The Times Sunday newspaper in Swaziland sticks its neck out a little today(8 November 2009) by publishing in some detail a severe attack on the kingdom’s human rights violations.

The attack from the International Trade Unions Confederation(ITUC) says that pro-democracy campaigners are being subjected to systematic harassment, with patronage and corruption rife in the kingdom. It says resources vital for health and education are diverted to sustain the lifestyles of individuals.

Good on the Times Sunday, part of Swaziland’s only independent newspaper group, for bringing this to the attention of the Swazi people. Unfortunately, the newspaper pulls its punches when it reveals, ‘Some of the descriptions [contained in the ITUC report] cannot be repeated because they are sensitive in nature.’

‘Sensitive’? I guess that must mean the report says something critical of King Mswati III, sub-Sahara’s last absolute monarch.

I’d like to tell you definitively what’s in the report, but I haven’t seen it and try as I might I can’t find it.

The Times Sunday says the ITUC publication was released on Wednesday (4 November 2009) and is a quarterly report on Swaziland sent to ITUC members internationally. It’s not the same report that I wrote about earlier this week so if anyone has a copy I’d be grateful to receive one (swazimedia@yahoo.com).

According to the Times Sunday, the ITUC accuses Swaziland of politicising culture and tradition to retain and sustain the system of governance.

It says with political parties driven underground, labour unions play a prominent part in the democracy movement working alongside the churches, human rights groups, banned politicians and even on occasion the employers’ organisation to demand change.

‘However, standing up for democracy can come at a price in Swaziland,’ the confederation says.

‘Although the authorities have carefully avoided the sort of violent crackdown on the opposition that has led to international condemnation and isolation for Zimbabwe, there is a pattern of coercion against dissidents. Jan Sithole, secretary general of the Swaziland Federation of Trade Unions, was arrested twice last year. Striking textile workers and student demonstrators have been subjected to brutal police responses to peaceful protest.’

The ITUC says opposition figures frequently face detention, police raids on their homes and threats of job losses, eviction or worse.

The ITUC recalls that Barnabas Dlamini, the illegally-appointed Prime Minister of Swaziland, announced in early March that all civil servants belonging to political parties or other organisations opposed to the system of governance would be rooted out and fired.

The international union went on to say that the level of oppression was cranked up in November last year when the government began the implementation of a new Suppression of Terrorism Act to silence dissenting voices.

Imported from external blog