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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| Swazi anger at royal wives' trip | Swazi anger at royal wives' trip |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Hundreds of Swazi women have marched through the streets of the capital to protest about a shopping trip taken by nine of the king's 13 wives. | Hundreds of Swazi women have marched through the streets of the capital to protest about a shopping trip taken by nine of the king's 13 wives. |
| They chartered a plane last week to go to Europe and the Middle East. | They chartered a plane last week to go to Europe and the Middle East. |
| The BBC's Thulani Mthethwa says the protesters handed in a petition to the finance ministry saying the money could have been better spent. | The BBC's Thulani Mthethwa says the protesters handed in a petition to the finance ministry saying the money could have been better spent. |
| "We can't afford a shopping trip when a quarter of the nation lives on food aid," they chanted. | "We can't afford a shopping trip when a quarter of the nation lives on food aid," they chanted. |
| Swaziland, Africa's last absolute monarchy, is one of the poorest countries in the world and more than 40% of the population is believed to be infected with HIV. | Swaziland, Africa's last absolute monarchy, is one of the poorest countries in the world and more than 40% of the population is believed to be infected with HIV. |
| We could need to keep that money for ARVs Protest slogan | We could need to keep that money for ARVs Protest slogan |
| The march was organised by Positive Living, a non-governmental organisation for women with Aids. | The march was organised by Positive Living, a non-governmental organisation for women with Aids. |
| Our correspondent says there was a cross-section of women on the march from professionals to rural representatives. | Our correspondent says there was a cross-section of women on the march from professionals to rural representatives. |
| "We need to keep that money for ARVs [anti-retrovirals]," was anther slogan shouted by the women. | |
| King Mswati III, 40, has been criticised in the past for requesting public money to pay for new palaces, a personal jet and luxury cars. | King Mswati III, 40, has been criticised in the past for requesting public money to pay for new palaces, a personal jet and luxury cars. |
| News of his wives' trip broke in the local press a day after they left, our reporter says. | News of his wives' trip broke in the local press a day after they left, our reporter says. |
| Earlier this week, senior princes warned the women not to march, saying it defied Swazi tradition. | Earlier this week, senior princes warned the women not to march, saying it defied Swazi tradition. |