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Swaziland : RESOLUTIONS

D 22 avril 2012     H 05:13     A CPS     C 0 messages


Our first annual conference in celebration of our 1st Anniversary, received massages of support from communist and workers’ parties from a number of countries across the world. These all recognized the work of the CPS in the struggle for freedom, democracy and socialism in our country.

Delegates from across the country, mobilized by our commission work were encouraged by these responses and saw that we are not alone in the struggle, and are motivated to carry out the programme.

1. On the crisis of the Mswati regime

The conference recognized that the Mswati regime financial crises have matured to an all round political, security and economic crisis, much to the devastation of the social conditions of the working class and poor whose majority are workers, women, youth and the people in the countryside. These crises have extended even to the middle class that used to veer towards the autocracy but are now joining the ranks of the freedom movement. Mswati’s rule is now deplored by greater sections of our population of Swaziland.

The condition of hunger, disease, starvation and poverty is now a permanent aspect of life for the majority of the people, while debt problems now affected the middle classes as a result of increased job losses as companies retrench and close down and the economy collapses, increase in taxes as Mswati attempts to wring everyone for cash and in the process destabilizes the key service sectors by assuming monopoly power over the government parastatals.

Mswati’s response to these crises is to step up repression, increase the army’s budget, restructure the judiciary by promoting and recruiting right wing judges, and by instituting stiffer measures in prisons. Mswati has also expanded his personal grip over the economy, in the land and natural resources to his personal greed threatening the lives of the people and the environment.

The Conference therefore resolved to reaffirm the position that the Mswati regime must be ended and an interim government be put in place created by the people from all sectors, of lives of the people of Swaziland.

CPS will engage vigorously all forces of the pro-democracy movement in the country to discuss and influence on the programme for transition as outlined and continue to engage communities to organize for the disbandment of the regime and mobilization for the Conference/convention for the election of the interim government. Communist cadres will actively influence a communist perspective of the transition to guarantee a pervasive democratic transition

2. On the continued attack on political activists, and leaders of the pro democratic movement by Mswati’s security forces

The conference noted that the Mswati regime has increased attacks targeted at activists and leadership of the mass democratic forces as an attempt to silent and destroy these forces in order to keep his dominance over the people. Leaders of the underground political organizations, students and youth, trade unions and community activists are harassed, displaced, tortured, arrested, detained, forced to exile, killed and arrested by the regime. Conference, also noted the use more sophisticated methods of execution of such acts by the regime in the recent times. The ruthless destruction of marches and protests by Mswati’s forces demonstrate the new forms of Mswati’s plan to dominate the people’s lives to satiate his greed and unlimited access to the resources of our country. Mswati remains a consistent attacker of democracy in order to survive as a tyrant over the suffering of the majority poor working class people of Swaziland.

The conference resolved that the campaign for the Unbanning of political Parties, Unconditional release of all Political Prisoners, Unconditional Return of all Political Exiles, be stepped up in support of the Defiance Campaign against Mswati’s laws of repression and the 39 year old state of emergency. The conference commended the growth of the conscious voice amongst larger sections of the people of Swaziland and calls upon the people to join the underground progressive political parties, trade unions, progressive youth and student organisations, to continue discuss and take political resolutions and participate in political programmes, communities to organise political meetings to map up a political solution for their plights, women organise politically, use all forms of organisations they have established to build a progressive women movement, students and youth to join the mass movement for democracy in defiance of Mswati’s autocratic rule. Conference recognized the impact of our Break the Chains Campaign and resolved that it should be expanded to incorporate all the demands against political repression.

3. On the rolling Mass Action.

The conference noted the increase in mass action in the country, since last year, over 60 mass action against Mswati’s autocracy were organised showing the growth of strength of the forces of the revolution. Even though most were violently crushed by Mswati’s forces, the oppressed people whose majority are the workers, women, rural masses, youth and students, continued to raised their voices and their hatred of the Mswati’s regime has increased.

The CPS conference resolved to vigorously mobilize all forces and to encourage the intensification of mass actions by workers and all forces of the mass movement to use every space available to shift the balance of power in favour of the democratic goals we envisage

4. On aggression against the rural masses by Mswati’s rule for his lavish lifestyle.

Mswati’s continued harassment of the vulnerable rural masses by seizing their land, and imposing fines must now be challenged, and the CPS calls for renewed efforts to put to an end the feudal authority in order to free the people in the countryside from feudal slavery.

