How Your Support Helped Maxwell in Swaziland Dom Anderson is the NUS Vice President (Society and Citizenship). At NUS national conference earlier this year we heard from the ex-president of Swaziland National Union of Students (SNUS) Maxwell Dlamini as he told us about the plight of Swazi students campaigning against a deeply oppressive absolute monarchy. A monarchy that clamps down on any opposition with the full force of a legal system it completely controls. Working in those conditions, it was not going to be long before Maxwell felt the full force of the law; within weeks of his keynote address he was arrested and charged with sedition (actions that are deemed to tend toward insurrection against the government). These were completely unfounded allegations and were the crowning point of years of persecution faced by our fellow student unionists in Swaziland. Students across the UK mobilized; Facebook profile pictures were replaced by the face of Maxwell for our campaign’s call to ’Free Maxwell’. MPs up and down the country received letters and emails from concerned students showing solidarity and demanding justice for Maxwell. At NUS we received unprecedented levels of support. It was wonderful to see students united against oppression being faced by one of our own, it was an action that followed in the tradition of global justice campaigning that NUS owes its history to. I am proud to announce that following our collective campaigning Maxwell Dlamini has been bailed. This is a huge step when you consider that there were reports of mental and physical torture. It is through students up and down the UK linking with our contemporaries in Swaziland that Maxwell is now free and able to move freely. Although there is plenty of work still to do, such as ensuring that he receives a fair trial and is not left on bail indefinitely, meaning that he will be unable to travel and access government funding, we can be buoyed by our success so far. This is Maxwell’s message those who have helped him: “My release on bail was not just the benevolence of the undemocratic government but it was the tireless and relentless work of the UK NUS and all those who were involved in the campaign for my unconditional release. “The pressure they placed on government and profiling the case as wide as possible really exposed the kind of government that suppresses and repressed dissent and peace loving citizens. I was not going to be released if it wasn’t for the wonderful work of the campaign initiators.” Now Maxwell has been freed to resume his life, I stepped in on behalf of NUS UK to pay his next term’s worth of tuition fees so he is able to return to his studies. But the story doesn’t end there. Maxwell’s original trial for allegedly handling explosives is still pending. It has been subjected to numerous delays and he still hasn’t been given the opportunity to present his defence. Meanwhile he is subjected to the strictest bail conditions imaginable. He is yet to hear when the charges of sedition will end up in court. Here’s what he says: “I am currently out on bail, I have not yet been allocated a court date to go and appear in court for the case. It is usual in Swaziland that people are placed on indefinite bail especially on political cases because government usually don’t have a case against the said accused they are placed on indefinite bail. “We however are doing everything possible with my lawyer to call for a speed and fair trial so that the truth on the matter can be exposed to all.” Swaziland is a really harsh country to be a student activist. Those who support democracy and rights can expect to face intimidation and harassment from the regime at the very least, in the case of Maxwell, they can face a great deal worse. Despite this there is a growing movement for democracy and rights in which SNUS and trade unions are taking a leading role, and they really appreciate and need our continued solidarity. Mark Beacon, Campaigns Manager at Action for Southern Africa (ACTSA) who we have worked closely with on Free Maxwell, said: “I know that the great work that NUS has done, campaigning to free Maxwell and all political prisoners has made a real difference for all those in the pro democracy movement in Swaziland. Whilst the Swazi regime don’t want to listen to their own people, they do care when hundreds of people in another country bombard them with emails demanding that a student activist is released. They care even more when dozens of foreign MPs are asking the same question. “Maxwell has been released on bail, but he’s subjected to the most ridiculous conditions. He and many others still need your continued to support to get a free, fair and speedy trial.” NUS will continue to work in solidarity with SNUS and support their calls for democracy and rights for students and all Swazis. We will continue to work closely with the truly inspiring Action for Southern Africa (ACTSA), who you can find out more about here. nusconnect.org.uk/blogs/blog/domanderson/2013/08/20/How-Your-Support-Helped-Maxwell-in-Swaziland/
Posted on: Tue, 20 Aug 2013 12:04:45 +0000