ANC Youth League supports the protests by the people of Swaziland starting on friday, the 18th of March 2011

16 March 2011

The African National Congress Youth League totally supports the protests led by all civil society, workers and students` formations in Swaziland against the repressive monarch of King Mswati III. The ANC Youth League is inspired that the people of Swaziland are rising against the repressive royal regime, which for many years has neglected the wellbeing of the people of Swaziland and concentrated on the self-gratification and enrichment of the King, his immediate family, friends and relatives amidst massive poverty, starvation and sicknesses in Swaziland. These should come to an immediate end, and requires the dedication and focus of the people of Swaziland to stand firm and not be intimidated by the monarchy and its Security forces. The people of Swaziland should fight with determination and always know that all peace loving youth of South Africa, Africa and the world are fully behind them.

The ANC Youth League would like to specifically caution the Swaziland monarchy and its security forces that if they unleash violence against their own people which leads to the loss of life, we will intervene with even more radical and militant ways of ensuring that there is democracy, peace and freedom in Swaziland. The ANC Youth League will employ whatever mechanism available to make sure that the people of Swaziland are liberated, including active border blockades, radical mass protests inside Swaziland and all sorts of campaigns to ensure that anything that is associated with the Swaziland monarchy is isolated in South Africa and the world. The people of Swaziland, like all other people of the oppressed world who have recently liberated themselves, should be allowed the freedom to raise their voices against injustices of the monarchy.

The ANC Youth League develops interest on the Swaziland struggles because the fate of the people of Swaziland is intractably linked to the fate of the people of South Africa. The pain and suffering of the people of Swaziland is our pain and suffering and we will forever support all struggles to bring social justice, peace and democracy to Swaziland. The Swaziland monarchy should by now know that the ANC Youth League does not make empty promises, nor do we pose threats, because any attempt on their part to unleash violence on peaceful protestors will be met by even more radical action from the ANC Youth League and all progressive forces that support democracy and change in Swaziland.

Issued by the ANC Youth League