Trump freezes aid to South Africa for a controversial land law, claiming discrimination against white farmers

CNN
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The president of the United States, Donald Trump, signed on Friday a decree destined to freeze assistance to South Africa due to a controversial law that allows the government to confiscate agricultural lands of ethnic minorities, mainly white farmers, without compensation, as well as the position from the country against Israel and its war in Gaza.

Trump said in the decree that the United States would no longer support South Africa with foreign aid if such policies, which he states highlights a “impressive contempt for its citizens” and equals “human rights violations,” continue, ordering US agencies that Stop providing any aid to South Africa unless you are considered necessary.

The president of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa, has previously denied that the South African authorities were “confiscating land” and said that his country hoped to work with the Trump administration “on our agrarian reform policy.”

Trump’s decree also directs the United States to attend Afrikáneres, an ethnic group descended from European settlers, who are fleeing from South Africa due to discrimination, including helping them to reset through refugee programs.

“It is the United States policy that, while South Africa continue with these unfair and immoral practices that damage our nation, the United States will not provide help or assistance to South Africa; and the United States will promote the resettlement of Afrikáneres refugees that escape racial discrimination sponsored by the Government, including the racially discriminatory confiscation of properties, ”says the decree.

The Ministry of Foreign Relations of South Africa described the decree as a “great concern” and said that “it lacks factual precision and does not recognize the deep and painful history of colonialism and apartheid of South Africa”, adding that the movement seemed “to be a campaign of misinformation and propaganda aimed at misrepresenting our great nation. ”

“It is ironic that the decree contemplates the status of refugee in the United States for a group in South Afric Despite the real difficulties, ”added the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement this Saturday.

In the past, racist policies necessarily removed black South Africans and not white from their lands to be used by white people. There has been a provision of redistribution and restitution of land in the constitution of the country since South Africa emerged from its Apartheid era and celebrated its first democratic elections in 1994.

However, unemployment and poverty remain acute among black South Africans, which constitute around 80% of the population, but have a fraction of the earth. In January, Ramaphosa signed a law that establishes new guidelines for land expropriation, including allowing government to expropriate land without compensation in some cases.

According to the US foreign assistance website, the country said it would send almost US $ 440 million in assistance to South Africa in 2023, including more than US $ 270 million only from USAID.

The decree comes while the Trump administration has already frozen almost all foreign assistance and has taken measures to dismantle USAID.

Trump also said in his decree that South Africa had adopted an aggressive position against the United States and his allies through his position on Israel and the revitalization of ties with Iran.

South Africa accused Israel of committing genocide in an unprecedented case in the Superior Court of the United Nations Organization, the International Court of Justice (CIJ). He said that Israel’s leadership was “determined to destroy the Palestinians in Gaza” and asked the court to order Israel’s military campaign in the enclave.

Trump has previously said that he would stop financing until there was a complete investigation into accusations that “South Africa is confiscating land and treating certain kinds of people very badly”, without citing evidence.

Ramaphosa also spoke with Trump’s ally and born in South Africa Elon Musk at the beginning of this week “about misinformation issues and distortions on South Africa”, emphasizing the constitutionally integrated values ​​of South Africa of respect for the rule of law, justice, equity And equality, ”said a government statement at that time.

During his annual speech on the state of the nation, Ramaphosa said South Africa “will not be disgusted.”

“We, like South Africans, are a resilient people and we will not be intimidated,” he said.