29 November 2000
The South African Communist Party (SACP) fully supports the blockade of all Swaziland border posts between South Africa and Swaziland. The blockades will take place from 29 November to 01 December 2000 and are organised by the Swaziland Federation of Trade Unions (SFTU), COSATU and the Swaziland Solidarity Network.
The blockade is aimed to put presssure on the Swaziland government order to win a democratic dispensation in Swaziland. As we have seen in the last few months, more and more Swazi people want democratic and fundamental change. And the response of the Swazi land government has been repression and attacks on unions, workers and people of Macetjeni and kwaMkhweli. It has also accused South African organisations involved in solidarity work with Swaziland of interfering in the internal affairs of Swaziland.
The SACP calls on the Swaziland government to take urgent steps to meet the demands of the people for democracy and fundamental change in Swaziland. It is in the best interests of Swaziland to urgently move towards a democratic dispensation in which the pe ople of Swaziland and the region as a whole to urgently win their freedom and govern their country free from intimidation, foreign interference, unfair discrimination and oppression. Since 1973, a few years independence from Britain, Swaziland has been rul ed by the undemocratic royal family which has ruled the country by decree.
The SACP fully supports the legitimate struggle of Swazi people. The key in this struggle is continuing empowerment of Swazi people through mass mobilisation and struggle for the democratic and fundamental transformation of Swaziland.
The SACP condemns the stance taken by the Swaziland government in response to the people's struggle for freedom. Instead of engaging openly with the people, the regime has chosen to use violence and repression.
The SACP also rejects the false and mischievous accusation that South Africans are interfering in the internal affairs of Swaziland. The struggle for freedom in Swaziland is, first and foremost, a legitimate struggle led and mobilised by the people of Swaz iland themselves, many of whom have been chased away from their own country by the very government crying foul now. The SACP, together with many internationalist who are driven by the simple message of feeling the pain of every suffering person in the worl d, are supporting the legitimate demands of the people of Swaziland.
The SACP calls on the South African government and the Southern African Development Community to take urgent steps to pressurise Swaziland until it meets the demands of the people for freedom.
CONTACT
Mazibuko K. Jara (surname Jara)
Department of Media, Information and Publicity South African Communist Party
Tel: 011 339 3621 Fax: 011 339 4244
Cell: 083 651 0271
Email: sacp1@wn.apc.org