Lady Anne Barnard, die fluitjieblaser onthul Britse slawernyskandaal aan die Kaap – praag.co.za
Robbeneiland, die plek van kwarantyn, word byna aan slawehandelaars verkoop, vertel lady Anne. Maar haar man, Andrew, verneuk die goewerneur, sir George Yonge, en die Britse slawehandelaar, met ingewikkelde dokumentasie – en gevolglik word die eiland toe nie verkoop nie.
Op 21 Februarie 2012 het ’n brief van Terence Grant van Woodstock in die Engelstalige dagkoerant Cape Argus onder die opskrif ‘Slavery and the loss of land led to deprivation’ verskyn. Die brief lui soos volg: “Dr. Pieter Mulder and his fans need to understand that Afrikaner ancestors, in general, were enthusiastic supporters of slavery and often grabbed more land in the hope that landless blacks would work for them in conditions tantamount to slavery. Suffice it to say that when the British in 1795 outlawed judicial torture, the Cape Court of Justice protested that “cold and rude slaves would hardly consider the privation of life as a punishment, unless accompanied by such cruel circumstances as greatly aggravate their bodily suffering”, according to Frank Welsh’s “A History of South Africa – a way of saying that slaves are too badly treated to regard death by execution as a significant punishment. With the British banning the slave trade in 1807, and vigorously enforcing this ban, the Boer was at loggerheads with anyone attempting to uplift these “schepsels” (creatures). One of the first acts of the breakaway Boer communities was to ban in the 1830’s all missionary activity. It is understandable that blacks should feel the Afrikaner stole their inheritances, and to expect those who inherited this land to help them over the hurdles in their path. The Afrikaner and many of his English-speaking counterparts believe that they and their fathers played and are playing on a level playing field. Fortunately, ignorance is curable.”
Nog vreemder is dat daardie akademici en vakkundiges wat die voortou neem in die anti-Afrikaner-lasterveldtog via museums, skoolleerplanne, die toerismebedryf, boeke en die openbare omgewing van Kaapstad, skynbaar nog nooit lady Anne se onthullings oor die Britse slawebedryf raakgelees het nie. Nie ‘n enkele boek in Engels hier ter plaatse oor die slawebedryf vermeld enigiets daarvan nie. Maar hulle kon wel haar skets van Teresa met baba Van Reenen uit haar nalatenskap pluk om ook dít as ’n wapen teen Afrikaners te misbruik.
Skrywer Dan RoodtGepubliseer op 20 Julie 2013 Kategorieë BoekeSleutelwoord Britse liberalisme, Brittanje, lady Anne Barnard, slawerny
Vorige Vorige artikel: Anton van Niekerk dweep met Belhar-belydenis
Volgende Volgende artikel: Die Afrikaner: laaste volk op sy voete