I must say, after reading PUDEMO's letter, the decision to launch a Marxist-Leninist party, the Communist Party of Swaziland (CPS), WAS AND IS THE BEST. Franz Fanon's Wretched of the Earth, in particular Chapter 3, The Pitfalls of National Consciousness reveals what PUDEMO might do after the attainment of democracy in Swaziland. In short, during the independence struggle, national liberation organizations concerned mostly don't put forward an anti-thesis economic program to the thesis, i.e. prevailing mode of production and its social relations of production in general. Most often than not, they say this will cause divisions amongst their ranks because they are a "broad church" that brings together and unites everyone, all classes and strata. After independence, asserts Fanon, they then refuse to take a revolutionary line with the interests of the bourgeoisie inside these organizations assuming precedence with the so-called national bourgeoisie (what in South Africa was called "patriotic bourgeoisie"), which is but predominantly in character an intermediary rather than the classical entrepreneurial and industrial bourgeoisie that is analyzed by Marx, assuming the driving seat in their own interests first and foremost.
While PUDEMO claims to be not anti-communist and to be having communists in its ranks it in its letter openly denounces or distances itself from socialism and communism. In class terms, this could not only simply be a decision of the NEC of PUDEMO, but the outcome of pressure from the capitalist class that is said to be in PUDEMO as one of the component parts of PUDEMO as a broad church. To the extent that is the case, the letter by PUDEMO is itself evidence of the line referred to by Fanon. At the end of the day, for Swaziland to free it must be independent from the absolute monarchy. It is worth noting the PUDEMO plays the cultural card in its opposition or abstinence from a Democratic Republic of Swaziland. From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Dominic Tweedie Sent: Tuesday, November 29, 2011 7:42 PM To: [email protected] Subject: [YCLSA Discussion] PUDEMO excommunicates the Communist Party of Swaziland People's United Democratic Movement-PUDEMO Office of the Secretary General c/o 9th floor Kopano House, 2 Melle Street, Braamfontein, JHB, 2014 +2773 506 1207; 00268 7803 9932; 00268 7607 3453; +27 11 712 0300 [email protected], [email protected] 28 November 2011 >From PUDEMO To Communist Party of Swaziland (CPS) Cc To all Regional Secretaries, all leagues, and all internal allies of PUDEMO Attention General Secretary RE: Relationship between PUDEMO and the CPS Dear Comrade Kenneth Kunene The above matter has reference. The NEC of PUDEMO after careful and critical engagement of the issues relating to the Communist Party of Swaziland had made the following determination that: * Everyone has a right to form and belong to a political party of their choice * PUDEMO through its inception has fought for the respect for the right to freedom of association Further to that PUDEMO notes that almost all of the people in the leadership of the CPS have at some point been members of PUDEMO facing disciplinary charges within the movement, cases which have not been concluded at the time of the formation of the CPS. In this aspect the NEC wishes to clarify the following points that: * The CPS is an independent political party with its set of goals, values, programme and policies. It is neither a mass organ of PUDEMO nor a constituent organ of PUDEMO. * As a matter of principle, by their very nature political parties contest for space, influence and eventually state power based on their manifestos, programmes and policies * The involvement of people known to be members of PUDEMO in the establishment and leadership of the CPS without the explicit endorsement by PUDEMO has not only confused our members, allies and the general public but has sown seeds of division in the ranks of the movement and its allied organisations * A person can not have membership of different political parties with different ideological stand points, different policies and still remain equally loyal to both. * By forming and belonging to another political party, members of the CPS have declared their open decision NOT to be members of PUDEMO anymore * By forming and belonging to another political party other than PUDEMO, a person voluntarily chooses to forfeit their membership of PUDEMO for their political party of choice; a right they fully have and can not be denied from exercising * The fact that some of those now leading the CPS were facing cases of ill-discipline from within PUDEMO convinced the NEC that the main reason to form the CPS was to run away from internal disciplinary processes of PUDEMO hence can not be considered to have been a genuine desire to espouse the communist beliefs PUDEMO has within its ranks many communists who continue to enrich the movement's diversity as a broad church that takes into its ambit different classes and strata of society; communists and capitalists, monarchists, republicans and nationalists, the employed and unemployed, urban and rural folks, believers and atheists, Marxists-Leninists, etc. They are all members of this movement. The mission of PUDEMO as contained in the preamble to our manifesto states among others that: We are a political Movement committed to the creation, protection and promotion of a constitutional multi party democracy, a transparent and accountable government, an environment conducive to economic growth, and economic empowerment and to the development of a culturally vibrant and tolerant society based on maximum participation and the respect of the will of the people. And chapter 4(d) of the Road Map to a free and Democratic Swaziland as adopted in our 6th General Congress states that: PUDEMO seeks 'Democratizing traditional leadership and the institution of the monarchy to be compatible with the democratic aspirations of our people and the foundation of the new society we are striving to build" While the founding statement of the CPS states that: "We believe, however, that Swaziland needs a Communist Party in these days of intensified protest against the regime in order to present a socialist alternative and perspective to the Swazi people. The CPS is a Marxist-Leninist party that struggles for socialism. We do not want to see the monarchic autocracy reformed or dressed in democratic trappings to appease the liberal sensibilities of any interest group or the international community." And in a number of public statements, the CPS has openly said it wants "a Democratic Republic of Swaziland" a position that PUDEMO has not adopted. Until such has been adopted in a congress of PUDEMO, it remains a point of divergence. Clearly, there is a clash of ideology and approach. It therefore goes without any further explanation that the NEC of PUDEMO has concluded that there is NO relationship between PUDEMO and the CPS. Those who are members of the CPS cannot at the same time be part of PUDEMO and vIce versa. In this context and spirit PUDEMO calls on you to stop forthwith to include in your public statements and documents what may be perceived to indicate that there is a relationship between the two political parties while there is none; more especially because PUDEMO was neither part of nor informed or consulted of the process towards the establishment of the CPS. And the use of the name of PUDEMO and its Youth League (SWAYOCO) in CPS documents has not been sanctioned by PUDEMO. This must not in any way be misinterpreted as being anti communist. The history of the movement is rich with disciplined communists who not only formed this movement but went on to lead it with distinction, with the full understanding and acceptance of its character as a broad church whose primary task is to unite the people of Swaziland across classes to fight for a National Democratic Revolution, placing the demand for a constitutional multi party democracy at the head of the liberation agenda. That there is no relationship with the CPS now does not mean an alliance can not be established between the two parties in future. But PUDEMO believes that this alliance can not just be formed on the bases of the announcement of the existence of one party but will be formed in the trenches in our collective fight against the tinkhundla regime. Any alliance must be one formed in the crucible of struggle not in boardrooms and congresses. It must develop organically and build on trust and understanding of the programmes of both organisations. It must be built on respect for the independence, programmes, policies and character of each organisation. We also wish to bring to your attention that we have communicated in detail with all our allies the position we are communicating to you. We have done this to end the confusion that has been created by statements of the CPS which sought to mislead our allies that PUDEMO is working with the CPS and that there is a relationship between the two organisations. PUDEMO wishes the CPS a healthy political life. Comradely Skhumbuzo Phakathi PUDEMO Secretary General On behalf of the NEC ________________________________ -- You are subscribed. This footer can help you. Please POST your comments to [email protected] or reply to this message. You can visit the group WEB SITE at http://groups.google.com/group/yclsa-eom-forum for different delivery options, pages, files and membership. To UNSUBSCRIBE, please email [email protected] . You don't have to put anything in the "Subject:" field. 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