Afrikaner Groups in South Africa Decline Trump's Resettlement Proposal
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Synopsis
Afrikaner organizations in South Africa have rejected Donald Trump's offer for resettlement in the U.S. This comes in response to accusations of land confiscation directed at the South African government. Dialogue between Afrikaners and Trump's administration is anticipated to address these issues.
Key Takeaways
- Afrikaners in South Africa decline Trump's resettlement offer.
- Concerns raised over alleged land confiscation.
- Dirco rebukes misinformation regarding South Africa's history.
- Trump's executive order threatens to cut financial aid.
- Engagement between Afrikaner groups and U.S. administration expected.
Johannesburg, Feb 10 (NationPress) Organizations representing Afrikaners in South Africa have declared their refusal to accept the resettlement offer extended by U.S. President Donald Trump.
These Afrikaner organizations, including Solidarity and AfriForum, convened a media briefing on Saturday in Pretoria to address Trump's recent executive order issued on Friday, which accused South Africa of "seizing ethnic minority Afrikaners' agricultural property," and proposed the option for Afrikaners to apply for refugee status in the United States.
In a phone interview on Sunday, Kallie Kriel, CEO of the Afrikaner advocacy group AfriForum, informed Xinhua that Afrikaner representatives would be visiting the U.S. to engage with Trump's administration later this month.
When questioned about the purported "land confiscation," Kriel acknowledged that while such situations have occurred, they were not orchestrated by the government.
"Land seizures are executed by individuals with political motivations. The government deserves blame for not taking these matters seriously or intervening," Kriel stated.
On Saturday, South Africa's Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) expressed concern regarding Trump's executive order to withdraw financial support from the nation.
Reports indicate that the United States allocated nearly $440 million in assistance to South Africa in 2023.
The dispute between the two nations escalated earlier this week when Trump threatened to cut funding to South Africa due to the newly enacted Expropriation Act, which allows public institutions to expropriate land for the public good, according to Xinhua news agency.
"It is deeply troubling that the foundational premise of this order is factually inaccurate and fails to acknowledge South Africa's significant and painful history of colonialism and apartheid," stated DIRCO in their announcement.
"We are worried about what appears to be a campaign of misinformation and propaganda designed to misrepresent our esteemed nation. It is disheartening to see these narratives gaining traction among decision-makers in the United States," the statement continued.
The statement also noted the irony in the U.S. government offering refuge to the "most economically privileged" Afrikaners while simultaneously deporting individuals from other countries and asylum-seekers.
In the executive order, the U.S. administration asserted it cannot endorse the South African government's alleged human rights abuses and instructed its agencies to cease aid to South Africa while providing refugee status to Afrikaner farmers.
On Monday, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa dismissed allegations that the Expropriation Act was intended to confiscate land and expressed a willingness to engage with the Trump administration on land reform and other bilateral matters.
