Release Mario campaign kicks off in South Africa
By SWAZI NEWS REPORTER
Swazi News February 21,2009
MBABANE- The Release Mario Masuku campaign kicked off in South Africa as the Swaziland Solidarity Network demonstrators continue to pile pressure on the Swazi authorities to release him.
They further called for a political dialogue.
Demonstrators yesterday gathered at the Swaziland Consulate in Braamfontein to protest about the continued incarceration of Masuku as well as the failure by government to open space for dialogue.
Information sourced from the web is that workers from around the area participated in the protest and were seen submitting their details in large numbers for future contacts.
Picket
The organisations present at the picket included, Congress of South Africans, Wits University Students, the Young Communist League, Zimbabwe Solidarity Forum, NEHAWU, SACCAWU, SACP, ANC and COSATU.
When asked about the reason for joining the protest, Lindokuhle, a Grade 10 pupil said, "I’m a Swazi and I don’t support what’s happening at home. It hurts me to see people being abused especially as girls. We are suffering and it is an honour to be part of an organisation that’s doing something about Swaziland."
A Wits student, Ngoako Matsha said, "Its time for King Mswati to give democracy a chance in Swaziland. People don’t get the freedom they deserve. We should give democracy a chance."
The organisers of the protest were preparing to meet with the Swaziland authorities. Mosala Ramailane, one of the coordinators, said they were not submitting another memo this time around, but would ask the authorities for an official government response to last Friday’s memorandum.
The demonstrations are expected to continue until the release of the People’s United Democratic Movement (PUD-EMO) President from jail. The demonstrators last week handed a memorandum through a security guard at the consulate. Representatives of the Swaziland authorities have only in one instance sent a Consular to collect the statement of demands from the demonstrators. This was in October 2008 after the government attempted to ban the Southern Africa Social Forum in Manzini.
The consulate has since refused to meet the protesters. Previously, the embassy staff had left offices open and hid themselves in one of their offices for 20 minutes only to send one of their cleaning staff to speak to the protesters.
Copied
Last week’s memorandum was also copied to the SA Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, the President of the Republic of South Africa Kgalema Motlanthe in his capacity as Chairperson of SADC. There is also an Internet petition website dedicated to the release of Masuku at http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/free-mario-masuku and already has 81 people who have signed it.
Government spokesperson Macanjana Motsa said they were taking this matter up with the Principal Secretary in the Prime Minister’s office Lomathemba Hlophe who will in turn discuss with Foreign Affairs PS in order to maintain diplomatic channels in dealing with the matter.
She said they wanted to maintain the diplomatic channels because this was a matter that involved another country.
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
...stand-off during Mario’s remand hearing
...stand-off during Mario’s remand hearing
Swazi Times
December 17, 2008
MBABANE - There was a stand-off between police officers and Swaziland Youth Congress (SWAYOCO) members during Mario Masuku’s remand hearing at the High court yesterday.
SWAYOCO is the youth league of the People’s United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO).
The stand-off, which resulted in a brief physical confrontation between one police officer and SWAYOCO’s George Hleta, was caused by deliberate refusal by some SWAYOCO members to take orders from the police to keep quiet inside the court.
A defiant Hleta protested at being told to keep quiet and said he would not respect the police because he had a right to freedom of expression.
Shouted
Hleta openly shouted that their mission yesterday was to fetch Masuku and neither judge nor police officer could tell them otherwise. He mocked the police officers sending everyone inside the High Court to stitches.
All this time his SWAYOCO colleagues were edging him on and would from time to time shout viva Mario Masuku, viva the people’s president.
This, however, did not go down well with the police officers who were getting impatient at the jokes and sent one of their own to go and enforce order to the SWAYOCO members.
This did little to silent Hleta who openly told the police officer that he will never respect police officers who also failed to show respect by arresting an old sickly man like Masuku. The officer could not help but watch as Hleta changed the entire drama into one big joke much to the amusement of the people inside court.
Seeing that their colleague was failing to handle the SWAYOCO members, the uncompromising police officers reinforced and confronted Hleta together with his comrades.
After failing to reason with the defiant SWAYOCO members, one of the police officers decided to physically manhandle Hleta something that led to a confrontation between SWAYOCO and the police officers.
The situation was saved by the arrival of Chief Justice Richard Banda.
