This is according to Johan Burger, senior researcher for the Crime and Justice Programme at the Institute for Security Studies, who recently met Dr Gregory Stanton, a research professor in Genocide Studies and Prevention at the US’s George Mason University, and also the founder of the Genocide Watch organisation. TAU SA invited Stanton to a series of meetings and tours related to the union’s concerns over farm attacks.
Worrying signs
The allegation that the country’s thousands of farm attacks and murders against mostly white victims since 1994, could constitute genocide, originated with TAU SA. According to Stanton, “there are seriously worrying signs that genocide may be happening now, or could happen in the future, but that it just can’t be proven.” “I agree with him on these signs,” said Burger.
“Dr Stanton is calling for a team of experts to come here and see if they can find these facts. He wants a team of unbiased individuals from credible international organisations.” TAU SA president Louis Meintjes said his union wanted to use the opportunity to compare its views on the attacks with those of Stanton. The union has lodged a charge of genocide at the International Criminal Court against the South African government for allegedly allowing the attacks on, and murders of, the country’s white farmers to continue unabated.
Clearer understanding
The SA Institute of Race Relations said that it was significant that a respected academic of Stanton’s calibre visited to try and gain a clearer understanding of what is behind the farm attacks. The Institute’s deputy CEO, Frans Cronje, said that, in terms of politics and diplomacy, the visit emphasised just how seriously the attacks and murders could be taken globally. “In my own view, if you’re looking for a direct line between farm attacks and the race of the farmers, I don’t think that you’ll find one,” said Cronje.
