CPF calls on South Africa to grant political asylum to exiled Swazi communists

The Communist Party of Finland (CPF) expresses its deep concern at the situation of members of the Communist Party of Swaziland (CPS), who have been denied political asylum on appeal by the South African Department of Home Affairs.

The CPS is unable to operate legally in Swaziland, and the party was formed in exile by Swazi pro-democracy activists who had fled persecution, arrest and imprisonment in Swaziland.

The CPS members, who include the general Secretary and others in the Party’s leadership, had their initial applications for political asylum denied a year ago – evidently without specific consideration of their cases. They then appealed the decision, and have now been told that their appeals have been rejected and that they face deportation.

We urge the government of South Africa to act to stop the deportation of the CPS members, who would face certain arrest, detention and torture if they were to be forced to return to Swaziland.

We are confident that the progressive Alliance of the African National Congress, Cosatu and the SACP will champion the cause of the CPS members and urge that their appeals be accepted leading to their being granted political asylum.

The CPF calls on all communist and workers’ parties and other progressive forces to expose the crimes – including the suppression of democratic rights – of the monarchic dictatorship in Swaziland, and to act in full solidarity with the CPS and with all sections of the Swazi pro-democracy movement.

JP (Juha-Pekka) Väisänen

Chairman

Communist Party of Finland