Swazi Times
December 17, 2008
MBABANE - There was a stand-off between police officers and Swaziland Youth Congress (SWAYOCO) members during Mario Masuku’s remand hearing at the High court yesterday.
SWAYOCO is the youth league of the People’s United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO).
The stand-off, which resulted in a brief physical confrontation between one police officer and SWAYOCO’s George Hleta, was caused by deliberate refusal by some SWAYOCO members to take orders from the police to keep quiet inside the court.
A defiant Hleta protested at being told to keep quiet and said he would not respect the police because he had a right to freedom of expression.
Shouted
Hleta openly shouted that their mission yesterday was to fetch Masuku and neither judge nor police officer could tell them otherwise. He mocked the police officers sending everyone inside the High Court to stitches.
All this time his SWAYOCO colleagues were edging him on and would from time to time shout viva Mario Masuku, viva the people’s president.
This, however, did not go down well with the police officers who were getting impatient at the jokes and sent one of their own to go and enforce order to the SWAYOCO members.
This did little to silent Hleta who openly told the police officer that he will never respect police officers who also failed to show respect by arresting an old sickly man like Masuku. The officer could not help but watch as Hleta changed the entire drama into one big joke much to the amusement of the people inside court.
Seeing that their colleague was failing to handle the SWAYOCO members, the uncompromising police officers reinforced and confronted Hleta together with his comrades.
After failing to reason with the defiant SWAYOCO members, one of the police officers decided to physically manhandle Hleta something that led to a confrontation between SWAYOCO and the police officers.
The situation was saved by the arrival of Chief Justice Richard Banda.
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Mario challenges Terrorism legislation
Mario challenges Terrorism legislation
By Swazi News
December 13, 2008
MBABANE- Jailed PUDEMO leader has challenged the constitutionality of the Suppression of Terrorism Act.
In an urgent application filed at the High Court yesterday, Masuku alleges that every citizen must have the capacity and opportunity to speak freely about the government and the king where governance is concerned. He alleges that the Act is not only oppressive, but colonial and has no place in a Constitutional State in which Swaziland claims to be.
"In my respectful submission, it has always been customary practise to criticize the king as the leader of the nation, without inviting sedition and subversive activities. I submit that these actions are worded in such a wide manner so much that it effectively vitiates the fundamental rights and freedoms in an open democratic society," reads Masuku’s papers. He said his incarceration would not come into an end until trial and that given the backlog of cases his trial would not come any time soon.
Masuku is represented by human rights lawyer Thulani Maseko.
By Swazi News
December 13, 2008
MBABANE- Jailed PUDEMO leader has challenged the constitutionality of the Suppression of Terrorism Act.
In an urgent application filed at the High Court yesterday, Masuku alleges that every citizen must have the capacity and opportunity to speak freely about the government and the king where governance is concerned. He alleges that the Act is not only oppressive, but colonial and has no place in a Constitutional State in which Swaziland claims to be.
"In my respectful submission, it has always been customary practise to criticize the king as the leader of the nation, without inviting sedition and subversive activities. I submit that these actions are worded in such a wide manner so much that it effectively vitiates the fundamental rights and freedoms in an open democratic society," reads Masuku’s papers. He said his incarceration would not come into an end until trial and that given the backlog of cases his trial would not come any time soon.
Masuku is represented by human rights lawyer Thulani Maseko.
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Bishops denied permission to see Mario
Bishops denied permission to see Mario
By WELCOME DLAMINI
Swazi Times November 27, 2008
MBABANE – A delegation of religious leaders was yesterday morning denied permission to see jailed politician Mario Masuku.
Led by Bishop Meshack Mabuza of the Anglican Church, the men of the cloth, who included Bishop Ncamiso Louis Ndlovu of the Roman Catholic Church, Bishop Musa Biyela of the Lutheran Church and Phillip Hlophe, an executive member of the Swaziland Council of Churches, were turned back by warders upon arrival at the Matsapha maximum prison.
In an interview, Bishop Mabuza said they arrived at the prison at around 11 am with the hope of seeing Masuku, only to be told that it was impossible for them to see the president of the banned People's United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO).
Mabuza said a warder, identified only as sergeant Zwane, told them that Masuku could only be visited by close family members, including his doctor and lawyer.
"The warder told us that the court had ruled that only special visitors would be allowed to visit Masuku and this left us greatly disappointed because we never expected such.
