MBABANE:Brian Sangweni, the National Spokesperson of the People’s United Democratic Movement(PUDEMO) says, the royal Tinkhundla system “is now more dangerous” towards human rights defenders as it is about to fall.
PUDEMO is eSwatini’s largest and main political party fighting for democratic reforms.
In an End of Year statement sent to this Swaziland News on Saturday, the PUDEMO National Spokesperson said, after killing human rights lawyer Thulani Maseko, the regime gained strength to kill anyone without consequences.
“We take this time to also reflect on the plight of human rights defenders and freedom fighters.Tinkhundla’'s brutal persecution of human rights defenders and freedom fighters has taken an unparalleled intensity and scale ever since the June 2021 civil unrest. The killing of our cadres including our former Secretary General and Human Rights Lawyer Comrade Thulani Maseko with impunity gave the regime strength that it can kill anyone without consequences. There have been several attempts to assassinate Human Rights Lawyers and to intimidate them so that they abandon the noble course of standing up for our people whose rights are violated. The arrest of activists and their ill-treatment inside prisons has also taken a devastating stage. The regime is desperate to cling to power at whatever cost”, reads the statement in part, released by PUDEMO.
The political organization further mentioned that, PUDEMO has been aware that,as the system continues to collapse,its officials and the royal elite will act more ruthlessly to maintain their hold over the country’s dwindling resources and to wield the power of the police and army against the people.
“It is for that reason that they have gone to the extent of dispatching mercenaries and the army who go around wearing balaclavas and terrorizing our people despite the call that the military should remain in the barracks. However, in the face of such brutality, the people must prevail.Mswati and his government know that their days in power are numbered and it is in our hands to make that a reality.PUDEMO has been closely monitoring the deteriorating socio-economic developments in recent months and years in the country and we can tell the nation and the world with utmost assurance that the captain is asleep and the ship is sinking”, he said.
The PUDEMO National Spokesperson further noted that, the poverty levels remain high with about 70% of the population living below the poverty line; deteriorating and neglected health systems substantiated by lack of drugs, essential equipment and the exodus of health personnel; dwindling scholarships and the lack of subventions to educational institutions amongst others.
PUDEMO National Spokesperson Brian Sangweni.