Govt willing to engage civic societies on new constitution

The Swazi government has called on a pro-democracy pressure group protesting a new national constitution to prove it has a popular mandate, but for the first time has offered to talk to its critics. "We do not believe that they have the numbers to warrant their assertion that they have the backing of a significant portion of the population they claim is dissatisfied with the constitution," a senior government official told IRIN on Thursday. However, the official said the government was committed to engaging the Swaziland Coalition of Concerned Civic Organisations in a dialogue over their concerns about the new constitution, due to come into force in January next year. The coalition was planning a march on Friday to King Mswati's palace at Lozitha, 30 km east of the capital, Mbabane, to voice their opposition to the document, which preserves royal rule and bans opposition parties. An attempt by Swaziland's labour federations to rally support for a general strike to protest the constitution at the beginning of this year was a dismal failure. Leaders of the Swaziland Coalition of Concerned Civic Organisations, an umbrella body of pro-democracy trade union federations, banned political parties and human rights groups, said on Wednesday that they had suspended their plans for the demonstration. "We know that the nation and our membership are waiting with bated breath to find out the way forward regarding the proposed protest action on the constitution. The situation, as it stands, is we are still engaged in talks with government and the King's office regarding the issues," said coalition executive Musa Dlamini, president of the Swaziland National Association of Teachers. Dlamini told a press conference that while political strikes were technically banned under a 1973 royal decree, the march was to have been held under Section 40 of the Industrial Relations Act, which permits industrial action. He said he was optimistic that an impasse over the constitution was at an end, and that the government might consider criticism that the constitution was assembled without the input of civic society groups. "We are pleased to announce that there is a window of hope, as all parties have agreed on a structure to take us forward. We are negotiating in good faith - we want a solution," Dlamini said. The agreement to "talk about talks" marked a shift by the government, which previously refused to discuss the constitution issue. The government has held the stance that all Swazis were given a chance to submit their views to the Constitutional Review Commission, headed by King Mswati's brother, Prince Mangaliso.