Police prevent PUDEMO rally

Police said they were provoked into using force to prevent Swaziland's largest political opposition group, the People's United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO), from holding a rally at the weekend. The action came just days after King Mswati had said Swazi dissidents should meet inside the country, rather than on foreign soil. "There is no freedom of assembly or speech in Swaziland. The brutal violence used yet again by police on unarmed peaceful protestors shows what type of government this is," PUDEMO president Mario Masuku told the press. Police spokesman Assistant Superintendent Vusi Masuku said police were provoked into action by stone-throwing protestors, who had injured two policemen in the attack. Masuku and five other PUDEMO executives were detained by police for three hours on Saturday. About 20 PUDEMO members were hospitalised after sustaining injuries inflicted by riot police. The banned political party sought to meet in the central commercial town of Manzini, 40 km east of the capital Mbabane, to commemorate the 21st year of its formation. However, with the party leadership detained, the rally did not take place on Saturday. The following day the organisation announced that it would hold all its future meetings in other Southern African countries. Last week King Mswati expressed irritation that Swazis should discuss domestic affairs outside the country. His remarks were made after PUDEMO's youth wing, the Swaziland Youth Congress (SWAYOCO), met in South Africa. "Holding meetings outside the country will not help the country, or anybody - no one will hear people who hold meetings in the bush," Mswati said. However, when PUDEMO announced its party anniversary plans last week, Commissioner of Police Edgar Hillary issued orders to prevent the meeting, citing a royal decree banning gatherings of a political nature. Mswati told the press on Wednesday that he was unaware of the police commissioner's decision. PUDEMO announced it would press ahead with the meeting. On Saturday security forces ringed Manzini with roadblocks and searched all motorists and bus passengers entering Swaziland's most populous urban centre. Riot police confronted PUDEMO members throughout the town. The SWAYOCO national commissioner, Percy Masuku, was among the injured demonstrators. "Who can blame PUDEMO, NNLC [the Ngwane National Liberatory Congress] and any other political organisation for going outside the country? This is an embarrassment - not only to the king, but also to the country," said Vincent Ncongwane, secretary general of the Swaziland Federation of Labour. A government source explained to IRIN that King Mswati's position remains what it has always been: Swazis are free to speak on governance issues, individually, at community centres.