|
Back to Index
Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition solidarity with the people of Swaziland
Crisis
in Zimbabwe Coalition
April 19, 2011
"If there
is anything that we must learn from the upheavals going on in the
northern part of our continent, it is that the legitimate expectations
of the citizens of our countries cannot be taken for granted. We
must, therefore, continue at the SADC level to consolidate democracy
through the establishment of institutions that uphold the tenets
of good government, respect for human rights and the rule of law."
Zambian President, Ruppiah Banda
Crisis in Zimbabwe
Coalition (The Coalition) stands in solidarity with human rights
organisations, students, political and labour movements in Swaziland
in their quest for freedom, democracy and good governance. Since
Tuesday 12 April 2011 when the Swaziland government quashed a peaceful
demonstration organised by pro- democracy activists acting within
their rights to assemble and express themselves as enshrined in
regional and international protocols, hundreds of activists have
been detained and tortured by state agents. The Coalition calls
upon the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) and the African
Union to intervene in bringing an end to the continued victimisation
of pro- democracy activists in Swaziland..
Swaziland, the
last remaining absolute monarch in Africa, is riddled with cases
of gross human rights violations including arrests, torture and
murders of human rights activists. In addition, the Southern African
country banned opposition political parties negating the principle
of multi- partyism in democratic institutions in violation of regional
protocols including Article 5 of the Southern Africa Development
Community (SADC) Treaty (1992) which outlines the objectives of
SADC (to which Swaziland is a part of), which commits the Member
States to "promote common political values, systems and other
shared values which are transmitted through institutions, which
are democratic, legitimate and effective.' Democratic institutions
promote multi- party democracy as opposed to a one party state and
uphold the freedoms of its citizens which are, among other freedoms,
association and assembly as enshrined in Articles 11 and 12 of the
African
Charter on Human and People's Rights.
The Coalition
wishes to remind the Swaziland government that, as the Zambian President,
Rupiah Banda said at the last SADC Troika
summit held in Livingstone, Zambia in March 2011, when citizens
make genuine demands, they should be taken seriously. When the wheels
of change start turning, only genuine reforms can appease the citizens
as was witnessed in the Egyptian and Tunisian revolutions. Change
is constant and inevitable.
The Coalition
holds that SADC has an obligation to 'promote the development
of democratic institutions and practices within the territories
of State Parties and encourage the observance of universal human
rights as provided for in the Charter and Conventions of the Organization
of African Unity [African Union] and the United Nations" as
highlighted in the SADC Treaty. The regional body should thus move
to stop the Swaziland government from further suppressing the will
of its people and demanding that the monarch upholds democratic
principles.
In light of
the above, The Coalition demands;
- That King
Mswati and the Swaziland government adhere to principles enshrined
in the SADC Treaty by ceasing forthwith further victimisation
of its citizens and observing the rule of law, human rights and
principles of democracy.
- That SADC
lives up to its obligations as noted in its founding treaty by
putting in place measures to stop the Swaziland monarch from continuing
its onslaught on citizens and pushing the monarch to initiate
democratic reforms including adoption of multi- party democracy.
Visit the Crisis
in Zimbabwe fact
sheet
Please credit www.kubatana.net if you make use of material from this website.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License unless stated otherwise.
TOP
|
