Burn, Babylon, Burn

The days of lice head and chill of foot amongst children is over
And education and British youth now in college taking over, welcome
Neither this is the time when children and fathers listening most to grand massa [firebun]

Rasta a go tear down Babylon
Rasta a go tear down Babylon
Freedom fighters a go tear down Babylon
Revolutionaries a go tear down Babylon

R-A-S-T-A, Rasta, which means
Righteous African Stands Tall Alone, forever
And the king that sits not upon a golden throne
Is eating after the pig and sucking off his bone
Boy you no understand

Babylon A weep, Culture, Trust me, 1997. Ras Us




It is extremely disheartening that the social change envisaged by Swaziland’s pro-democracy groups has entered its violent stage. The acts of terror against the state have had minimal impact on their targets. However it is reasonable to believe that the state’s failure to apprehend credible suspects will only make the terrorist cells more daring, which should eventually heighten the people’s consciousness.


DECLARATION

At the moment only one political organization has come put to publicly declare that it will not desist from using violence in order to achieve its political goals. Regardless of this declaration, however, there is no indication that the local population is in a state of panic. One of the main reasons for this apathy is the fact that other declarations have been made before without any concrete action. As a result, people have begun to believe that these organizations “bark more than they bite.”


BY WAY OF UPRISING

The most effective means of turning social systems around is a popular mass uprising. The most significant popular uprising in recent times is that which occurred in Nepal in 2006. Although it had its own share of violence and deaths, it was certainly much more effective than the guerrilla attacks currently being waged by that country’s Moaists. Naturally, the more effective route is far much more difficult than the alternatives because it requires constant communication with the vast majority of the people who at times might be at such low levels of political consciousness that they could easily aid the security agents in their fight against the mobilization of the population. Therefore this is not an easy alternative in a country where all the state’s security agents are free to publicly mete out violence on political activists.


CATALYSIS

The great advantage of violence, especially in a tranquil atmosphere like Swaziland, is that it introduces a sense of urgency. If used in an appropriate manner, it can therefore serve as a catalyst to the broader mass movement.