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COSATU, Swaziland Solidarity Network (SSN), PUDEMO, SWAYOCO, SACP and YCL are on picket lines today at the border crossings between South Africa and Swaziland. The following is from COSATU’s Press Statement: “On this day 33 years ago, 12 April 1973, a new era in the political life of Swaziland began when King Sobhuza proclaimed a perpetual state of emergency, whose provisions, amongst other things, included the banning of political parties, 60-day detention orders without trial, banning marches and demonstrations and the removal of the independence constitution and its replacement with a draconian order called the 1973 king's decree. 33 years later nothing much has changed and the state of repression has continued unabated. “ COSATU held another Press Conference yesterday (linked). Among other things that it says about the imperialist “NAMA” is that a combination is to be formed of trade unions of Asia, Africa and Latin America at a conference hosted by COSATU, to fight this thing. From Geneva on the same day came the linked piece written by our reader Thabo Sephuma. Also from a reader, Kaizer Mohau, comes a piece (linked) on Human Rights, dealing with the Scorpions/NPA threats against the South African people, who have no use for this institution of terror and persecution and want to see it abolished as quickly as possible. The YCL Defiance Campaign kicks off with a Day of Defiance on April 18th (not March as was mistakenly put in their PDF leaflet and poster) in Johannesburg. A press conference will be held the day before – see linked document. The YCL’s political education classes continue this evening in the SATAWU offices, 13th floor, Old Mutual Building, 29 Kerk Street, between Harrison and Loveday, at around 17h00 (please, YCL, let me know what your exact start time is these days). The topic is Bill Pomeroy’s 1974 essay about the Phillippines, called “On the time for Armed Struggle”. It is actually a lesson on why the armed struggle must always stay subordinate to the political struggle, and by extension, on the importance of political education. Next week’s YCL topic is Colin Ley’s chapter on “Contradictions of Neo-Colonialism” (linked below). Links: COSATU press release re negotiations at the WTO (1891 words) Global Solidarity, Thabo Sephuma (273 words) Kaizer Mohau on Human Rights (797 words) YCL Defiance Campaign Press Conference 11h30 060417 (Notice) Leys, C8, Contradictions of Neo-Colonialism (8510 words)