Australia Calls For Emergency Visas For White Farmers Facing Violent Attacks In South Africa

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Australia Calls For Emergency Visas For White Farmers Facing Violent Attacks In South Africa
Infowars

URL: https://www.infowars.com/australia-call ... th-africa/
Category: Politics
Published: March 16, 2018

Description: South African whites facing horrific circumstances, top official warns
A top Australian official has called for emergency visas for South Africa’s white farmers, who are reportedly facing rising violence amid government calls for land expropriation in favor of black citizens. “If you look at the footage and read the stories, you hear the accounts, it’s a horrific circumstance they face,” said Australian Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton. “I think these people deserve special attention and we’re certainly applying that special attention now.” “I do think, on the information that I’ve seen, people do need help and they need help from a civilized country like ours,” Dutton said, commenting on a documentary about violent rural crime in South Africa. The claim followed a wave of stories related to the alleged persecution of white farmers in South Africa after the authorities approved new legislation allowing the redistribution of lands owned by white farmers to black South African citizens. In the predominantly black population of 50 million people white citizens reportedly own 72 percent of farmland. Dutton’s call was slammed by South Africa’s Foreign Ministry. “There is no reason for any government anywhere in the world to suspect that any South African is in danger from their own democratically elected government. That threat simply does not exist,” the ministry’s spokesman said in a statement.

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Peter Dutton wants Australia to help white South African farmers who he says are facing violence, land seizures
ABC News

URL: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-03-15/d ... rs/9550050
Category: Politics
Published: March 15, 2918

Description: White farmers facing violence in South Africa "deserve special attention" from Australia, Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton has said. Mr Dutton has ordered his department to investigate how to bring the farmers, who he says are facing "horrific circumstances" of land seizures and violence, to Australia. He said he had watched television footage and read articles that convinced him the farmers needed help. He said he had "hope" some of the farmers could be settled in Australia, declaring: "We have the potential to help some of these people that are being persecuted." Violence on South African farms is a racially charged political issue. Afriforum, a rights group that mainly represents the views of the white Afrikaner minority, says white farmers are murdered at four times the rate of other citizens, but these figures cannot be independently verified and have been challenged. Mr Dutton said he wanted to explore whether the farmers could access visas or humanitarian programs. "People do need help and they need help from a civilised country like ours," Mr Dutton told News Corp. "There are existing visa categories where we can accommodate people and we're just looking at the moment as to what might be feasible. Hopefully we'll make an announcement in due course." Another federal Cabinet minister, Steve Ciobo, agreed the farmers should be given special attention by Australia, arguing the situation in South Africa was "cause for concern". "Let's be frank, if we see in this case — people who are being thrown off their land, being persecuted, I've read of people being shot, rapes, all sorts of different things — then I do believe that there's a role to be played." Labor senator Kim Carr said he was pleased the Government had "taken an interest" in humanitarian migration programs. "We want to make sure we have a non-discriminatory migration policy and I trust that's what this Government is seeking to maintain," he said. "Our human rights record ought be second to none in the world. It should be done on a non-racial approach to immigration." But the South African Government dismissed fears expressed by Mr Dutton for the safety of the farmers, saying its citizens were not in danger.
Most South Africans would prefer to stay: Afriforum
Afriforum expressed gratitude to Mr Dutton for acknowledging the attacks on white farmers. But deputy chief executive Ernst Roets said most South Africans would prefer to stay on home soil. "We would like to solve the problem in South Africa. So we don't necessarily think the solution is for everyone to leave the country," he said. Mr Roets said the Australian Government should engage with South African officials. Mr Dutton said the farmers could make a contribution to Australian life. "The people we're talking about want to work hard, they want to contribute to a country like Australia," he said. "We want people that want to come here, abide by our laws, integrate into our society, work hard, not lead a life on welfare and I think these people deserve special attention and we're certainly applying that special attention now."

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South African expats in WA cautiously welcome farmer visa plans
ABC News

URL: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-03-16/s ... ns/9553694
Category: Politics
Published: March 15, 2918

Description: South African expats living in Western Australia have cautiously welcomed a move by the Federal Government to fast-track visas for farmers living in their homeland, amid escalating violence and land seizures. Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton has ordered his department to investigate how to bring the farmers to Australia in light of what he describes as "horrific circumstances". Marc Deas is a farmer in Boyup Brook in the state's South West. He moved to Australia from South Africa 12 years ago, forced from his homeland because he feared for the safety of his family. "There are gangs of predators moving around the countryside targeting people on farms; men, women and children who are defenceless," Mr Deas said. "They are committing the most atrocious deeds. People don't sleep well, they have security everywhere, they're forced to carry firearms. It's pretty scary." Mr Deas said there is a strong appetite for farmers to leave. "It's pretty tough living there," Mr Deas said. "For us, life has changed massively. In the beginning it was really strange not to have to lock our doors. "Now we can sleep at night. We can concentrate on doing our jobs, contributing to the economy and living our lives as a person really should be able to."
Calls for Australia to go further
Reeva Cutting runs a community group for expats in Perth. She said the issue was a very emotive one for South Africans but the response to the Minister's comments has been overwhelmingly positive. "There's a lot of talk about it, mostly in a positive light," Ms Cutting said. "There are some people that want the [Federal] Government to take it a step further, extend it to more people, different races as well because it's not just a white problem. "Everyone in South Africa is being a victim of crime at the moment but I think we shouldn't lose sight of the fact that this is specifically about farmers that have been targeted in a much worse way than the general population in South Africa. "It's just horrific really and something needs to be done about it. "If the South African Government is not going to do anything to start protecting these people then maybe it's a good thing that other countries are starting to recognise the serious problem that it is." The South African Government has dismissed Mr Dutton's fears for the safety of farmers, saying its citizens were not in danger.