Planting pro-democracy activism in schools

"Catch them younger!" is the new mantra of the youth wing of Swaziland's banned political party, the People's United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO), as it tries to gather more support for its pro-democracy campaign. "We have to nurture students from primary schools so that they can become familiar with the struggle, rather than hoping to get them when they are at university," said Alex Langwenya, president of the Swaziland Youth Congress (SWAYOCO), PUDEMO's youth movement. Organised political opposition groups were banned by royal decree in 1973 by King Sobhuza, father of current monarch, Mswati III. The country has a 'Tinkhundla' system of government, in which Swazis living under palace-appointed chiefs elect MPs who vote on laws prepared by the king's hand-picked cabinet. Chris Maroleng, an analyst with the Institute for Security Studies, an Africa-based think-tank, said if the strategy of targeting younger Swazis was restricted to creating political awareness "about governance, their rights, democracy", it would be effective, but if school students were recruited as activists it would have a long-term negative psychological impact. "It is a bad idea to use young students as instruments in a campaign. We have only to look at the neighbour, Zimbabwe, where the ZANU-PF recruited young Zimbabweans to become members of the youth militia. While the mobilisation of school students in South Africa during its struggle against apartheid was effective - but at what cost? It left an entire generation traumatised," said Maroleng. SWAYOCO has said its campaign targeting younger members will restrict itself to creating political awareness at this stage. Although the police have cracked down on political rallies in the past, a recent SWAYOCO strategy meeting, attended by about 100 PUDEMO members, took place undisturbed. A decision was made to draw up a programme aimed at younger members and electing a younger leadership, to bring new blood into the pro-democracy movement. "The old politicians don't want to give up their positions. It's very African - they think they are kings, even if they preach democracy," said SWAYOCO member Amos Khumalo. "We have had blockades, we have picketed with placards, but still we are not winning. It is clear that we have not attacked the real source of the problem, and with this programme [targeting younger members] we must directly get to the source [of new leadership]," said Langwenya. He told SWAYOCO members that the traditional form of government has failed Swazis, and said the party executive would seek an audience with King Mswati III. "Government is called His Majesty's Government, so we want to talk to him directly now. He has to know we are not at war with the country ... we are only calling for a multiparty government," he said. Fifteen members of PUDEMO or SWAYOCO have been charged with treason for allegedly carrying out a string of petrol bombings against government facilities in 2005 and face the death penalty if found guilty. They are currently out on bail. King Mswati said last month that Swazis were not ready for multiparty leadership, and he would continue to rule until the impoverished nation's economy improved enough to support such political activities. Health Minister Mfomfo Nkambule, who was appointed by Mswati, was fired last week. Many believe his dismissal was linked to attempts to secretly organise MPs and people of influence into a group widely perceived to be an embryonic political party.