The National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union made the allegation on Friday and called for the regional SADC bloc and the broader African Union to investigate the allegations and take remedial action against both President Robert Mugabe’s government and Malawi.
“It is disconcerting to hear of the reports that the Malawian government is allegedly using Zimbabwean mercenaries to crush the public uprising and we call on the SADC and AU to investigate and intervene if need be,” said Sizwe Pamla, the union’s spokesperson.
“NEHAWU believes that citizens have a right to hold their elected government to account and the use of security forces and the legal system to stop public demonstrations and coerce the working class into submission is not only immoral but tyrannical.”
Pamla said his organisation was deeply disturbed by the strong arm and oppressive tactics being used by the Malawian government to silence the dissenting voices of the working class in that country.
“Our union offers its solidarity to all the working class of Malawi that finds itself under siege and we call on the government of Malawi to respect the civil liberties and listen to the views of the working class,” he added.
Zimbabwe and Malawi are some of the countries in the SADC region where worker movements have been suppressed and demonstrations crushed by the use of oppressive state machinery and tough legislation designed to silence dissenting voices from the workforce.
NEHAWU, which has previously spoken up against the oppression of worker movements and the suppression of democracy in Zimbabwe, also called on South Africans and progressive internationalists to offer support and solidarity to the working class of Malawi and put pressure on the government of that country to implement meaningful changes.
“We all have a responsibility to oppose tyranny wherever it emerges because we are not free as long as there are people who are suffering under the yoke of oppression and state brutality,” added Pamla.
“We reiterate our support for the people of Malawi and we are fully behind their defiance actions like staying at home, wearing red clothing, going slow, or walking to work.”
Post published in: Africa News