Pomfret, South Africa

Pomfret, South Africa

Pomfret is a desert town, the site of an old asbestos mine, on the edge of the Kalahari desert in northwest South Africa. Many of its inhabitants are former members of 32 Battalion, also known as Buffalo Battalion. These soldiers were predominantly black Angolans who were used by apartheid South African government to help fight South Africa’s wars in Angola and Namibia and to police the black townships. [cite web
url=http://www.abc.net.au/foreign/content/2005/s1496370.htm
title=South Africa - Pomfret
publisher=
accessdate=2007-01-03 ]

Present

Today the town is described as depressing by those who visit. Injured veterans of war live in squalid circumstances. [cite web
url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/3706931.stm
title=South Africa's 'mercenary' village
publisher=BBC News
accessdate=2007-01-03 ]

In 2004, Zimbabwe jailed over 60 mercenaries from Pomfret for one year for suspected involvement in a plot to overthrow the government of Equatorial Guinea. [cite web
url=http://www.corpwatch.org/article.php?id=12253
title=South Africa - Dogs of War Head Home – But They'll Find It's Gone
publisher=
accessdate=2007-01-03 ] Those jailed were poor ex-soldiers and the jailing left their kin grieving. [cite web
url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A48639-2004Sep24?language=printer
title=African Coup Plot Leaves Kin Bereft
publisher=
accessdate=2007-01-03 ]

A new South African law has been passed to bar mercenaries, but some fear that new restrictions could prevent access for people to legitimate security-related work in areas of conflict. [cite web
url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/crossing_continents/4880908.stm
title=South African government as it seeks to stamp out "mercenary" activity
publisher=BBC News
accessdate=2007-01-03 ]

Asbestos mine in Pomfret

The presence of asbestos in the subsoil was the major reason for the creation of the town. Asbestos was mined and used in the motor industry for the making of brake pads, roofing, and water pipes. The mine is now closed, and is a good tourist attraction.

Notes

People aiding Pomfret

* [http://www.32battalion.net 32 Battalion Veteran Association]
* [http://www.pcsg-web.org Pomfret Christian Support Group **Off line**]
* [http://www.godwithus-eco.org Emmanuel Christian Orphanages **Off line**]

External links

* [http://www.fallingrain.com/world/SF/1/Pomfret.html Pomfret, South Africa Page - Map]
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/low/africa/3706931.stm Pomfret on BBC (1)]
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/crossing_continents/4880908.stm Pomfret on BBC (2)]
* [http://www.abc.net.au/foreign/content/2005/s1496370.htm abc.net news report]
* [http://www.artthrob.co.za/03oct/images/goldblatt04a.jpgPomfret Asbestos mine]
* [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-1607074,00.html Dogs of War Go Home]
* [http://www.earthscienceworld.org/images/search/results.html?Keyword=South%20Africa Photos from Earth Science]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wBdw5TvmJf0 Pomfret-related documentary on YouTube] South Africa- The Buffalo Soldiers (by Journeyman Pictures)
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJF4pkBn3aA Pomfret-related documentary on YouTube] Mercenary Town - South Africa (by Journeyman Pictures)


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