The reality of change

Today I’d like to open by attempting to correct a misconception contained in a response to my writing two weeks ago, wherein the writer alleges that; "NNLC has given the Swazi Nation nothing tangible!

Dlamini I am yet to be convinced by the tactics and strategies of NNLC as a　party to deliver freedom to the long suffering masses of this country!"

The misconception contained within this assertion is one that assumes democracy will come to Swaziland on the coattails of some triumphant band of ‘revolutionaries’ who will ‘liberate’ Swazis from bondage.

The hard realistic truth is that nothing is further from the truth, this has been the overriding message in many of my writings, this being, the fact that it is the Swazis as a nation who must come to the realisation that they can achieve and deserve a better existence than they currently have.

The sobering lesson that we have learnt from liberation movements in Africa is more or less what I wrote about last week, that is to say that if such wholesale change comes on the wings of an individual or a single organisa-tion, the tendency is that an attitude of entitlement and self advancement sets in, which leave the masses right back where they were before, only under a different regime.

There is no need for the NNLC to go around trumpeting its achievements and successes, not now at least when there is such a massively sobering task that lies ahead of us, besides, there tends to be very little, if any unifying value in posturing.

Swaziland CAN emerge from this period a unified nation with common sense of purpose and a firm collective sense of ownership of whatever process we elect to undergo to improve our lot

The author correctly put it when he said: "For freedom to be attained there must be sacrifices!" where perhaps we differ is in the nature of the sacrifice that must me endured. Restraint composure, thoughtfulness, perseverance and persistence are more or less what define the black, white and yellow politics　we adhere to.

Morgan Tsvangarai once said of the Zimbabwe situation "Robert Mugabe is a part of the problem with Zimbabwe and he is also a part of the solution."

No one is under any illusion about power being handed over, nor indeed does the prospect of power being violently forced out of the regimes hands sounds too appetising on deeper analysis, indeed the prospect would most likely bring about an untenable unsustainable flux Swaziland.

What is not an illusion is the fact that everywhere you go, literally everywhere you go, there is an appetite for a different direction, even among those who have fattened themselves immensely under the current set up, at the expense of the masses.

The big question that needs to be answered is what the process that we must undertake is. There is one statement that used to come out of the ruling circles that in principle I tend to agree with, and that is that Swaziland will attain democracy the Swazi way. The same sentiment is echoed by foreign dignitaries who will tell you very clearly that they cannot be the catalysts of change in Swaziland, but rather can support the process of change, it must be Swazis that stand up and put in place the things that will set the process of real substantive change in motion.

The bone of contention then becomes; what is the Swazi way. My other qualm is whether those who have talked about change in the regime are really committed to change. Those who have been following the proceedings of the smart partnership will have gotten the answer to that quite clearly.

My two cents worth is to say that the Swazi way is the way that Swazis of free will and conscience will come up with; and not one that is dictated to the people under conditions of repression.

This OPEN political space where we are free to assemble and discuss everything about our past, present and future in a manner that seeks to build and not to destroy is what the solution for Swaziland, is THE SWAZI WAY.

Necessarily then, every single Swazi, regardless of their political conviction, views on the rights journalists have to live etc, must be part of this process. It will be hard and sometimes unbearable for some, but it is the only way to come to a lasting solution.

A prominent member of the establishment recently took me to task on my writings and among the things we spoke about I asked them if there was another Swaziland he knew of where perhaps he was planning to have his children grow up and thrive? I told them that I personally know of only one Swaziland. This one Swaziland is the one that I must do everything in my ability to make a better place for children and my children’s children and so on.

This fact alone should be enough to change the mindset of those among us that doubt the need to build bridges towards each other. It is said that great nations are nations that plan for future generations, and so significance of this responsibility must not be lost upon us.

UNESCO’s November 1997 Declaration on the Responsibilities of the Present Generations Towards Future Generations amongst other things declares that;

The full text of this declaration can be found at http://portal.unesco.org/en/ev. for those that want to read the full declaration; I have merely selected those that are relevant to today’s instalment.

In closing then I think it is necessary to say that Swaziland needs people with selfless intentions to make the necessary sacrifices to bring about change that we will all enjoy the fruits of.

Changes on the wings of people who dream about statues of themselves being erected on the main streets of Swaziland will not be changed at all; it will be a dangerous hybrid of the same thing.

Comments

To the lettered doctor; Words are just words, Explanations are just explanations, Performance is reality. Parties are judged on results not on the number of articles they write to the media! No government or regime was ever sweet talked or smooth talked into surrendering power!
July 31, 2010, 1:53 pm, velaphi dlamini (d.velaphi@yahoo.com)