<div dir="ltr"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt;line-height:normal"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";mso-fareast-font-family:
"Times New Roman";color:#BF4D00">CANGO conference ban to be enforced</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";mso-fareast-font-family:
"Times New Roman";color:#333333"><i>By Sisho Magagula</i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";mso-fareast-font-family:
"Times New Roman";color:#333333;mso-bidi-font-style:italic">@ </span><a href="http://www.observer.org.sz/main.php?id=47684&section=main">http://www.observer.org.sz/main.php?id=47684&section=main</a>
<span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";mso-fareast-font-family:
"Times New Roman";color:#333333"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:
justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:#333333">GOVERNMENT maintains
that tomorrow's Southern African Social Forum organised by the Co-ordinating
Assembly of Non-governmental Organisations (CANGO) and other formations is
prohibited.</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman""></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:
justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:#333333">At a press conference
convened last night, Acting Head of Government Bheki Dlamini said government
was misled on the substantive issues to be deliberated upon at the forum.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
color:#333333">He said government has learnt that holding such a forum was a
means to implement the resolutions taken by the country's labour formations in
Sandton, South Africa in August 2008.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
color:#333333">"It is quite apparent that the resolutions taken by the local
labour federations, together with COSATU and other formations at Sandton are
being implemented. The nation learnt with shock and disbelief of the recent
bombing incident at Lozitha. Soon after this incident, supporters of the
bombers came out, congratulating the bombers for their so-called 'heroic' act.
Some of the formations are the very ones that will be participating in the
Southern African Social Forum."</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
color:#333333">He said the incident in which two people were killed by a bomb
at Lozitha was aimed at killing and maiming innocent citizens, and to destroy
valuable infrastructure.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
color:#333333">"These acts are barbaric, inhumane, irresponsible and
unacceptable by this government or any other civilised government," he said.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
color:#333333">When asked by reporters what would happen should CANGO persist
with the meeting, Dlamini said: "We don't expect such behaviour from CANGO. We
trust they will heed this advice and put the interests of the country first.
They will tell their guests that the meeting has been cancelled," he said.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
color:#333333">What struggle</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
color:#333333">for democracy?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
color:#333333">HEAD of government, Bheki Dlamini says there is no 'struggle for
democracy' in Swaziland as the country is independent and peaceful.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
color:#333333">He said COSATU and the local labour formations intended to use
the forum to strengthen regional people's initiatives and in solidarity with
the struggling people of Swaziland, and to raise the international profile of
the Swazi struggle. "The view of government is that the so-called 'Swazi
Struggle' does not exist."</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
color:#333333">Dlamini warned against the intended border blockade by COSATU
and local labour unions during the period October 27 to November 1, 2008.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
color:#333333">"The blockade of goods is illegal and grossly violates
international and regional principles on the free movement of goods and
persons. The repercussions of the blockade will not only have negative impact
on the economy but also directly affect the people employed by the industries,
whose goods will not be handled by the COSATU members," he said.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%"> </span></p>
</div>