VERY VERY IMPORTANT: High Level self-determination self-rule, secession, Self-Rule Conference in South Africa – My Comments

[I'm keen to follow this. I want to listen to everything that is said. This is going to take place soon and the VF+ (Freedom Front Plus) is driving this. I think the moves by the blacks on land seizure without compensation, which has now passed through parliament has helped to fuel this. The blacks claim that this is not as bad as we expected. But I think the whites are not impressed. This event which takes place early in November, via the Internet, is the most important white political move I've seen in 26 years of black rule. This is FANTASTIC. I don't think anything will happen quickly, nor soon, but this really brings this type of thinking, including hints at secession, out into the open.. This has NEVER been discussed like this in public. I think this will send chills down the spines of the blacks too. The main thing though, regardless, is that this begins to set the tone for whites to think as a group about SELF RULE… it sets us on a path, regardless of whether it takes 2 years or 20 years. It could even, in part be a white move to show the ANC shitbags, that the whites are not going to just bend down and take it up the ass incessantly. So regardless of how far the intent goes, the point is, that for the first time in 26 years, whites get to think like a GROUP and the group issue is SELF RULE… WE RULE OURSELVES. I'm sure Liberals and Jews and others will try to stuff it up, but I think, having some proper Afrikaan academics talking … that this gives us something. Our levels of discontent and anger are reaching new levels. I think though, that this sets us on a path. The length of time that path will take remains to be seen. I don't think it will happen quickly. But I like the fact that it gives us some GROUP THINK AND A GROUP GOAL. Now we're talking… Jan]

Self-determination is an internationally respected phenomenon, which is often used to defuse tension between population groups and every Monday evening, over the next four weeks, the FF Plus will present a top-level virtual conference on the topic. Experts from various fields will participate.

The very first time that the term was used was when the Austro-Hungarian Empire fell in 1918/19. The First World War was fuelled by the frustration of subordinate peoples within this Empire and, thus, self-determination was implemented as a mechanism for establishing peace.

After the Second World War, the concept was also implemented in colonial empires where European rule over areas in Africa and Asia was replaced by self-determination. Therefore, self-determination is one of the pillars of the United Nations.

Because of the indiscriminate determination of colonial borders in Africa, new states were created where certain population groups dominated others. Oppression, ethnic cleansing and even genocide are some of the bitter fruits reaped by these states. The Organisation of African Unity and its successor, the African Union, decided to maintain these colonial borders for the sake of stability.

Up to date, the colonial borders that have been changed relate to the recognition of Eritrea and South Sudan’s independence from Ethiopia and Sudan respectively. Tanzania prevented civil war from erupting in the country by recognising the independence of population groups within its country’s borders – yet another incidence of self-determination.

In South Africa there have also been numerous attempts to defuse underlying tension by means of self-determination. Unfortunately, these attempts failed for a variety of reasons and the underlying tension still exists. The South African Constitution of 1996 holds the door to self-determination open, specifically Section 235.

The fact that this constitutional section does have more than just academic value was underscored by the government’s adoption of expropriation without compensation as policy. It is probably also one of the main reasons why support for the FF Plus grew extensively in 2019.

A pivotal question is how minority groups in South Africa can use their right to self-determination to protect themselves against a government that is not only drunk with power, but also corrupt and incompetent?

Is self-determination synonymous with secession? Must one move someplace else to achieve self-determination? What forms of self-determination can a minority population implement? These are the practical questions that need to be answered so that action can be taken.

The FF Plus will tackle these questions head-on because self-determination can no longer remain a theoretical possibility – ideals must become plans and plans must be executed. And that is why a top-level conference on this topic will be presented over four Monday evenings. The programme is as follows:

1. Monday 19 October:
   What we need to know about self-determination before we can implement it. This session will cover theoretical concepts without which the practical side cannot be considered. Participants include: Prof Koos Malan, Mr Carel Boshoff and Mr Flip Buys.

2. Monday 26 October:
   What forms of self-determination are feasible for a dispersed minority – and how can they be achieved? In neighbourhood watches, school governing bodies and in various other contexts, people are already practising self-determination without even using the term. What else is possible? How far can we take this? Participants include Prof Deon Geldenhuys, Dr Pieter Mulder and Ms Alida Kok.

3. Monday 2 November:
   Self-determination and economic sustainability with an emphasis on the importance of fiscal competencies. What exactly is needed to make self-determination work economically? What is more important – lots of land or the ability to manage the state coffers properly? Participants include Prof Jannie Rossouw, Mr Dawie Roodt and Dr André Laäs.

4. Monday 9 November:
   How can a delineated area achieve self-determination? What does constitutional law say about this? Are you truly independent if someone else can switch off your lights? What can we learn from the practices of Orania? Participants include Dr Corné Mulder, Mr Danie Coetzee and Mr Frans de Klerk.

