The Landless People’s Movement (LPM) youth element has rallied behind pro-democracy protestors in eSwatini, following overnight protests and looting attributed to a campaign targeting King Mswati III.
In a statement issued late Wednesday, Duminga Ndala, who spearheads the command element, said their movement was in full support of the people of eSwatini, particularly the young militant and brave youth who took up arms to protest against the oppression and dictatorial tendencies of King Mswati III and his family.
The eSwatini government has since imposed a dusk to dawn curfew and closed schools as violent protests against the autocratic rule of King swept across the country for the fifth day.
According to her, the people of eSwatini deserve a democratic and legitimate government that “is elected by the people and for the people, thus we reiterate that the people of eSwatini intensive their struggle and not grow weary until their demands have been met and have secured their freedoms.”
She added: “We, therefore, call upon all progressive youth movements on the African continent and by extension in the diaspora to support the course of young people in eSwatini in the struggle of democratisation and their revolution against the dictatorial oppression of King Mswati III.”
Security forces clamped down firmly, using live ammunition against protesters, killing one and injuring at least seven, according to activists and opposition politicians, the Daily Maverick reports.
LPM is not the only political formation in Southern Africa to have raised concerns about the eSwatini situation, with the African National Congress (ANC) also registering its dismay.
“We call on the government to heed this urgent call by moving away from autocracy, strong-handed crisis management and brutal repression of legitimate civil concerns. We further call on SADC to be seized with this matter before it escalates beyond control,” ANC’s Lindiwe Zulu said in a statement seen by Nampa.
South Africa’s ruling party is against the draconian use of force in addressing genuine civil matters.
It wants the eSwatini government to release opposition political activists from detention and to engage in meaningful dialogue with opposition parties, its citizens and trade unions to find a collective solution to the socio-economic circumstances in the country.
“The use of security forces to quell political dissent and the failure to address legitimate civil concerns complicates the conflict and adds fuel to fire,” she said.
Source: Namibia Press Agency
