The World Political Handbook of the World 1999 lists People's United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO) under "illegal opposition and external groups" (1999, 934.). According to this source,

initial reports about Pudemo surfaced in 1989 when the government accused the group of illegally circulating pamphlets. In mid-1990 it was reported that, after a period of inactivity, the group had resumed actively campaigning for electoral reform, multiparty democracy, and an end to corruption. The party unilaterally proclaimed its "legality" in February 1992.

In August 1993 (then) party president Kislon SHONGWE reportedly requested refugee at the UK's high commission at Mbabane after he was listed among opposition figures being sought for distributing "seditious-pamphlets." A month later Pudemo officials countered international praise for the government's electoral preparations, contending that the balloting could not be considered democratic if the 20-year-old state of emergency remained in place and political parties were not able to participate.

On January 1, 1996, Pudemo threatened to make the country "ungovernable" if the monarch failed to adopt a multiparty democratic system of government. Subsequently, it called for the establishment of an interim government to oversee a transition to democratic rule.

Underscoring its more militant stance, Pudemo subsequently replaced Shongwe, who was described as "uncombative," and Secretary General Dominic MNGOMEZULU with Mario Masuku and Bongkhosi Dlamini, respectively, Masuku was named to the constitutional review commission established in May but subsequently resigned on the ground that it had become apparent that the king had no intention of lifting the political party ban (ibid.)

According to information posted on PUDEMO's website, the movement's "strategic objectives" include, the transformation of the our country into a united, democratic, non-racial, non-sexist and prosperous society; the removal of the 1973 King's proclamation; totally eliminating the polarization of the wealth and its concentration in the hands of the few and also the ending of gender disparities," and "sustaining and improving quality of life for the people (Jan. 1997).

The Website lists the following as members of its national executive committee (ibid.):

PresidentMario Masuku
Deputy PresidentZodwa Mkhonta
Secretary GeneralThulani Maseko
First SecretaryLeonard Nxumalo
Finance SecretaryDennis Fruhwith
Assistnat Finance Secretary Raymond Dlamini
National Organising SecretaryJerry Nxumalo

In addition, PUDEMO has other national executive committees including Women's League, ex-officio members, and Swaziland Youth Congress, youth wing (SWAYOCO-Youth Wing) (ibid.).

According to Africa Research Bulletin, in 1973, King Sobhuza II banned political parties and established the Tinkhundla, a "home-grown system of government" (Nov. 1999). The constitution was also suspended and the legislature dissolved (IPS 5 Feb. 1997).

In 1995, October and November 1998 there were bomb blasts "widely believed to be protests against the royal decree and attributed to PUDEMO. It reportedly stated a demonstration in Durban, South Africa, during the Commonwealth Summit in November 1999 calling for the expulsion of Swaziland from the Commonwealth because of the 1973 decree (ARB Nov. 1999, 13773). In early 1997, Swazi workers under the Swaziland Federation of Trade Unions (SIFTU), backed by PUDEMO reportedly staged a seven-day general strike to demand "political freedom (IPS 5 Feb. 1997). The government allegedly issued a ruling providing for "a life sentence for anyone charged with sabotaging essential services." Top SFTU executives were reportedly arrested (SAPA 4 Feb. 1997). The leaders, together with those of PUDEMO, representatives of other "progressive organisation," and 20 Swazi Democratic Alliance (SDA) members arrested at a meeting in Manzini, were purportedly released "after lengthy interrogation by the Manzini police" (ibid.).

Both PUDEMO and SFTU advocate political reforms. In 1997, their executive members reportedly withdrew from the Constitutional Review Commission (CRC)(DPA 16 Sept. 1997). PUDEMO reportedly organised country-wide rallies denouncing the CRC. DPA reports that

the wrath of PUDEMO was felt by the CRC when during its visits to the constituencies throughout the country, the consolidated law booklets were torn and burnt in from of the commissioners. The political upheavals at the constituencies were marked by "toyi-toyi" (dancing) and chanting of political slogans, calling for the immediate dissolution of the CRC" (ibid.).

Keesing's reports that police clamped down on the country's pro-democracy groups in February 2000. They raided the offices of SWAYOCO on 12 February (Feb. 2000). "The raid followed the arrest of Magadejiwile Mdluli, head of Swaziland National Progressive Party, as he staged a lone demonstration outside the legislature against the Swazi constitution which banned party politics." (ibid.).

In July 2000, Swazi police reportedly arrested a political activist for five days and interrogated him about the November 1998 bombing of Deputy Prime Minister, Arthur Khoza's office in which a security guard died (African Eye News Service 16 July 2000; Xinhua 21 Nov. 1998). According to the African Eyes New Service, the arrested activist had reportedly returned from South Africa where he fled after the November 1998 bombing. Although the activist allegedly admitted to distributing subversive pamphlets, he reportedly denied that he was a member of the SWAYOCO, PUDEMO's youth wing (ibid.).

In the aftermath of the October 1998 bomb blasts, police reportedly detained the leader of SFTU, Jan Sithole, for interrogation, and also "raided the home of Mario Masuku, leader of PUDEMO and confiscated documents. Both organisations had called for a boycott of the non-party general elections in later October (Xinhua 21 Nov. 1998). SFTU apparently told workers to ignore the public holiday declared to give people time to vote, while a small group of SWAYOCO reportedly demonstrated near polling stations (AFP 16 Oct. 1998). Xinhua reported that on the eve of the elections, "leaders of PUDEMO and SFTU were arrested in the crackdown following a campaign by their movements for the election boycott and lifting the ban on political parties" (15 Oct. 1998).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.

References

African Eye News Service [South Africa]. 16 July 2000. Thulani Mthethwa. "Police Interrogate Bomb Suspect For Five Days." (Africa News/NEXIS)

Africa Research Bulletin: Political, Social and Cultural Series [Oxford]. November 1999. Vol. 36, No. 11. "Swaziland: Bomb-A Political Protest?"

Agence France Presse (AFP). 16 October 1998. Jean-Claude Bosenbaum. "Swaziland Elections Rained Off." (NEXIS)

Deutsche Presse-Agentur (DPA). 16 September 1997. Thulani Mthetwa. "Swaziland Stalling on Political Reforms." (NEXIS)

Inter Press service (IPS). 5 February 1997. Mumisai Mutume. "Swaziland-Politics: The Struggle for Democracy Continues." (NEXIS)

Keesing's Record of World Events [Cambridge]. February 2000. "Swaziland: Clampdown on Dissent."

The Political Handbook of the World: 1999. 1999. Edited by Arthur S. Banks & Thomas C. Muller. Binghamton University: CSA Publications.

PUDEMO Swaziland. January 1997. "Political and Strategic Perspectives." http://members.xoom.com/_XMCM/pudemo/documents/1997/stragey-97.html [Accessed: 08 Aug. 2000]

SAPA News Agency [Johannesburg]. 4 February 1997. "Detained Strike Leaders, Group Members Released." (BBC Summary 5 Feb. 1997/NEXIS)

Xinhua News Agency. 21 November 1998. "Security Beefed Up in Swaziland After Bomb Blast." (NEXIS)

_____. 15 October 1998. "Swaziland Arrests 40 People : Police." (NEXIS)