Andrew Hagen

Last year I wrote about the rumors of a planned genocide in South Africa of white people upon the death of Nelson Mandela. (*) I stressed there that the proper attitude toward these rumors was intense, withering skepticism combined with a willingness to look at new facts. I called for President Mbeki of South Africa to respond to the rumors.

Yesterday I received the following e-mail message from Gawie Snyman, a reader in South Africa. He gave me permission to reprint this here, and to use his name.

I’ve heard of these rumours - from whites and blacks, but unfortunately it stays rumours.

I think you’re right - Pres. Mbeki should be confronted to comment on this publicly. Unfortunately, he is not known for being outspoken and I think he would never address it.

I further agree with you that when we look at the circumstances surrounding Southern Africa you tend to get this revolution where people are getting massacred.

I believe to grasp it in its whole, we must start by acknowledging that most of these Southern African governments has strong ties with Communist ideals - as they were funded by Soviet Russia, etc. while they were fighting the governments of the day.

We all know it’s easier to promise than to provide and Africa is known for power struggles and coups.

I do think that something must be brewing within the ANC. It was clear - during the Jacob Zuma debacle - that there is a big extremist group in the ANC who is much more communist-orientated. They feel that transformation is too slow and it must be sped up significantly.

I feel that as in Zimbabwe a much bigger anti-colonial drum would be beaten - to find another boogie as the cause of the problems - in Africa a mere presence of whites is often perceived as a sign of colonialism.

Unfortunately as you stated above - this is mostly speculation and difficult to frame with hard facts.

However, when we search for signs of genocide in South Africa - we need not look far. Since the fall of Apartheid more than 1,500 white farmers were murdered on farms and these figures are still rising. These attacks are done with military precision. The incompetence of the SA Police Service is too good an excuse for the government’s failure to stop this.

When we look at the recent Firearms Control Act passed by Parliament and we take into account that most gun-related crimes are committed with non-licensed and illegal fire arms, it is odd that the government started their attack on gun-related crimes with the legal owners of firearms.

Many perceive this as a precaution to disarm the whites in order to make them more vulnerable to farm attacks and other general gun-related crimes.

I guess the point I am trying to make is: It might be that there is a planned “final solution”, but the genocide has already started and we don’t need to wait for Mr Mandela’s death to see it, we just need to look around us.

The value of this is that it is a view from the ground level in South Africa, and includes judgments and opinions formed on that basis.

The BBC has some reports on these events in South Africa. (article 1 †) (article 2 ‡)

How should we regard all this? First, in a way, this is an example of what is happening all over the overpopulated, overcrowded planet. People are squeezing other people out of their land.

Second, the charge of genocide, when not justified, is onerous and overwrought. A person might make that charge to exaggerate or enhance a claim or grievance. Then it becomes a harmful thing to say. For example, racism in America against African-Americans is very bad, but it is not genocide, even though once in a while a person or two claims it is. Charging genocide when there is no genocide will not help one’s cause.

Third, the charge of genocide deserves investigation. The best way to stop a genocide is to prevent it before it gets started. For example, if Pol Pot and the Khmer Rogue could have been stopped earlier, millions of lives would have been saved.

Fourth, a realistic assessment of South Africa’s landholdings must be made. In a country with the demographics and history of South Africa, it is not serious to consider that whites will continue to own 75% of the land in the country. Land reform will happen one way or another. White farmers might consider making a reform proposal to the government. This might expedite the process. The emotions of the moment could be cooled.

Fifth, any potential victims of genocide should study the subject of genocide. Since World War II, many scholarly works have been published. For example, Daniel Goldhagen’s book, Hitler’s Willing Executioners, is worth reading and pondering. With a theoretical understanding of genocide, one can better understand it, and how it usually involves military, paramilitaries, and citizens.

Sixth, potential victims of genocide should discuss the subject openly among themselves. This will reduce ignorance.

