http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_African_Farmer_Murders

Iron Crosses Day at Pietersburg (Polokwane) "in memory of the farmers killed in South Africa"

Since the end of apartheid in South Africa in 1994, many farmers have been killed throughout the country. While the majority of the victims have been white farmers, attacks have also been recorded against black farmers and farm workers. Claims of death tolls of up to 1,700 (July 2005) have been cited in the media[1].

In most instances, perpetrators tend to be young, unemployed black men from dysfunctional family backgrounds[2]. The age of victims of these murders has ranged from as old as 87 years to young infants. As a result of these murders many farmers have fled the countryside.

The main competing theories that have been put forth as the reason for these murders are:Criminal greed leading to attacks by poor township youths on poorly-defended commercial farmers. Attacks by previous black farmers in revenge for disposession of their land during Apartheid. An orchestrated political terror campaign intended to drive white farmers off their land.

Murder is not the only result of the attacks each year. There is a threat of damage to or loss of property, torture and rape. Murder is the result of about one in ten to one in six[3] recorded attacks.

It is felt by some (notably the previous Transvaal Agricultural Union), that theft and desire for land do not adequately explain some attacks[4]. Some lobby groups claim that the attacks are genocidal in nature. This is supported by the belief that many cases have involved murder with no damage to or theft of property.

This view is contradicted by the South African Government Committee of Inquiry into Farm Attacks report published in 2003[2], which found that:Only a small proportion of attacks involve murder. Theft was committed in almost all cases - in cases where no theft appeared to take place, it was usually because the attackers were disturbed. White people were not targeted exclusively - in 2001, the report found that 61% of victims of farm attacks were white. The proportion of white victims had decreased over the four years immediately prior to the report.

It has been suggested that the South African government is failing to take appropriate measures against these attacks. Several media publications[5] have claimed that local officials in some areas have taken no action to stop or report crowds chanting violent and racist slogans stemming from the liberation struggle era, such as "Kill the Boer, kill the farmer". The South African Human Rights Commission has declared this slogan to be hate speech, a position that is supported by the ruling ANC[6], but that is only sparingly repeated. Various measures have been taken by the local communities to increase their security. Many farmers are angered by what they see as the government, media and international community ignoring the attacks. Some search a solution in a Volkstaat.

^  Roger Graef, “Murders foreshadow South African land war”, The Daily Telegraph, Filed: 03/07/2005. URL accessed on . ^ 

^a  South African Government Committee of Inquiry into Farm Attacks

^  (2002). Over 1000 Boer Farmers In South Africa Have Been Murdered Since 1991. Genocide Watch. URL accessed on .

^  “TAU welcomes farm report, but...”, news24, . URL accessed on .

^ Marietie Louw, “Boer 'tereggestel' op plaas”, Die Beeld, . URL accessed on .

^  (2003). ANC statement on Human Rights Commission ruling. African National Congress. URL accessed on .

Documentary on Farm Murders

June 2002 News Story: "White Afrikaner Farmers Under Siege"

GenocideWatch.org Report on Boers Slain

International Campaign to Stop South African Genocide

News24 Articles on farm murders

Pictures of farm murders

Report: Racism Plagues Response to Rural Crime Site dedicated to stopping genocide of Boers

Site dedicated to stopping genocide of Boers

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Category: Crime by country