Source: https://www.vfplus.org.za/media-releases/top-level-conference-on-self-determination-being-part-of-the-solution

Here’s the Afrikaans version:

Topvlak-konferensie oor selfbeskikking: Om deel van die oplossing te wees

2020-10-13

Dr. Wynand Boshoff

Selfbeskikking is ‘n internasionaal gerespekteerde verskynsel, wat gebruik word om spanning tussen bevolkingsgroepe te ontlont en die VF Plus bied oor die volgende vier Maandagaande ʼn topvlak-virtuele konferensie aan om die onderwerp te bespreek. Ware kundiges van verskeie vakgebiede sal deelneem.

Die eerste maal wat die begrip gebruik is, was met die ontbinding van die Oostenryk-Hongaarse ryk in 1918/19. Die Eerste Wêreldoorlog is afgevuur deur die frustrasie van onderhorige volke binne hierdie ryk, daarom is selfbeskikking as ‘n meganisme tot vrede in werking gestel.

Na die Tweede Wêreldoorlog is dit ook na koloniale ryke uitgebrei, waar Europese oorheersing oor gebiede in Afrika en Asië deur selfbeskikking vervang is. Daarom is selfbeskikking een van die grondslae van die Verenigde Nasies.

Weens die onoordeelkundige vasstelling van koloniale grense in Afrika, is nuwe state geskep, waar sekere bevolkingsgroepe ander oorheers. Onderdrukking, etniese suiwering en selfs volksmoord is van die wrang vrugte van hierdie nuwe state. Die Organisasie vir Afrika Eenheid en die opvolger daarvan, die Afrika Unie, het besluit om koloniale grense ter wille van stabiliteit te handhaaf.

Tot op datum is die koloniale grense deur die erkenning van Eritrië en Suid-Soedan se onafhanklikheid van onderskeidelik Etiopië en Soedan gewysig. Tanzanië het voorkom dat die land in burgeroorlog verval, deur outonomie van bevolkingsgroepe binne die landsgrense te erken – nog ‘n uitdrukking van selfbeskikking.

In Suid-Afrika was daar herhaalde pogings om onderliggende spanning deur selfbeskikking te ontlont. Om ‘n verskeidenheid redes het dit nog nie geslaag nie en die onderliggende spanning bestaan steeds. Die Suid-Afrikaanse Grondwet van 1996 hou egter wel die deur vir selfbeskikking oop, veral deur Artikel 235.

Dat hierdie grondwetlike artikel meer as akademiese waarde het, is deur die aanvaarding van onteiening sonder vergoeding as regeringsbeleid beklemtoon. Dit is waarskynlik een van die redes waarom die VF Plus se steun in 2019 vermenigvuldig het.

‘n Deurslaggewende vraag is hoe minderheidsgroepe in Suid-Afrika die reg tot selfbeskikking kan aanwend om hulself teen ‘n staat te beskerm wat tegelyk magsdronk, maar ook korrup en onbekwaam is.

Is selfbeskikking ‘n sinoniem vir afskeiding? Moet ‘n mens iewers heen trek om selfbeskikking te verkry? Watter vorms van selfbeskikking kan vir ‘n minderheidsbevolking verkry word? Dit is praktiese vrae wat antwoorde moet kry, voordat aksie geneem kan word.

Die VF Plus loop hierdie vrae trompop, want selfbeskikking kan nie langer ‘n blote teoretiese moontlikheid wees nie – ideale moet omgesit word in planne en planne in praktiese uitvoering. Daarom word ‘n topvlak-konferensie hieroor oor die volgende vier Maandagaande virtueel aangebied word. Die program is soos volg:

1. Maandag 19 Oktober:
   Wat moet ons van selfbeskikking en verder weet voor ons dit kan bereik? Hier gaan dit oor teoretiese begrippe waarsonder die praktyk nie benader kan word nie. Deelnemers is prof. Koos Malan, mnr. Carel Boshoff en mnr. Flip Buys.

2. Maandag 26 Oktober:
   Watter vorme van selfbeskikking is vir ‘n verspreide minderheid haalbaar – en hoe word dit bereik? In buurtwagte, skoolbeheerliggame en talle ander verbande beoefen mense reeds selfbeskikking, sonder om die woord te gebruik. Wat is nog moontlik? Hoe ver kan ons daarmee vorder? Deelnemers is prof. Deon Geldenhuys, dr. Pieter Mulder en me. Alida Kok.

3. Maandag 2 November:
   Selfbeskikking en ekonomiese haalbaarheid, met klem op die belang van fiskale bevoegdhede. Wat het mens eintlik nodig om selfbeskikking ekonomies te laat werk? Wat is die belangrikste, baie grond, of bevoegdheid om die staatskas te bestuur? Deelnemers is prof. Jannie Rossouw, mnr. Dawie Roodt en dr. André Laäs.

4. Maandag 9 November:
   Hoe bereik ‘n afgebakende gebied selfbeskikking? Wat sê die staatsreg? En is jy selfstandig as iemand jou ligte kan afsit? Wat leer die praktyk van Orania ons? Deelnemers is dr. Corné Mulder, mnr. Danie Coetzee en mnr. Frans de Klerk.

Source: https://www.vfplus.org.za/media-releases/topvlak-konferensie-oor-selfbeskikking-om-deel-van-die-oplossing-te-wees