5. On the attack on the workers by the Mswati regime

The deregistration of the union federation TUCOSWA by the regime is an extreme stunt by Mswati to undermine the entire working people and expose the entire working class to unwarranted sufferings from the ruling class in our society. Workplace attacks are intensifying as Mswati and his family takes charge of the entire economy. The CPS calls on all forces of the pro democracy movement to join hands in defence of workers in their fight to end this assault.

6. The growing insecurity in our communities.

The increase in arbitrary killings of helpless masses by Mswati’s security forces and the rule of terror imposed by Mswati’s agents to terrorize communities must be ended. We call on communities to organize independent community defence units for security and safety of the vulnerable, children, women and the elderly.

7. On new tax system

As it tries to stave off its own financial collapse the Mswati regime is now seeking to tax the poor, a development which will exacerbate the levels of poverty, hunger and disease in the country. The CPS calls on all forces to resist this as part of actions to end the rule and hegemony of the Mswati regime and start a process of transition to democracy.

8. On the proposal by the Communist Party of South Africa (SACP) on a joint programme.

The conference affirms the proposal by the SACP on a joint programme between the two parties (SACP and CPS) to work of a joint programme to build awareness on the dangers of imperialism particular in Africa and embarking on joint programmes for amongst other things ; building and consolidation of Africa Left Movement which SACP has already started by building the Africa Left Networking Forum, campaigns against and for the removal of the American Africa Command in Djibouti and other American armed bases in the continent and the world, working with trade unions and other left forces to build a more left Africa Social Forum.

9. On the plight of the workers

The conference noted the continued oppression and exploitation of the workers in the industries, companies and public service. CPS also notes the increase in the number of job losses as the Mswati regime fails the economy and a continued casualisation of workers and supper exploitation of the unskilled and semi skilled workers by contract work. We also noted the increase in the appealing deterioration of the working condition, the violence and abuse of workers by employer, the low wage levels, increase in working hours. Also the continued targeting and victimisation of trade union members by the employers and the lack of freedom and right to organised within the workplace as some employers gang up with the monarchic autocracy to facilitate repression. We note the connections between workplace bosses with security officials to suppress free trade union activity in the work places.

CPS committed itself to work more closer with the trade unions to support in mobilisation against these exploitation and oppression in the workplace. The conference put forward the following demands to raise in support of the trade unions and workers in all sectors ;

 The right to political affiliation and participation

 The right to organise and belong to trade union work without unwarranted interference from the employer or any other unwelcome forces.

 An end to assault, verbal abuse and insult to any worker by anybody or individual representative of employer.

 An end to sexual abuse and harassment of female workers by the employers and or employer representative

 For a minimum wage across all sectors of employment to end casual and contract slave wage.

With these and other demands already mapped by the workers, CPS will mobilise all forces to support workers to mobilise against these tribulations through solidarity strikes and pickets and boycotts of products from such companies with such exploitation and oppressive practices. CPS calls for workers to fight fearlessly for the total destruction of monarchic autocracy and capitalism for the building of a socialist society where exploitation will come to an end.

10. On the plight of the peasants and the entire people of the countryside.

The conference noted the dire situation of hunger, under development, diseases, poverty, insecurity and helplessness in the rural communities under Mswati’s regime. The Conference noted the continuous displacement of poor people in the courtside as a results of evictions and unwarranted relocation to allow Mswati’s unlimited access to the land. Also that there are many classes of different interests in the countryside, but the majority are the poor peasants who have limited or no access to land and agricultural inputs to generate food as a result of historic dispossessions and current displacements. Extremely low wages for the agricultural workers with no benefits, and generally no labour rights are a course of the situation in the countryside.

These are the most vulnerable sections of the working class of our society. There are no basic facilities such as housing, schools, transport, road network infrastructure, health facilities and communication and electricity. There are growing cases of deaths as a results of curable diseases, stress related suicides, exposure to hazardous environment and hunger.

More land belongs to a few capitalist and landlords who and through land control, the rural masses become dependent to these ruling forces. The conference noted the growing resistance of the masses against land losses and for land access. Communities are beginning to organise to reclaim the land for agricultural use to solve the problems of hunger and economic marginalisation. It is in these section the working class that patriarchy is entrenched and as a result, women of the countryside are the most marginalised.

The conference resolved to continue to mobilise the rural masses in the communities and develop its Land for Food Campaign in advancing the struggle of the people of the countryside whose solution is nothing less than a revolutionary transformation that targets landlordism and women oppression. The following demands were considered a solution to the agrarian problem in Swaziland :

 The right to assemble are discuss freely their lives without inference.

 The abolishing of the feudal system and its replacement by democratically elected community committees.

 An end of all forms of landlordism to end arbitral evictions, subjugation and exploitation and a development of an agrarian transformative programme.

