The Swaziland Solidarity Network (SSN), through its chairperson, Comrade
Solly Afrika Mapaila, commemorates the death of Comrades Musa MJ Dlamini and
Jack Govender who died on this day in 2008. The
royal regime later arrested Comrade Amos Mbedzi and has since sentenced him to 85
years in prison. SSN also calls upon the government of South Africa to take a clear revolutionary stand against the royal dictatorship of Swaziland. The full statement follows below.
TO THE UNDYING MEMORY OF OUR MARTYRS FOR FREEDOM
STRUGGLE IN SWAZILAND: LONG LIVE YOUR SELFLESSNESS AND COURAGE.
As we write
this message today, the democratic winds of change are blowing across the lands
of dictators, across the world and surely will reach the shores of absolute
monarchical dictatorship of King Mswati III in Swaziland.
We need a
strong protest movement to demand democracy and freedom in Swaziland. We owe it
to ourselves and the dedicated struggles of those already martyred for the
freedom of Swaziland. Equally so, we should remain cognisant of the imperialist
forces that brought about cosmetic changes to various countries only to take
over the essence of people’s freedoms and retained the control of their wealth
and future.
As Lao Tsu
says a “...journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step”, today
we urge all peace-loving, freedom-loving and democracy-loving South Africans to
rise up and take the first conscious step towards the liberation of Swaziland
without a wink of cowardice. Without Collusion the boy dictator and his
cronies.
A CALL FOR
ACTION:
We need a
multi-pronged revolutionary strategy to essentially topple the dictatorship of
King Mswati III. We need to call on the abundant energy of youth to engage the
autocratic regime through mass activist protest, we need to lead the Twitter
and Facebook cohorts to undermine the regime, we need the intellectuals to come
to the fore and provide objective solutions to problems faced by the country,
we need the resilience of the peasants to show against all odds and produce
food for the country not to starve and we need them to show the urban youth
that milk and butter do not come from the fridge, we need the youth militants
to show themselves – their bravery and courage to come to the fore and confront
the enemy of the people. Where are the men and women who revere honour, pride
and sacrifice in service of their fellow countrymen and women?
Overall we
need the leadership of the liberation movement to be counted and show courage
and determination to face all against the regime and lead the masses to a
popular victory. Long Live the People’s United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO).
Mario Masuku, President of PUDEMO, the tried and tested leader of the
liberation forces, the most taunted and tortured, the most ridiculed and
victimised and yet the most resilient and respected by the masses, now is the
time take the baton and lead the masses to victory Baba Bambatha. Go on we are on your side to destroy entirely the
oppressive Tinkhundla system, every ounce of it, and build a new country
humanity can be proud of. Show the way to democracy and popular power and lead
the masses as they free themselves from royal and capitalist bondage.
We are
multiplying the frontline trenches of the democratic discourse and aspiration
in Swaziland. This is what Commander Che Guevara called “another Vietnam”, this
should be our Vietnam and other Vietnams to create a major crisis for the royal
oppressive system and torn it asunder for the creation of a new system of
democratic values, human rights, solidarity and empathy.
In essence we
are calling for an all-out civil disobedience and outright rejection of
tyrannical laws that enslave the people of Swaziland and for a movement to
usher in a democratic dispensation.
To those who
gave their lives so that one day Swaziland, like many other parts of the world
can be free, we place these notes in their honour and memory and we rededicate
ourselves to advance their revolutionary ideas. Yes, indeed Mswati III is the enemy of the majority
of the Swazi people. He should be stopped at his rails before the entire
country is annihilated by royal house inflicted poverty in the name of culture
and tradition.
On the one
hand, the capitalist social and production relations in Swaziland do not
support the democratic process and freedom struggle in Swaziland. The big
corporate cavorts with King Mswati and the royal house to exploit labour and
make super profits when the people in their majority rely on aid from the
international community.
The release of
political prisoners from incarceration in royal prisons is an urgent matter,
the unconditional return of all exiles, the commitment towards
negotiations for a free and democratic Swaziland are issues we need to
spearhead without winking. The up North developments are a clear sign that mass
power is real power, let us mobilise all our resources towards a free and
democratic Swaziland to the great memory of our martyrs.
JACK AND MJ:
Advocate Musa
Dlamini, a dedicated Swazi patriot and revolutionary gave his life so that one
day his country can be free. He had everything for himself but felt inadequate
without fighting for the rights of his people. Together with the South African
revolutionary internationalist Comrade Jack “Mchana”, aka Sipho Khumalo,
Govender pushed in the course of the struggle. Today marks another year since
your untimely death.
We take this
moment to lower our revolutionary banners in your fighting memory. The struggle
is going on and shall be so until Swaziland is free.
Today
President Mario Masuku is languishing in the oppressive jails of King Mswati
for only asking better wages for workers during the May Day celebrations.
PUDEMO had just come out of a successful congress and we believe this is one
reason why Comrade Mario was jailed; to reverse the momentum and disrupt the
flow of revolutionary struggle in Swaziland.
On this 6th anniversary
on the passing away of our revolutionaries Combatants we renew our unwavering
solidarity to the oppressed people of Swaziland.
We call on
South Africa to act decisively for democracy and freedom negotiations towards
transfer of power to the people through the unbanning of political parties,
convening of a constitutional Assembly and preparations for democratic
elections.
LONG LIVE JACK
GOVENDOR!
LONG LIVE ADV.
MUSA DLAMINI!
LONG LIVE OUR
MARTYRS!
Issued by
Comrade Solly Mapaila- National Chairperson of the Swaziland Solidarity Network
[SSN].
Contact:
Lucky Lukhele
Spokesperson
082
469 1421
OR
072
502 4141
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