2005 at Siphofaneni. The medical report says a lot about the possible cause of death. The police, led by the barbaric and notorious Khethokwakhe Ndlangamandla have said she was 'uncooperative' to their interrogations. How arrogant!

Further investigations and inquests shall be conducted to ascertain the actual cause of her death.

Conclusion.
Under normal situations in a democratic country, where one of its hallmark is the independent judiciary, we would have hoped that the smooth wheels of justice would take their course. This is, however, not the case in Swaziland where the executive and the head of state are notorious of a history of interference with the judiciary. The Zena Mahlangu, Macetjeni and kaMkhweli matters are but a few examples.

This is a political case where the intention is to crush and silence the opposition in a state where the voices of the opposition is silenced even by the so-called new constitution. PUDEMO will continue to be the voice of the voiceless and oppressed, call for a proper national dialogue towards a truly democratic dispensation and the final liberation of our country. This we will carry out by all means at our disposal. We also call on the SADC, AU and International Community to sternly watch if our demands are unfounded. We, finally, call on our fellow citizens to rally behind their organization, make every school, church, work area and community a site of struggle to our eventual liberation and the transfer of power to the people. Amandla !

For more information please contact:

Kislong Shongwe ( Deputy Secretary General of PUDEMO)
Tell: 09268 61122351

Lucky Lukhele Tell: 011 339 3621 Fax: 011 339 4244 Cell: 072 502 4141**
 * South African contact: