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foreman road - update
by richard pithouse
Monday, Nov. 14, 2005 at 12:43 PM
everyone is now out of police custody and, as far as we can tell, all the injured people have received medical attention.
the police were exceptionally brutal. someone challenged a police officer declaring "but this is a democracy". he replied "there is no democracy here". he was telling the truth. there is no state democracy for the shack settlements. the only democracy here is the democracy that people create for themselves.
the ethekwini muncipality illegally evicted people from their homes without providing alternative accommodation
the ethekwini muncipality illegally baned people from marching in protest at the way they are treated
when people peacefully marched in protest at illegal ban on their right to march the police beat them, savagely.
the police didn't give people a warning to disperse, at least one police officer used live ammunition, people taking photographs of police violence had their cameras confiscated by the police, people were robbed of money and phones by the police. all of this is illegal.
the only democracy for the poor is the democracy that they create themselves. the 'democracy' of the ethekwini muncipality just means that when you get an eviction notice it will come with a logo 'celebrating ten years of democracy'.
a number of council officials have privately and off the record said that city manager mike sutcliffe was personally responsible for the illegal ban of the march. we can't know if this is true or not but as city manager sutcliffe should be held responsible. this act in and by itself is a major attack on popular democracy. this act in and by itself renders sutcliffe unfit to hold any office in a democratic state. sutcliffe has taken us back to the days of botha. his email address is michael@demarcation.org.za tell him what you think of his actions. don't hold back.
richard
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