SWAYOCO external region congratulates PUDEMO on 30years of struggle. The Swaziland Youth Congress in the external region would like to wish happy 30 years of revolutionary struggle to PUDEMO. As children of this glorious movement we would like to wish PUDEMO happy years as it marks the decade of liberation. As the youth league we will continue to play our humble role in giving support to our comrades on the battle ground in Swaziland. We have come a long way! From humble beginnings to a giant that changed the course of Swazi history through hard sacrifices and the undying spirit of its cadres. PUDEMO was formed on the 6th July, 1983 to unite, mobilise and fully represent the aspirations of all the people of Swaziland in their quest for democracy, a decent life, human dignity and a better future. Therefore, on the 6th July, 2013 the people’s movement shall be turning 30 years marking 3 full decades of sacrifices, selflessness and service to the people. PUDEMO is a product and champion of protracted and unbroken struggles for social justice and multiparty constitutional democracy in Swaziland. We are proud to be part of the rich legacy of liberation movements all over the African continent and throughout the world that have and continue to contribute to progressive change not only in their own countries, but throughout the continent and the world, through their proud record of commitment to justice, human rights and building solidarity with other progressive forces in concrete struggles. The history of the movement is well documented about its cadres and structures fully involved in supporting the liberation struggles of fellow movements in the region and beyond. Since our formation on the banks of the Mbuluzi river, nearly 10 kms north of Mbabane, the history of Swaziland has never been the same. PUDEMO changed every sphere of Swazi society, as it turned every space into a site of struggle and popular resistance. The birth of PUDEMO and the new dynamic force it represent, forced the tinkhundla regime to declare it as its prime enemy or enemy number one and focussed all its resources, energies and propaganda against the movement. It is not surprising that it’s the only political organisation that is literally officialised in tinkhundla law as a banned organisation, together with its auxiliaries, clearly because the regime knows too well who the real threat and force for change is in Swaziland. Dedicated channels, huge resources and infiltration fronts, have been devoted by the ruling regime, specifically to their cause of destroying PUDEMO. PUDEMO, working together with allied progressive forces, particularly the progressive trade union movement and broad civil society, is proud to have been the pioneer of the growing and inspirational momentum inside Swaziland and the world over against the crime of tinkhundla royal supremacy and oppression. No corner of the world today does not know of the suffering of the Swazi people or at least feel the thunderous feet of the fighting masses of our country, because of the massive infrastructure built by PUDEMO and its allies over the years all over the world for purposes of exposing the evils of tinkhundla system. Our cadres, activists and leaders have faced the most ruthless forms of persecution, unequalled to any force on Swazi soil; with bannings, detentions, imprisonment, torture, state infiltration and spying, exiling and even death for some of our members. Proud of our past and confident of our future We have reason to both celebrate and officially declare the funeral date of the dying tinkhundla system, because we have and continue to be where it matters the most, in the frontlines of every struggle, where only the finest and most courageous dare go. We are found in the squatter camps defending our people from evictions, in rural communities defending our people from landlessness and abuses by some tinkhundla agents, in communities organising the poor and unemployed, in workplaces defending the most exploited and abused, as well as in all international forums exposing the tinkhundla regime for what it is, an evil system and a crime against humanity. PUDEMO is a critical and leading detachment of the Swazi struggle, because of the; clarity, bravery, courage and outstanding sacrifices made by its leaders, cadres and activists over the years of difficult times in the trenches of struggle. The trials and tribulations that the movement has gone through have not succeeded in weakening it, but have strengthened it to the level where we are now at appoint of no return as the tide of democracy built over the years has become irreversible and the confidence of the people are growing bolder by the day. Up to a point, PUDEMO was able to play a critical leadership role of the broad struggle for democracy in Swaziland. But at some point it reached a phase of political stagnation, retreat and some confusion about its posture, role and position in society. Instead of leading the masses, it started treading behind them, instead of being the political head of the Swazi struggle, it was, at some point, relegated to the political tail of the struggle, owing to both the vicious attacks and focus of the whole tinkhundla state machinery towards it, but also some of our own persisting internal weaknesses, which we are not in denial about. We are also very proud of the amount of work and energy we have put into developing alternative policies to the failed tinkhundla system, for years now, proving ourselves to be worth more than just being arm chair critics, but actively involved in developing the foundations of the new Swaziland our people are so eagerly and impatiently awaiting. In this regard, PUDEMO has played the role of a champion and a pioneer, not only in the practical struggles on the ground, but even in the field of ideas and the development of alternative policies in the country. This is what qualifies PUDEMO to be the real hope of the legitimate aspirations of our people, not driven just by anger and lamentation, but by a tangible and inspirational vision. This effort represents the height of the active consolidation of this critical momentum of generating viable and solid alternatives for our people, to confront the years of tinkhundla’s destructive legacy in our country. This legacy is manifest in the health crisis, grinding poverty levels, HIV and AIDS crisis, the growing levels of illiteracy, hunger and unemployment, etc. Our people have had enough of enumeration of their problems, lamentations about their deplorable plight and suffering, they want concrete and viable alternatives or policies that go beyond the crisis and the failures of tinkhundla to the promised land of democracy and human dignity. This is where PUDEMO proves itself outstanding and must never shy away from that due responsibility at all times.
Posted on: Sat, 06 Jul 2013 10:25:02 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015