 Redistribution of agricultural land to the peasants to end food shortages and end hunger.

 To provide the rural people with housing, clean water, electricity and sanitary homes.

 Ensure the building of schools for universal formal school education.

 To abolish all repressive cultural practices that promote patriarchy for the development of a democratic and progressive cultural development.

The conference resolved on the building of rural communist cadre to patiently mobilise, educate and organise the rural working class to achieve these goals and further CPS calls upon all forces of the pro democracy movement to support and defend the resistance of the rural masses whose struggles has not enjoyed support. The isolation of the rural masses is the source of strength of the tinkhundla autocracy and its minimal role in the anti autocracy struggle supports the triumph of capitalism which is a system not capable of solving the plight of the rural people.

11. On the plight of Women

Capitalism is patriarchal and feudalism is extreme patriarchal. Swaziland being a capitalist society with feudal remnants and having over 70 % of the population in the rural communities where feudalism predominates and over 70 % of Swazi women are in the countryside and with around 30% women illiteracy rates, explains the levels of women subjugation and discrimination in employment, education and access to resources. The conference noted that, as a result tinkhundla capitalism and its feudal features, women’s issues will never be resolved unless the Mswati autocracy and capitalism are defeated. The conference recognised the high levels of sexual abuse to young women in the work place by company and workplace management.

The conference therefore resolved that there must be intensive mobilisation of women to occupy centre stage in the Struggle against autocracy and capitalism. In mobilising women, the conference identified the following demands ;

 An end of feudal practice by total destruction of the feudal autocratic rule of Mswati.

 The establishment of women movement to rally along all women along the course of the total emancipation of women through their active participation in the National Democratic Revolution.

 The abolishment of feudal cultural laws and practices that subjugate women undermining their full development as fully human beings.

 To rally women and the entire pro democracy forces to support and campaign against women victims of patriarchal tinkhundla.

 To fight against sexual abuse, wage discrimination against women, paid maternity leave.

The conference resolved on continue building the capacity of women and recognised the increase in the number of women in the pro democracy movement especially in trade unions. Through our women commission, the conference resolved on the establishment of the National Women Movement for the full mobilisation of the strength of women for the NDR.

12. Condition of the Youth and students

The youth is the majority in our society and the worse victims of the Mswati autocracy. The most important task of the youth is to learn for the future development and understanding of the dynamics of life. Mswati’s autocracy and capitalism in general has undermined young people of the right to learn by commodifying education whist the majority of the people are unemployed. This has alienated greater proportions of the youth forcing they to crime and vagabonds. Tinkhundla autocracy has failed to develop the education system to the level of developing and skilling the youth of Swaziland rendering graduates unemployable undermining the industrial development of the economy.

The conference the growing mobilisation of the students in tertiary institution as Mswati’s financial woes reaches permanent levels. it is clear now that the Mswati regime has no capacity to finance education. The demands for an objective student financial system in the country by the students has exposed that without conscience struggle by the youth and students for the total destruction of the Mswati autocracy, the future of the Swazi is at fetters.

The conference therefore resolved on the maximum mobilisation of the students and youth in communities to join the pro democratic force and add dynamism to the struggle for the freedom, democracy and socialism and that it is only when education seizes to be a commodity that the entire youth will have the opportunity to access quality and compulsory education and training. CPS calls upon all youth to join the ranks of struggle through their organisations and support all forces of the struggling people to defeat autocracy and set Swaziland to the course of social development and progress.

The Following demands were indentify to support mobilisation and the building of the strong dynamic Youth and Student Movement :

 Demand the right to education.

 Right organise and discuss issues affecting students and youth and general community and societal issues

 Demand for the abolishment of school fees and a proper student finance policy

 Demand equal opportunities to education and further training

 The building off enough schools education and training centres

 Demand for the end of tinkhundla autocracy for a free democratic Swaziland

 That TIBIYO and TISUKA is for the people and all assents mobilised under Tibiyo must be confiscated and integrated to the state for the development of the national economy.

13. Conclusion

These resolutions will form part of the programme of action of the CPS in the year 2012- 2013. It will be taken further to the entire pro democracy movement and will form part of our contribution to our struggle. They will also be used for mobilisation of international allies as a bases for building solidarity of our struggle.

AWAY WITH THE MSWATI AUTOCRACY !

AWAY WITH TINKHUNDLA AWAY !

FORWARD WITH THE STRUGGLE FOR FREEDOM, DEMOCRACY AND SOCIALISM IN SWAZILAND FORWARD !

LONG LIVE INTERNATIONALISM LONG LIVE !