Just one more thing you'd better keep in mind while watching Belgium's human rights circus:
- The most important pro-apartheid lobby was Protea. Protea or the Flemish-South African friendship club, was founded in 1977 by professor André J Vlerick (ex Minister of Finance and vice-president of the "Kredietbank") and the late senator Wim Jorissen. The right wing members consisted of MP's of the liberal and Christian-democratic parties, some important Flemish bankers and industrialists, some journalists and high civil servants. Its aim was to furnish "objective information" about South Africa, defending the apartheid regime and attacking the ANC. Since 1981 there existed a Protea student association. Protea organised meetings, debates, tourist trips to South Africa and offered opportunities to student to do their practical training in SA. Many members of Protea lobbied also against a new law against racism and xenophobia (1987).
Other pro-apartheid lobbies, with more or less the same membership as Protea, were The Interparlementaire Verening België - Zuid-Afrika (the interparliamentarian association Belgium-SA) founded in 1976 and the
- Studiecentrum voor Zuidelijk Afrika (Study Centre on Southern Africa), founded in 1986 by Vlerick
and others .
At the end of the 80's, beginning 90's all these organisations withered away.
These more "respectable" pro-apartheid lobby-organisations maintained good relations with the Vlaams Blok. For example Karel Dillen (former president of the VB) was also founding-member of Protea, as was the late Bob Maes (former leader VMO).
Rochtus friend of the old and new South Africa?
An important right wing founding member of Protea was Leon Rochtus, the director of the bank Paribas in Antwerpen. Rochtus was also one of the founding members of the Vlaams Kultureel Centrum Dr. Missak in Johannesburg (1981). Rochtus, called "Black Leon" because of his Nazi sympathies and his financial mentor ship for the extremist right. He maintained contacts with the Vlaams Blok and helped the VMO financially. Leon Rochtus was honorary consul of South Africa from 1975 until his death in 1997. The SA Ministry of Foreign Affairs (as well its Ambassador in Belgium Mrs. Anette de K. Joubert as its Minister Alfred Nzo) blundered by writing in the journal "Beelden"of the South African Embassy in Brussels [Beelden, febr.97] about this former enemy of the ANC and pro-apartheid activist: "Mr. Rochtus was an exceptional man for South Africa, since he fulfilled the role of Honorary Consul in an admirable way. He received in 1992 "Die Orde van Goeie Hoop" for his excellent record of service, especially for the promotion of trade relations between South Africa and Belgium". (comment: in other words " thanks for your boycott busting activities!")
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From:
contrast.org |
