Afrikaner refugees settle in Raleigh after disputed claims of genocide in South Africa

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- Amid the controversial back and forth about alleged white genocide happening in South Africa claimed by President Trump and challenged by the South African President, dozens of white Afrikaner refugees have been approved to come to the United States.

ABC11 is now learning that three refugees arrived in Raleigh on May 12.

In a statement, NCDHHS said, "The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services State Refugee Office will work closely with contracted providers and partners to coordinate the delivery of necessary support services in order to achieve self-sufficiency and integration."

One of the organizations that assists refugees is the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.

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Behind Temple Baptist Church in Durham is a Welcome House, the first stop for those seeking a better life in North Carolina.

"Many of them have been in refugee camps for a long time, maybe years, decades, some of them have been in refugee camps, and so life in camp is very different from landing in a city," said Rev. Dr. Randy Carter.

Carter said he's helped refugees from everywhere, from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Venezuela, Myanmar, and Ukraine.

But said he's grappling with the fact that Afrikaner refugees were given an easier welcome than many of those facing immediate danger he's worked with before, and says the double standard is hard to ignore.

"You can ask the questions why was it so easy to fast-track a group of white South African farmers or white Afrikaner farmers when it's so hard to welcome someone from Venezuela or welcome someone from an African nation or Middle Eastern nation? That's a troubling question to me," Carter said.

But for Carter, it was important to make sure they were included

"We said, 'What do we do?' 'What should we do?' and so we said our consistent work has been to welcome the refugee," he said.

Carter said he understands because of the history of apartheid, it may be controversial, but he hopes as Afrikaner refugees come to Raleigh, they can learn lessons in their new country.

"As white Christians in south white Baptists in south we recognize our own history and need to continue to repent and overcome that history," he said.

A history that's constantly evolving.

"That also means joining us and our Afghan neighbors and Syrian neighbors and Congolese neighbors in overcoming those things together."

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