POLICE IN Swaziland yesterday arrested anti-government activists and fired tear gas and water cannons at large groups of pro-democracy supporters attempting to protest against the rule of Sub-Saharan Africa’s last absolute monarch.
Demonstration organisers claimed police arrested at least 14 labour and pro-democracy leaders early yesterday morning as they made their way to Manzini, the tiny southern African country’s commercial hub, to lead demonstrations inspired by recent events in North Africa.
Armed police stormed the teachers’ union offices in Manzini, firing tear gas and using batons to beat a crowd of 1,000 teachers who had been blocked from attending the pro-democracy protest, Simantele Mmema, spokeswoman for the Swaziland National Association of Teachers told local reporters.
The Swazi authorities have known for weeks about the planned demonstrations against the rule of King Mswati III, who stands accused of living an increasingly opulent lifestyle even though most of his subjects live in poverty.
An online campaign has been rallying support for yesterday’s protest since last month when 8,000 people took to the streets to demonstrate against a government decision to slash civil servant salaries. Since then pro-democracy Swazis in exile in South Africa have issued statements saying yesterday would mark the start of a three-day uprising that would emulate Egypt and Tunisia.
However, the authorities carried out pre-emptive raids to derail the demonstrations. Students were barred from leaving their campuses and public transport was blocked.
The 42-year-old Mswati, who assumed the throne in 1986, has 13 wives and a fortune estimated at €69 million.