Seventh, the International Criminal Court at the Hague might provide relief. South Africa is a party to the treaty. (§)

Eighth, efforts by the South African government to take away the guns of white citizens and to disband militias should be opposed, unless the government can convincingly explain why it intends to do this, and how it would not lead to violence or genocide.

Ninth, potential victims of genocide should start developing international links for support and possible refugee flows.

With recent events in Zimbabwe fresh in mind, we would be wise to neither overreact nor underreact to events in South Africa. We should combine intense, withering skepticism with a willingness to look at new facts.

Anecdotes, rumors, hearsay, and other highly questionable sources suggest that the black population of South Africa conspires to massacre the white population of South Africa upon Nelson Mandela’s death. (*) Of South Africa’s total population of 42.7 million, 13.6% are white. (†) Therefore, up to several million lives would be at stake if the rumors reflect truth. Due to the extraordinary amount of harm that is possible, it is worthwhile to look into these rumors, even though the very suggestion of them sounds incredibly absurd.

The rumors are worthy of some attention by South Africans and that part of the world possessed of a basic understanding of history. Sometimes when a former oppressor loses power or becomes a minority, a slaughter ensues of the former oppressor. There are numerous reports of black abuses of power in the new South African government specifically at the expense of whites. (I stress the word “abuse,” meaning that the allegations suggest that more is taken from whites than what justice requires.) Here, the Zimbabwe situation provides an example. (‡) Additionally, the region has a recent history of genocide in Rwanda and the Congo.

The proper stance on this matter is: intense withering skepticism that this event will happen, coupled with a willingness to look for facts, however uncomfortable, that lead to a conclusion of whether this theory is true or false. If there is a reason to believe the theory is accurate, all due precautions are warranted.

Below are Google searches on some of the names that swirl about.

Operation Our Rainy Day.

Operation White Clean-up.

Operation Vula

Night of the Long Knives south africa

Operation Iron Eagle

Red October campaign

Operation Uhuru

If there are rumors of any other planned genocide in the world, I am not aware of them. I would like to know about any such thing.

Thirteen black churches were recently burned down by hate groups. The news media have not bothered to cover it. Maybe it’s because those churches are in Africa, and the people that burned them are radical Muslims. (*)

Apparently it doesn’t mean as much then.

Additionally, various other acts of persecution continue as radical Muslims attempt to coerce and intimidate black African Christians into becoming their dhimmis, or slaves. Nothing to see here. Over one hundred Christian churches have also been closed in China.

Good thing we’re not in a war of civilizations or anything.

In simultaneous attacks, terrorists set off a car bomb in a hotel lobby in Kenya, murdering at least 7 civilians and injuring many more, and fired two surface to air missiles at an Israeli passenger jet. (*) The missiles both streaked past the plane and missed. It appears to have been a lucky break. The passengers suffered no casualties and the jet landed safely in Israel under fighter escort. The car bomb attack hit the Paradise Hotel in Kikambala, near Mombasa. The missile attack took place as the plane took off from Moi International Airport (MBA) in Mombasa. (†) CNN has reported that the missiles were SA-7 Strelas. They are relatively widely available in the arms market. Jerusalem Post has further coverage of the horror. (‡)

Additionally, a small plane is reported to have dropped three packages on the same hotel, which appeared to be bombs. There are no reports of injuries stemming from this particular thrust. (§)

I believe that these terrorist crimes were perpetrated by Al Qaeda. The coordinated nature of the attacks is the best indication of that. It would be the first time that Al Qaeda has attacked Israeli targets directly, though it is no surprise that they have done so. Like their other attacks, it is nothing more than savage barbarity. Al Qaeda must be hunted down and killed without mercy.

For years, a brutal civil war with many civilian casualties has wracked the Sudan. (*) Finally, with the signing of the Sudan Peace Act, the US sends a strong message to the Sudanese government that they must resolve the conflict and protect human rights or face a variety of sanctions. (†) While this Act may not successfully stabilize the Sudan, long a safe haven for terrorists, or fail to do enough to encourage the recognition of human rights there, it does send the right message. It is a sign that the US and the international community are at last getting serious about the Sudan.