"We tried to reason with him but he was unrelenting and told us that we should go to court and seek an order that we be allowed to see Masuku," Mabuza said.
Mabuza said they then asked Sgt. Zwane to take them to his superiors, but he could hear none of that request and simply told them to leave.
Clarification
The Bishop said they then called Masuku's lawyer, Thulani Maseko, for a clarification and interpretation of the court order barring people from visiting the imprisoned politician.
"The lawyer said maybe the interpretation by the prison officials included barring people like us Bishops from visiting Masuku," Mabuza said.
Mabuza said they would not be seeking any court order because that would take a lot of time and money, resources that were not easily available.
...they wanted to give him spiritual guidance
Swazi Times Nov 27, 2008
MBABANE – Religious leaders said their intention of visiting jailed political activist Mario Masuku was to give him spiritual guidance.
Bishop Meshack Mabuza said they wanted to pray for and give encouragement to the imprisoned Masuku because that was what they, as spiritual people, are supposed to do. "As things stand, Masuku has been denied spiritual counselling and then you wonder how the man is supposed to cope with what he is facing," Mabuza said.
Mabuza mentioned that the treatment Masuku was getting may be worse than what Bin Laden would get if he was to be apprehended. "It is now as if the heavens have given up on Masuku, and government should question itself on why he is being denied spiritual guidance," Mabuza said. Mabuza said Masuku could do with some counselling and they would not give up on him because they did not despair when it comes to spiritual matters
By WELCOME DLAMINI
Swazi Times November 27, 2008
MBABANE – A delegation of religious leaders was yesterday morning denied permission to see jailed politician Mario Masuku.
Led by Bishop Meshack Mabuza of the Anglican Church, the men of the cloth, who included Bishop Ncamiso Louis Ndlovu of the Roman Catholic Church, Bishop Musa Biyela of the Lutheran Church and Phillip Hlophe, an executive member of the Swaziland Council of Churches, were turned back by warders upon arrival at the Matsapha maximum prison.
In an interview, Bishop Mabuza said they arrived at the prison at around 11 am with the hope of seeing Masuku, only to be told that it was impossible for them to see the president of the banned People's United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO).
Mabuza said a warder, identified only as sergeant Zwane, told them that Masuku could only be visited by close family members, including his doctor and lawyer.
"The warder told us that the court had ruled that only special visitors would be allowed to visit Masuku and this left us greatly disappointed because we never expected such.
"We tried to reason with him but he was unrelenting and told us that we should go to court and seek an order that we be allowed to see Masuku," Mabuza said.
Mabuza said they then asked Sgt. Zwane to take them to his superiors, but he could hear none of that request and simply told them to leave.
Clarification
The Bishop said they then called Masuku's lawyer, Thulani Maseko, for a clarification and interpretation of the court order barring people from visiting the imprisoned politician.
"The lawyer said maybe the interpretation by the prison officials included barring people like us Bishops from visiting Masuku," Mabuza said.
Mabuza said they would not be seeking any court order because that would take a lot of time and money, resources that were not easily available.
...they wanted to give him spiritual guidance
Swazi Times Nov 27, 2008
MBABANE – Religious leaders said their intention of visiting jailed political activist Mario Masuku was to give him spiritual guidance.
Bishop Meshack Mabuza said they wanted to pray for and give encouragement to the imprisoned Masuku because that was what they, as spiritual people, are supposed to do. "As things stand, Masuku has been denied spiritual counselling and then you wonder how the man is supposed to cope with what he is facing," Mabuza said.
Mabuza mentioned that the treatment Masuku was getting may be worse than what Bin Laden would get if he was to be apprehended. "It is now as if the heavens have given up on Masuku, and government should question itself on why he is being denied spiritual guidance," Mabuza said. Mabuza said Masuku could do with some counselling and they would not give up on him because they did not despair when it comes to spiritual matters
Saturday, November 22, 2008
The World says…about Mario's arrest
The World says…about Mario's arrest
Swazi News
Nov 22, 2008
Siteki, Swaziland - Swaziland opposition leader Mario Masuku was charged on Monday with terrorism and remanded in police custody, court officials said.
Masuku, leader of the People's United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO), was arrested last Saturday as part of a crackdown under the country's anti-terrorism laws.
He made no plea at the magistrates' court in Siteki, about 180 kilometres (115 miles) east of the capital Mbabane, as he made his first appearance before the judges, according to an AFP reporter at the hearing.
