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afrol.com, 13 November - Mass action is taking place today in Swaziland, and will continue tomorrow, calling for an end to the gross violation of human and trade union rights and the oppression of the people, trade unions report from Mbabane. The two-day strike was launched at the initiative of the Swaziland Federation of Trade Unions (SFTU) along with several sectors of civil society. Swaziland, with a population of one million, is sub-Saharan Africa's last absolute monarchy. The country is ruled by King Mswati III (since 1986). Already, it has been reported to the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) that three union leaders were arrested today. The strike was outlawed by the regime on Sunday night and strikers were warned of possible arrest if they went ahead with their action. Therefore, the strike is only being partially observed, reports the BBC. In a declaration adopted on November 5 - the Mpumalanga Declaration -, the Swaziland Democratic Alliance (SDA), the SFTU, teachers' associations, church organisations, students and various underground political parties and civic groups, urged the government to respond swiftly to a list of demands before November 9. As no indication of a willingness to change or reform the present oligarchic state of affairs was forthcoming, the SFTU moved forward today, calling on all citizens to take to the streets in this two-day mass action. The SFTU is composed of 21 affiliates and represents more than 81.000 Swazi workers. The Declaration was clear in its plea that unless a response was forthcoming, massive protests would follow. The seven-page statement denounces the continued existence of oppressive laws such as the 1998 Swazi Administration Order which legalises forced labour and servitude. It also condemns the 1996 Decree No 2 which undemocratically appointed a Constitutional Review Commission whose terms of references deny participation of civil formations, prohibit political parties and ban any political and free trade union activities (meetings, demonstrations, right to organise, etc). The SFTU, an affiliate of the ICFTU, along with the various groups in civil society has been pressing the government for more than three years to undertake rapid and concrete reforms. Many leaders from trade unions and civic groups have since then been imprisoned, threatened and tortured. Last Tuesday, November 7, the general secretary of the SFTU, Jan Sithole, and his entire executive were detained for five hours by the police, preventing them from handing over a petition to Prime Minister Sibusiso Dlamini. The ICFTU reports to afrol.com that it has "welcomed the Declaration and expressed its full support to its African regional organisation's (AFRO) call for the international community to exert maximum pressure upon the Swazi government for a quick and meaningful democratic change."
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