OBSERVERS CONDEMN POLL ARRESTS

Swazi Observer

22 September 2008

AU condemns detaining of union leaders

By Njabulo Dlamini

AN observer mission from the African Union which monitored the elections, has expressed concern about the detaining of union leaders during the Ngwenya border blockade last Thursday.

The mission, in its preliminary report, noted that the detaining of the unionists was a shortcoming and needed to be dealt with as the country embraced democracy.

It was noted that the constitution had enshrined in it freedom of expression thus the detaining of the unionists was an infringement of their right to express themselves.

"We have taken note that some people were detained whilst attending the blockade organised by trade unions to contest the holding of elections under the prevailing circumstances.

"This shortcoming and other issues pertaining to the wider political environment would need to be addressed to strengthen the democratic culture in Swaziland," the team stated at a press briefing held at Matsapha Inn.

Jan Sithole of SFTU, SNAT Secretary General Dominic Nxumalo and Sibongile Mazibuko were some of the unionists who were detained by the police and went through interrogation whilst attending the blockade.

The African Union team comprised four teams of two persons each that was dispatched to the four Regions of Swaziland.

The team observed the elections on Friday and thereafter the counting of votes at different polling stations on Saturday.

"The people of Swaziland have exercised their right to vote in a peaceful and orderly atmosphere. Most of the polling stations opened on time, however, the Observer Mission noted some delays in few stations visited.

"This was due to the late arrival of election materials, candidates and/or their agents. The polling officers showed professionalism and worked round the clock, at times in difficult conditions e.g. the overcrowded rooms. They knew the procedures and interacted with the voters and other stakeholders at all times. The procedures regarding the closing of the polls were complied with at the stations where we were present," said Ochieng Gilbert Mbeo who spoke on the AU Observer Mission team's behalf.

The secrecy of the ballot was more or less assured in most of the polling stations visited according to the team.

Not withstanding the shortcomings listed above, the AU team said its overall assessment was that the 2008 Legislative Elections were well conducted.

His team also met with members of political formations and civil society representatives.

Link http://www.observer.org.sz/main.php?id=47048&section=main

BANNED PARTIES ISSUE ON VOTE DAY

Mail and Guardian, South Africa

19 September 2008

Swaziland: 'Even Zim elections were better'

IMKE VAN HOORN AND SAPA-AFP

Swaziland's banned political groups on Friday condemned the kingdom's political system as Africa's last absolute monarchy went to the poll.

Lawmakers will be elected under a new Constitution that allows freedom of association but still bars political parties, meaning candidates can run as individuals but not as party representatives.

The run-up to the poll saw protests, border blockades and calls for multiparty elections.

"Pudemo sees this election as a window-dressing exercise trying to pull wool over the eyes of the international community," said Mario Masuku, of the banned People's United Democratic Movement (Pudemo).

"We urge the international community to intensify the pressure on the Swazi government so that it embraces democratisation," he said.

Lucky Lukhele, spokesperson of the Swaziland Solidarity Network (SSN), told the Mail & Guardian Online that the elections will change "absolutely nothing" and leave King Mswati III in power.

On Friday, the SSN, together with organisations such as the Congress of South African Trade Unions, the Young Communist League, the African National Congress Youth League and Pudemo, organised a demonstration at the Swazi embassy in Pretoria.

"We organised this demonstration to protest against the sham elections," Lukhele said. "Swaziland is not even close to democracy. Political parties are banned, there are still people in exile, people were arrested, [and are under] house arrest."

"Even the elections in Zimbabwe were better. You can't have an election when the king is above the Constitution," he said.

Lukhele questioned what international election observers were doing in Swaziland, saying: "There is nothing to observe there."

He said 70% of Swazi people live below the poverty line and 40% are living with HIV/Aids. "The people in Swaziland are pushed into a corner. In the end, the only option is to fight. It's a scary idea for many, but we don't blame them."

He didn't believe many people would vote in Friday's election. "Ordinary people will rather go to work or stay at home, they don't believe in these elections."

According to Lukhele, only those who are close to the royal family would vote, as would those who were forced by their chiefs, who are instructed by the king.

Jan Sithole, of the Swaziland Federation of Trade Unions, accused the Southern African Development Community (SADC) of "double standards" in its advocacy of democracy.

SADC observer mission spokesperson Joao Ndlovu said the team had seen a peaceful environment without intimidation.

"If you do not understand the Swazi electoral system, you would say there was no election going on," he said. "The vibrancy that is seen in most parts of the world during elections is not there in Swaziland. Maybe that is caused by the absence of political parties where rallies would be held."

Ndlovu rejected the accusation of double standards.

The Pan African Parliament mission called for change in the country.

"The non-participation of political parties makes these elections extraordinary from any others ... but we hope with time things will change," said mission head Mary Mugyenyi.

"What we see here is people choosing their leaders to represent them in Parliament. They are not from any political parties," she said.

Source: Mail & Guardian Online

Web Address: http://www.mg.co.za/article/2008-09-19-swaziland-even-zim-elections-were-better

UNION LEADERS ARRESTED - VoA

Voice of America

19 September 2008

Swaziland Protesting Union Leaders Arrested Ahead of Parliamentary Election
By Peter Clottey Washington, D.C.

The people of Swaziland go to the polls Friday to elect members of parliament amid government crackdown against pro-democracy demonstrators who are calling for political reforms under King Mswati III. Swazi police arrested several protest leaders Thursday, saying the protesters were causing Anarchy.But the demonstrators say today’s parliamentary election is a façade calculated to deceive Swazis into believing that absolute monarch, King Mswati III, is interested in democracy.

Vincent Dlamini is the main proponent of the protest march. He tells reporter Peter Clottey from the capital, Mbabane that the protests would continue unabated until their demands for democratic reforms are met.

