Press Release:
From: Russel Kaplan,
Counsel for Mr. Huntley
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – September 7, 2009
- There are "Brandon Huntley" stories from all over the world coming in every single day. They are all consistent in one thing: Mr. Huntley's story is real. The support is unbelievable. Personal stories of fear, by white South Africans, based on the colour of their skin, and of atrocities suffered by them and their family members and friends, because they are white, keep streaming in. Many have left South Africa already. Others still remain in South Africa.
- As far as the so-called experts are concerned, who have confidently stated in the past 10 days, that no racial motivation is involved in Mr. Huntley's incidents and other incidents, we can only respond with the following: in a country which for decades was mired in apartheid, resulting in thousands if not millions of marginalized and disenfranchised African South Africans, to think that there is not even a little retribution sought or "payback" by some of those who suffered under the years of apartheid, in the violence on white South Africans, is naivety to the highest degree. This is not to say that we do not acknowledge that there are many incidents that occur without any racial motivation. However, Mr. Huntley's case provided an evidentiary foundation (through testimony determined credible by Mr. Davis and documentary evidence)to prove otherwise, in his particular circumstances.
- Finally, Mr. Huntley's case was not based on only the incidents. It was based on the discriminatory policies of BEE and affirmative action, as well as the general atmosphere of insecurity in South Africa for many white South Africans, and for Mr. Huntley. He relied on these separate aspects to argue that "cumulatively" he had a well founded fear of persecution. These arguments are supported by paragraphs 53, 54 and 55 in the Handbook on Procedures and Criteria for Determining Refugee Status, issued by the Office of The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. As far as the "appeal" is concerned, our office believes that the facts and the law are on the side of Mr. Huntley.
Russell Kaplan
Counsel for Mr. Huntley
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