Posted on 08/23/2002 7:11:30 PM PDT by Clive
A prominent Free State farmer has accused President Thabo Mbeki and his government of failing to protect his substantial business interests and those of other South Africans in Zimbabwe.
At a press conference after meeting Tony Leon, the Democratic Alliance leader, Crawford von Abo said that he had sent Mbeki a letter in March asking for help. He and other South Africans are among commercial farmers or landowners in Zimbabwe who have been targeted by the Zimbabwean government.
"...I feel free to appeal to you to assist me to a just settlement as a loyal South African citizen," the letter states.
Von Abo said he was advised that the matter had been referred to the Foreign Affairs Ministry for action. "To date I have heard nothing further from either the president, the minister of foreign affairs, or any official for the department of foreign affairs that my request is still being considered or that it has been rejected on principles of policy," said Von Abo.
Von Abo was arrested in Zimbabwe on Monday while visiting one of his farms in the south of the country. He, along with other white commercial farmers appeared in court the following day and were released on bail. They have to appear again in court on September 18.
Von Abo says other countries were protecting their citizens He told journalists that neighbours from European countries like France and Germany were not been subjected to the illegal expropriation of their land by Zimbabwean authorities. "I personally spoke to my neighbour who is a Frenchman. When he was threatened his government stepped in and said 'you don't touch him'."
Referring to other European farmers in Zimbabwe, he said: "They have not been touched. Their governments came in."
"It's not a question of land. It's a question of politics. The sad part of it is that the people who are victimised are not the ones who left in 1980 (Zimbabwe's independence). They are productive citizens paying their taxes and duties and who are being victimised because of the political situation," he said.
Von Abo, who in his letter to Mbeki said he had given premises to the ANC in Bothaville and had been bombed and branded a sellout, described himself as a loyal South African and a supporter of the New Partnership for Africa's Development (Nepad).
"I expected that as a South Africa investor in Zimbabwe, I would at least have been protected by my government against the draconian actions of an African regime which is totally in conflict with the principles of Nepad and the new African Union," he said.
Leon said it was clear that governments who had been prepared to act on behalf of and defend their citizens in Zimbabwe had succeeded.
"This must give the lie to quiet diplomacy. Maybe its time for courageous talk from our president and government's part. It's very late in the day. Perhaps too late for the Crawford von Abo's of this world, but we have to try and save this region," Leon said. - Sapa
This man has his head buried in the sand, also. Mbeki is Mugabe Lite. Both are black racists and couldn't care less about their white citizens. Mbeki and his government probably get a kick out of ignoring white pleas. Get out and don't look back.
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