ANCYL threatens Swazi King

16 March 2011 - 19:20 By Sapa
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The ANC Youth League (ANCYL) will intervene if the Swaziland monarchy is violent towards its own people, it said on Wednesday.

"The ANC Youth League would like to specifically caution the Swaziland monarchy and its security forces that if they unleash violence against their own people which leads to the loss of life, we will intervene with even more radical and militant ways of ensuring that there is democracy, peace and freedom in Swaziland," ANCYL spokesman Floyd Shivambu said.

"The ANCYL will employ whatever mechanism available to make sure that the people of Swaziland are liberated, including active border blockades, radical mass protests inside Swaziland and all sorts of campaigns to ensure that anything that is associated with the Swaziland monarchy is isolated in South Africa and the world.

"The Swaziland monarchy should by now know that the ANCYL does not make empty promises, nor do we pose threats, because any attempt on their part to unleash violence on peaceful protesters will be met by even more radical action from the ANCYL and all progressive forces that support democracy and change in Swaziland."

Shivambu expressed the ANCYL's support for protests against Swazi monarch of King Mswati III.

He said the ANCYL was "inspired" by the people of Swaziland, who were rising against the "repressive royal regime".

He said the regime had neglected the well-being of the people of that country and "concentrated on the self-gratification and enrichment of the king, his immediate family, friends and relatives amid massive poverty, starvation and sicknesses in Swaziland.

"These should come to an immediate end, and require the dedication and focus of the people of Swaziland to stand firm and not be intimidated by the monarchy and its security forces.

"The people of Swaziland should fight with determination and always know that all peace-loving youth of South Africa, Africa and the world are fully behind them."

Shivambu said the ANCYL's interest in Swaziland was because the fate of the people of that country was "intractably linked" to the fate of the people of South Africa.

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