Who's+afraid+of+Virginia+Schmidt,+Willem+Steenkamp,+The+Star


 * From: Willem Steenkamp **


 * To:** **Michael Schmidt **, **ssnnetwork@gmail.com**, **lucky.lukhele@gmail.com**, **Dominic.Tweedie@gmail.com**, **Communist-University@googlegroups.com**, **Brendan Seery **

Date: 05-Dec-2006 17:49 Subject: RE: [CU360] [Communist University] Take The Initiative

To whom it may concern

It is noteworthy that for nearly two weeks now, Swazi pro-democracy activists and their comrades have been bleating unabated about Michael Schmidt's articles regarding the apparent plans for an armed struggle in Swaziland - not at all rebutting the articles or any of the details contained in them, but instead resorting to defaming Mr Schmidt and the newspaper for which he works. It should be borne in mind that the articles are based on extensive interviews with a Swazi dissident, with leaders of the pro-democracy movement, pro-democracy policy documents, interviews with South African sympathisers and the like. In fact, the full interview Mr Schmidt conducted with Pudemo leader Mario Masuku is easily found on [|www.iol.co.za] - read it and make up your own mind.

Earlier assertions around Mr Schmidt's own political beliefs are ludicrous (and you would know that, if you knew even the slightest bit about him), and the allegation that he is directly responsible for the Swazi police's assault on an activist (who had entered a police station to inquire about the detention of a comrade) is nothing short of laughable. Cheap shots are easily seen for what they are, and our question to our detractors, therefore, is thus: Is that the best you can do?

One point to consider, before propagating any further defamatory correspondence: Both Independent Newspapers and Mr Schmidt reserve their rights to take legal action - and e-mails such as the scurrilous one below provide us with ample evidence of our case. And do not think that we do not know what is being whispered by people who have no other weapons but insults and libel; we have ears in all sorts of places.

Willem Steenkamp News Editor, Saturday Star