His case will come up on November 24 at the High Court of Swaziland, the officials said. If convicted, he could face life in prison. Swaziland is Africa's last absolute monarchy and political organisations have been banned since 1973. The king makes all key government appointments.
King Mswati III, who ascended the throne at age 18, has the power to appoint the prime minister, the legislature and the judiciary. Masuku, 56, a vocal campaigner for multi-party democracy, was arrested in the mid 1980s for treason, a case he later won on appeal.
Swaziland is one of Africa's poorest countries, with one of the world's highest HIV rates, and some have blamed the state's spending for draining Swazi-land's finances.
A series of small bomb blasts have rattled the country in recent months. The banned Umbane People's Liberation Army has claimed responsibility for the attacks.
New York Times, United States of America
Mario Masuku, an opposition leader in Swaziland, which bans political parties, was charged with terrorism on Monday after his arrest over the past weekend.
He entered no plea in a court in Siteki and was remanded to police custody.
Masuku, a champion of multiparty democracy, was charged with making statements encouraging the bombing of government property, the BBC reported.
News 24- South Africa
Mbabane - Police have arrested a Swaziland opposition leader as part of a crackdown under the country's anti-terrorism laws, his family said last Sunday.
People's United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO) leader Mario Masuku was arrested last Saturday and was being held in eastern Swaziland 180km from the capital, his son, Mzwandile, told AFP.
Police raided their home just outside Mbabane on the pretext that their father was a terrorist, he said. "My father is expected to appear in court on Monday morning," he said.
Swaziland is Africa's last monarchy. Political organisations in Swaziland have been banned since 1973, and the king makes all key government appointments.
His country is one of Africa's poorest, with one of the world's highest HIV rates, and some have blamed the state's spending for draining Swaziland's finances. The banned Umbane People's Liberation Army has claimed responsibility for several bomb blasts in the country in recent months.
Swazi News
Nov 22, 2008
Siteki, Swaziland - Swaziland opposition leader Mario Masuku was charged on Monday with terrorism and remanded in police custody, court officials said.
Masuku, leader of the People's United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO), was arrested last Saturday as part of a crackdown under the country's anti-terrorism laws.
He made no plea at the magistrates' court in Siteki, about 180 kilometres (115 miles) east of the capital Mbabane, as he made his first appearance before the judges, according to an AFP reporter at the hearing.
His case will come up on November 24 at the High Court of Swaziland, the officials said. If convicted, he could face life in prison. Swaziland is Africa's last absolute monarchy and political organisations have been banned since 1973. The king makes all key government appointments.
King Mswati III, who ascended the throne at age 18, has the power to appoint the prime minister, the legislature and the judiciary. Masuku, 56, a vocal campaigner for multi-party democracy, was arrested in the mid 1980s for treason, a case he later won on appeal.
Swaziland is one of Africa's poorest countries, with one of the world's highest HIV rates, and some have blamed the state's spending for draining Swazi-land's finances.
A series of small bomb blasts have rattled the country in recent months. The banned Umbane People's Liberation Army has claimed responsibility for the attacks.
New York Times, United States of America
Mario Masuku, an opposition leader in Swaziland, which bans political parties, was charged with terrorism on Monday after his arrest over the past weekend.
He entered no plea in a court in Siteki and was remanded to police custody.
Masuku, a champion of multiparty democracy, was charged with making statements encouraging the bombing of government property, the BBC reported.
News 24- South Africa
Mbabane - Police have arrested a Swaziland opposition leader as part of a crackdown under the country's anti-terrorism laws, his family said last Sunday.
People's United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO) leader Mario Masuku was arrested last Saturday and was being held in eastern Swaziland 180km from the capital, his son, Mzwandile, told AFP.
Police raided their home just outside Mbabane on the pretext that their father was a terrorist, he said. "My father is expected to appear in court on Monday morning," he said.
Swaziland is Africa's last monarchy. Political organisations in Swaziland have been banned since 1973, and the king makes all key government appointments.