“Some of the union leaders were arrested during our protests and demonstration around the country’s border post yesterday. Some of the were released later on after their detention, but I’m not quite sure what happened to the others. We are still trying to locate where they are at the moment. What we can also report is that quite a number of workers, in the southern part of the country in Mshangano were brutally assaulted by the police as they were conducting the demonstration against the election that would be held this morning in our country,” Dlamini said.

He said the union workers are protesting against he called an undemocratic system, which he said clamps down on their right to a free democratic society.

“We are protesting against the current Nikunda system, which we believe is undemocratic, and we are demanding that elections must be held under a multi-party democratic system. This current system came into place by the banning of the political parties in 1973 by the previous King Sobhuza II. In this particular state of emergency, one significant thing that happened was that all three branches of government were transferred to the king. That is the judiciary, legislature and all other executive powers were vested in the king by that particular decree, which banned political parties in the country,” he said.

Dlamini said the protesters want to enjoy democracy just like most people in other parts of the world do.

“We are saying that we want elections to be conducted in a multi-party democratic environment,” Dlamini pointed out.

He sharply denied that Friday’s parliamentary election is an attempt by the government to bring about some democratic reforms.

“No, no, no, there is no reform at all. What is happening in our country is that the majority of the people reside in the rural areas, which is about 70% of the population. And therefore quite a number of them are participating in this election because they are intimidated by the chiefs who are appendages of the monarch. The chiefs run the rural areas and the villages on behalf of the monarch and they tend to intimidate and evict people who do not conform to the dictates of the regime,” he said.

Dlamini accused the government of not educating the masses on the benefits of democracy.

“What is happening is that the regime in our country currently thrives on the ignorance of the masses. In the rural areas there are high level of poverty and people are being abused in the sense that what is happening, they are given food passes and all that and are being bribed so to speak,” Dlamini noted.

He said union workers would not stop protesting to ensure their voices for democratic reforms are heard.

“What we are going to do next is that we will continue in engaging in mass action, we will have mass demonstrations at certain intervals. And we are going to be educating our people in terms of what is best for our country, as well as making sure that the international community understands our plight and understand that Swaziland is still an undemocratic country,” he said.

Some political observes say although the monarch remains popular among many of his subjects, there is rising discontent over his extravagant lifestyle, refusal to adopt democratic reforms and to tackle Swaziland’s numerous social problems.

Link http://voanews.com/english/Africa/2008-09-19-voa4.cfm

YOU CAN'T IGNORE SWAZI PROTESTS

IRIN

18 September 2008

SWAZILAND: Ignoring protests will not make them go away

MANZINI, 18 September 2008 (IRIN) - Swazi police on Thursday detained trade union leaders and pro-democracy activists attempting to blockade the landlocked country's border with South Africa, to press their demands for political reform in the kingdom.

"Whilst it may be within the rights of workers to engage in protest action, it is certainly unacceptable to exercise this right by disrupting the free flow of goods and services and infringing on the rights of others to conduct their business freely," said Prime Minister Themba Dlamini in a media statement.

Jan Sithole, Secretary General of the Swaziland Federation of Trade Unions, and Mario Masuku, president of the banned political party, the People's United Democratic Movement, were reportedly detained after the government declared the demonstration illegal. Police prevented protestors from getting near the four key border posts with South Africa.

Road freight firms contacted by IRIN said they had taken the blockade threat seriously, but had no choice but to attempt normal operations. Around 90 percent of Swaziland's imports come from South Africa, including all petroleum products. The Congress of South African Trade Unions held demonstrations on the South African side of the border in solidarity with Swazi workers.

The border demonstrations were held on the eve of the country's parliamentary elections, in which political parties are banned from campaigning. King Mswati, sub-Saharan Africa's last absolute monarch, appoints cabinet ministers from the ranks of elected and palace-appointed members of parliament, and selects the prime minister, who is a member of the ruling Dlamini clan.

Growing protest

The government's attempt to ban demonstrations two weeks ago in the capital, Mbabane, and the central commercial town, Manzini, was thwarted by the largest turnout for a political rally in the nation's history. A combined 25,000 protestors marched in both cities to demand political reform.

The government subsequently ridiculed the event by saying the number represented a small minority of the 970,000 population. Political activists responded by pointing out that fewer people – 15,000 - had turned out for the recent controversial celebrations marking Mswati's 40th birthday and the country's 40 years of independence.

"Both groups are right and wrong. The political demonstrations were historic and should be taken seriously. But the average Swazi is more impacted by hunger, AIDS and unemployment," said Joshua Khoza, a political writer from Manzini. Swaziland has the highest HIV prevalence rate in the world and more than two-thirds of the population depend on foreign food aid.

A Commonwealth Secretariat observer team to the last parliamentary elections in 2003 concluded that the polls were not free and fair.

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Link http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=80469

SWAZI POLICE DETAIN PROTESTERS

SABC News

18 September 2008

Swaziland police block pre-election protest

Police in Swaziland, one of the world's last absolute monarchies, have detained several union leaders and blocked others from a pre-election protest to demand democratic reform.

Swazi authorities say the protest would cause anarchy in the country the day before a parliamentary election. Armed police pulled labour activists from buses and cars at a roadblock en route to a border crossing with South Africa, taking union leaders into vans and sending others back to the capital Mbabane.

Meanwhile, commenting on the arrest of various Swazi protesters, SA Communist Party spokesperson, Malesela Maleka, says the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the African Union should ensure that Swaziland adheres to democratic principles.

Maleka added that it was shameful that the arrests took place when King Mswati III was the head of the SADC organ on politics, safety and defence. � Additional reporting by Sapa

Link http://www.sabcnews.com/africa/southern_africa/0,2172,177052,00.html