People's United Democratic Movement

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People's United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO; German about: "United Democratic People's Movement"; Siswati : Insika Yenkhuleko Yemaswati ; German about: "Freedom Column of the Swazi ") is a party founded in Swaziland in 1983 . According to the constitutions that came into force in 1973 and 2005, it was never allowed to participate in elections. Their status is unclear; most of the activities are based in South Africa .

PUDEMO is an associated member of the Socialist International .

history

The party was founded on July 7, 1983 at the University of Swaziland by students, intellectuals and trade unionists. She stayed underground until 1989 . As a result, the party led several campaigns for democratic reforms. She rejects the existing Tinkhundla system, which does not provide for parties.

In 1990 the party's activities increased, including the distribution of leaflets. About 20 members were arrested in mid-July and some were charged with treason , riot and party formation. They were released by October; in November 1990, however, a demonstration by PUDEMO supporters was violently broken up. In 1991 the youth organization Swaziland Youth Congress (SWAYOCO) was founded.

Several times the party rejected invitations from the absolutist ruling King Mswati III. back to reform the Tinkhundla system, as she saw no will for change in the king. In 1991 she was invited to send representatives to the Vusela Commission , as well as to the Vusela 2 Commission . In March 1993 PUDEMO members were arrested again. Chairman Kislon Shongwe was replaced in 1996 by the more radical Mario Musuku .

In 2000 Mario Musuku was arrested. He was accused of insulting the king , riot and treason. In 2005, 13 members were charged with arson attacks; one member admitted the crime and accused PUDEMO of initiating the crime.

In 2008, then Vice-Chairman Gabriel Mkhumane was killed in his South African exile near Nelspruit ; Party circles blamed the government for this. In the same year, two suspected bombers died on Lozitha Bridge near the Royal Palace in the run-up to the general election . The attack was blamed on the Umbane People's Liberation Army . PUDEMO denied participation in the attempted assassination. Nonetheless, Musuku was detained on terrorism charges for 340 days before being acquitted; PUDEMO and SWAYOCO have since been banned as “terrorist organizations” .

PUDEMO member Sipho Jele died in prison in 2010 after being detained for wearing a PUDEMO T-shirt. The suicide alleged by the authorities is questioned by opposition activists. The funeral was canceled after police destroyed a PUDEMO flag and photos of Jele and arrested several mourners.

PUDEMO has had a partnership with the Danish Enhedslisten - de rød-grønne since 2011 . In 2013 the party was accepted as an associate member of the Socialist International .

In 2018, the PUDEMO elected a new party leadership at its ninth party congress in eMalahleni, South Africa . Among other things, Mlungisi Makhanya took over the chairmanship.

With three other opposition parties, PUDEMO has been forming the Political Party Assembly (PPA) since December 2019 , which, among other things, opposes the renaming of the English name of the country by Mswati III. going to court.

structure

The party is led by Mlungisi Makhanya as president , deputy president is Zodwa Mkhonta. The general secretary is one of the other officials . The youth organization is the Swaziland Youth Congress (SWAYOCO).

See also

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Portrait of the party eisa.org.za (English), accessed on December 27, 2019
  2. ↑ a b c d Eur: Africa South of the Sahara 2003. Psychology Press, London 2002, ISBN 1857431316 , p. 1044. Excerpts from books.google.de
  3. ↑ a b c d Tom Muller: Political Handbook of the World. SAGE, Thousand Oaks 2012, ISBN 9781608719952 , p. 1382. Excerpts from books.google.de
  4. ↑ Who killed PUDEMO leader? Mail & Guardian of April 24, 2008, accessed December 26, 2019
  5. ^ Swazi opposition leader charged with terrorism. Mail & Guardian of October 17, 2008 (English), accessed December 26, 2019
  6. ↑ Swazi police disrupt funeral of Sipho Jele. afrol.com from May 17, 2010 (English), accessed on December 27, 2019
  7. ↑ Demokratiebevæelse i Swaziland vælger ny leather. org.enhedslisten.dk from November 2018 (Danish), accessed on December 27, 2019
  8. ↑ Members. socialistinternational.org, accessed December 27, 2019
  9. ↑ PUDEMO elects new leadership. pambazuka.org, accessed December 25, 2019
  10. ↑ Kwanele Dlamini: Country's legal name is Swaziland, PPA leaders. times.co.sz of January 8, 2020, accessed January 28, 2020