His country is one of Africa's poorest, with one of the world's highest HIV rates, and some have blamed the state's spending for draining Swaziland's finances. The banned Umbane People's Liberation Army has claimed responsibility for several bomb blasts in the country in recent months.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
SITTING ON A TIME BOMB: SWAYOCO NEC statement on the arrest of PUDEMO President
Swaziland Youth Congress
SITTING ON A TIME BOMB: SWAYOCO NEC statement on the arrest of PUDEMO President
The body of Comrade Bhambatha has been incarcerated before by Mswati and his shenanigans, but his spirit has always eluded these Satanists simply because the infinity of truth is a monolith, no amount of persecution will pervert the nobility of good men and women. Just as good would always ultimately triumph over evil, the very same prison walls stirring at the People's President today, would, far from being an act of revenge, play host to Mswati and his accomplices.
Of late, our palace insiders inform us, Mswati rarely has both the time and capacity to think properly. During the day, he is both flirting and giggling with barely nubile girls or is "consulting" with his evidently senile henchman, Barnabas. And for a better part of the night he is often, very typically, ogling and salivating at the nudity of girls in Big Brother Africa at midnight. A king plagued by midlife crisis!
The despotic performances of the Evil Duet (Mswati and Barnabas) are well documented. The barbaric macabre fashion with which the KaMkhweli and Macetjeni citizens were treated - among other cases - is imprinted and still very new in the minds of great many Swazis. The relentless abuse of culture and land in furtherance of the monarch's paedophilic and feudal agendas, resulting to systematic socio –political and economic disenfranchisement of some citizens compounds our growing frustration at the hands of a junta aided dictatorship. It is in resultant of these sustained frustrations and brutality coupled with the subsequent anathema of progressive formations that has necessitated the emergence of cadres in the form of Umbane operatives. Despondency never defeated adversity!
We note that Mswati is buoyed by – among other things – by the impenetrable refugee in SADC's love and tolerance for warlords and despots hence the deafening silence, at worst, and half hearted generalist calls for democracy in the region, at best. This happens while Swazis continue to live and perish under the longest state of emergency, being spectacularly ravaged by every form of disease and poverty with a privileged few occasionally showing off – in the most theatrical fashion - assets and toys associated with owners of oil deposits and refineries. A glaring paradox!
Cde Mario remains an epitome of the disenfranchised and poor masses of our society. His incarcerations speak of and to the intolerance of the regime. He is being toyed with from one court to another, treated with utmost disdain in front of his long suffering and selfless family. We can not take any more of this. As a youth league of PUDEMO we are continuously confronted by parents and loved ones of youths who were forced out of homesteads because their stay invited trouble for the families, threats of eviction are used to shoo them away. It is such intolerance and brutality – of late clandestinely termed anti terrorism - of dissent coupled with socio-economic inequalities that begets frustration and anger.
Now, as the Youth League of PUDEMO, SWAYOCO has a moral and political obligation and responsibility respectively to preserve and advance the values, integrity and all that PUDEMO stands for. We certainly WILL defend the People's President with all that we have and, by all and any means necessary, we will realise total emancipation. We will cleanse the institution of the monarchy to preserve its sacrosanct nature and remove it from opprobrium's way. And Mswati must either play along or give way, or we will push him!
On behalf of the entire membership of SWAYOCO, the National Executive Committee wishes to register its strongest condemnation on the unjustifiable gross harassment of the People's Leader and call for his immediate release. We have warned before that nobody should ever entertain the thought of having monopoly of violence. In fact the use of violence and any forms of brutality have the tendency to invite reciprocal actions, and if any form of kukhamana is unleashed, we will be equal to the task. Let not the general civility of the average Swazi be misinterpreted for passivity. Indeed our patience is wearing thinner by the day!
Swaziland belongs to all of us; it is not a bequest of a few!
Thabo Hlongwane
International Relations Secretary – SWAYOCO
079 467 577 4
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Demand the release of Mario Masuku
Write to your government representatives as well as these Swazi ministers to demand the release of Mario Masuku:
Prime Minister
Mr Barnabus Sibusiso Dlamini
P.O. BOX 395
Mbabane
Swaziland
Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs
Mr Ndumiso Mamba
PO Box 924
Mbabane
Swaziland
Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Mr Lutfo Dlamini
PO Box 515
Mbabane
Swaziland
Prime Minister
Mr Barnabus Sibusiso Dlamini
P.O. BOX 395
Mbabane
Swaziland
Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs
Mr Ndumiso Mamba
PO Box 924
Mbabane
Swaziland
Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Mr Lutfo Dlamini
PO Box 515
Mbabane
Swaziland
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