Afrika Kontakt fordømmer bortførelsen af studenterledere i Swaziland

Afrika Kontakt fordømmer de rapporterede kidnapninger af studenterledere i Swaziland, fortaget af statens sikkerhedsstyrker i dag kl. 10 (10. februar 2010). Ifølge  Swazilands National Union of Students (SNUS), "er deres opholdssted ukendt".
Kidnapningen sker netop som studerende fra hele Swaziland samles til protestaktion.

De kidnappede er:
* Pius Vilakati, formanden for Studenterrådet ved universitetet i Swaziland,
* Maxwell Dlamini, National Organisering Secretary for Swaziland National Union of Students,
* Sipho Simelane, medlem af Studenterrådet på universitetet og
* Thembela Ngcamphalala, næstformand for Kwaluseni-afdelingen af SNUS.

Kidnapningerne er relateret til de studerendes igangværende undervisningsboykot og store protestdemonstrationer, der efter ordre fra Kongen førte til lukningen af det eneste universitet i Swaziland, og fem andre videregående uddannelsesinstitutioner i landet.

Det er lykkes SNUS at udfordre det undertrykkende regime i Swaziland og forsvare deres ret til uddannelse. De studerende har arrangeret en lang række aktiviteter, som er blevet kendt i Swaziland som ”Januar-bevægelsen”.  Denne bevægelse er lykkes med at mobilisere alle studerende over hele landet omkring behovet for, og forsvaret af, adgang til uddannelse af høj kvalitet for alle, samt et krav om demokratiseringer i landet, der er et enevældigt kongedømme i det sydlige Afrika.

De krav, de studerende stiller er:
* Anerkendelse af Swaziland National Union of Students som talerør for de studerende,
* Stigning i uddannelsesstøtten til de fattigste studerude,
* Gratis grunduddannelse af høj kvalitet for alle skoleelever.

Kidnapningerne sker samtidig med at SNUS har varslet nye protester med start i dag den 10. februar.

Afrika Kontakt støtter SNUS med projektmidler. Projektet har til formål at styrke studenterbevægelsen og opbygge SNUS.

Vi opfordrer dig til at ringe til Swazilands politichef for at udtrykke din bekymring og derigennem øge presset for at få dem frigivet.
Ring til politichef Isaac Magagula på telefon: +268 404 2502 eller mobil: +268 606 2300

NEWS UPDATE FROM SWAZILAND ON THE STUDENTS STRUGGLE LED BY SNUS 12-2-2919

We have been informed that one of the students who participated in yesterday’s planned student protest march has been charged with terrorism.

Sicelo Vilane of Siteki has been charged with contravening section19 (1) (b) of the Terrorism Act in that he was found with a Swaziland Youth Congress (SWAYOCO) membership card bearing his name.

Vilane, a journalism student at Oxford College, was arrested after he was spotted taking pictures of police officers detaining UNISWA President Pius Vilakati at the Manzini city centre. Initially the issue was about why he took pictures but when they discovered that he was a member of SWAYOCO police then became more vicious and decided to charge him with terrorism. He was then tortured viciously and then charged with contravening Section 19 (1) (b) of the Terrorism Act. Yesterday he spent the entire day at the police station and no efforts was made that he be taken to court even though according to law suspects must have appeared before a Magistrate by at least 48 hours of their arrest. Owing to the many comrades that were abducted and tortured yesterday, we could not trace the comrade's whereabouts only to get to know today. Even though the comrade has been arrested and tortured viciously, police have not made efforts to contact his parents to inform them of his arrest.

We are worried about his safety comrades as he was reportedly tortured badly. He is expected to appear in court tomorrow.

SNUS