Protest at human rights abuses in Swaziland: the King is coming to the wedding

Solidarity with Swazi trade unions

Protest at King's visit to London

26 March 2011

King Mswati III of Swaziland is the last feudal monarch of an African country, and he presides over a country with the highest rates of HIV/AIDS in the world, where 80% of the population live in absolute poverty and political opposition to the King's regime is banned, opponents beaten, harassed and worse. But he's coming to London this week for the Royal Wedding.

Earlier this month, Swazi democrats - including trade unionists - held massive popular protests against this feudal dictatorship and the poverty it has created. They were brutally repressed, as this testimony from one of our trade union colleagues exposes.

There have been international condemnations of the King's brutal regime, and now you can protest too. Tonight at 6pm (26 April), the London-based members of the Swaziland Vigil have called a protest outside the Dorchester Hotel in Mayfair where the King and his 50-strong entourage will be staying in luxury, and where a double room costs £450 a night - more than most Swazis earn in a year.

If you can't be there, you can take part in ACTSA's email action to the Foreign Secretary, protesting at the visit and urging the Government to raise the human rights situation with the King.