Wednesday, February 10, 2010

POLICE ABDUCT STUDENT LEADER

News is emerging today (10 February 2010) that a student leader in Swaziland has been abducted by state police and his whereabouts is unknown.

Students have been boycotting classes and demonstrating on the streets of Swaziland in protest against Swazi Government policies on primary and tertiary education.

All tertiary colleges in the kingdom ruled by King Mswati III, sub-Saharan Africa’s last absolute monarch have been affected by the boycott and most, including the kingdom’s only university, the University of Swaziland (UNISWA) have been closed.

Today students were due to march through the streets of Manzini, Swaziland’s commercial capital.

A number of students were at first abducted by police. They were named as Pius Vilakati, the president of Students Representative Council at UNISWA; Maxwell Dlamini, National Organizing Secretary of the Swaziland National Union of Students (SNUS); Sipho Simelane, Student Representative Council RC member at the University and Thembela Ngcamphalala also vice chairperson of Kwaluseni branch of SNUS and branch organizing secretary of SNUS Kwaluseni.

Later Maxwell Dlamini was released and reported that there were concerns over the safety of Pius Vilakati.

Maxwell Dlamini told the Swaziland Solidarity Network (SSN), ‘We are worried about his safety following police’s recent killing of suspects.

‘We have reason to fear for the worse particularly given that he has been a fearless critic of the government and a fierce leader of the students in these recent struggles.

‘I was also abducted and dumped at Sidvokodvo early in the morning but at least I am safe and alive.

‘We are worried that King Mswati’s boys can do to a young student leader who wants nothing but the right of students.’

Maxwell Dlamini said despite the abduction the students were not about to give up. ‘We are determined, we are ready to lay down our lives in defence of our students and their future,’ he said.

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