Repression Still the Only Answer from Mswati

Congress of South African Trade Union utterly condemns the arrests of Trade Union Leaders and the takeover of the SFL Head office in Manzini, Swaziland.

About 40 police have surrounded the trade union office completely trapping the trade union leaders and members inside.  From a call we received from Vincent Ncongwane the crackdown continues and seemingly fiercer than before.

Police are everywhere in Manzini and Mbabane harassing members of the public. These tactics are meant to intimidate and scare people away from the marches and activities planned for the next three days.

We welcome the release of the President of SFTU Barnes and others who were taken into custody this morning. Their arrests will not stop the planned events from tomorrow. People of Swaziland shall claim their democracy even if their leaders are arrested, tortured and killed.

We call on leaders from the region, Africa and internationally to condemn these gross violations of human rights and to call for multi party democracy in Swaziland.

We again demand Mswati to refrain from forcefully clinging to power and just gracefully bow down.

We salute the people of Swaziland for their unwavering determination to continue as planned and we vow to continue supporting their struggle to expose Mswati and bit for a complete democratic Swaziland.

Statement issued by COSATU deputy international secretary Ms. Zanele Matebula April 11 2011

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