THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, February 1, 1997 TAG: 9702010002
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A9 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Opinion
SOURCE: By PAT ROBERTSON
LENGTH: 119 lines
I feel compelled to clarify the egregious misstatements contained in two lengthy front page articles in The Virginian-Pilot concerning my intentions and activities in Zaire.
In 1959, upon graduation from theological seminary, I volunteered to be a missionary to what was then called the Belgian Congo. The Lord blocked that course of action, and led me from New York City to Portsmouth, Virginia, for the purpose of acquiring a rundown UHF television station, Channel 27.
Some 32 years later, a tall African appeared at my office with an invitation to visit President Mobutu of Zaire (the former Congo) in Monaco. The reason given was that Mobutu planned to move his nation toward participatory democracy and wanted strong Christian television programs on the national network during the transition.
After our meeting, CBN's vice president of International Operations traveled with Mobutu to Zaire to make arrangements to air our programs in French throughout the nation of Zaire.
I learned that Mobutu had been put in power by the CIA during the military struggle that followed the Belgian withdrawal in the early 1960's. I also learned that Mobutu had assisted the United States by basing arms and supplies for Jonas Savimbi's UNITA forces fighting the Cuban-backed Marxist dictatorship in Angola.
Mobutu, as a strong American ally, was received with honors at the White House by Richard Nixon. I also learned that Maurice Templesman, a close friend of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, had been an advisor to Mobutu and traded agricultural commodities to Mobutu in exchange for the diamonds that became the basis of his wealth.
Before a visit to Zaire I met with George Bush in the White House and asked his advice. Bush told me that, in his opinion, without Mobutu, Zaire would be plunged into chaos.
Contrary to your report, when I went to Zaire, I met at length with Melissa Wells, the new U.S. ambassador there. On a subsequent visit, I brought with me a former under secretary of state from the Bush administration for the purpose of advising Mobutu on fiscal and monetary issues. Again we conferred with the United States representative in Kinshasa. And, Dan Simpson, the outstanding new Clinton ambassador to Zaire, came to Virginia Beach to seek advice and support.
Your reporter failed to mention that I personally met with the Cabinet of Zaire and warned them that if they continued printing money there would be runaway inflation with rioting and looting in the streets. I went on television, not as your reporter erroneously asserts to say ``Mobutu is ordained by God,'' but to say that leaders must be ``servants of the people who do not abuse the people or take bribes.''
Your reporter failed to mention that in subsequent visits to Zaire I was given the opportunity to analyze the conditions of the giant Gecamine copper mines, where I discovered 16,000 surplus workers and a hidden $200,000,000 annual operating deficit; Onatra, the government-owned river barge business, which I found in such deplorable condition that river traffic had virtually stopped; the government-owned Kilomoto gold mines where 3,300 workers produced a pitiful total of only 19 kilograms of gold in one year; and, finally, the government-owned industrial diamond facility in Mbuji-Mayi where I discovered production limping along at 50 per cent of peak capacity.
Your reporter was so occupied with secondhand rumors from questionable sources that he failed to mention that President Chiluba of Zambia visited me at the Founders Inn in Virginia Beach. Nor did he mention that after two visits with President Dos Santos of Angola and a luncheon in Brussels with the head of Societe General, I was able to begin serious dialogue with three presidents concerning the most pressing infrastructure need facing Zambia, Zaire, and Angola - the reopening of the Benguela rail link from Zambia through Zaire and Angola to the Atlantic Ocean.
In all my visits to Zaire, I found a nation terribly mismanaged with endemic greed and corruption. I saw incredible opportunity, yet a population poor, diseased, starving in the midst of vast, God-given resources.
I saw how a few experts from a Norshipco could have led the way to prosperous river traffic; how the expertise of a Norfolk Southern could have easily opened a railroad to bring to world markets copper and cobalt and bountiful agriculture; how the mining and smelting techniques of a Phelps Dodge or Asarco could have brought back into economical production the richest copper and cobalt deposits in the world.
Yet I saw a change in policy from the Bush administration's State Department to the Clinton administration that essentially cut off all dialogue between the United States and the leadership in Zaire. Such dialogue very possibly could have resulted in significant change in the administration of Zaire and mutually profitable investment by American companies of their expertise and capital.
I believe American citizens have a right to ask why our government tolerates military dictators in places like Nigeria, Sudan, the Central African Republic, and Uganda. Why do we have policies which permit repression in China and Vietnam? Why do we punish some leaders for being greedy and open our arms to others who are every bit as greedy?
I might add that none of my advice was taken by Mobutu or his associates. The mess is now too deep to come out of. A war is raging in the eastern region of the country with French, Chinese, and North Korean mercenaries assisting poorly trained government troops. Mobutu has maybe one more year to live. After that, who knows what may happen to Zaire?
Despite your obvious attempts to discredit and ridicule me, my activities and motives in Zaire were clear: I tried to use my own resources to help the suffering people of Zaire by creating an ongoing funding source for humanitarian relief.
My own company, African Development Company, shared eight parcels comprising a mining concession along a river near a village called Camonia. Our partner was a Pastor Kasonga and his little church that had secured the concessions from the government. Mobutu had nothing to do with it, your paper and other erroneous media reports to the contrary. We hired a former Navy SEAL from Tidewater who built a 3,000-foot dirt runway in Camonia. Later our river camp was overrun with black mambas, vipers, and cobras. We established a fine clinic for the people. We imported American dredging equipment that was poorly constructed and not suitable for the task. That, combined with the internal chaos in the country, made it clear that it was no longer economically feasible to continue.
One thing really worked - what we set out to do in the first place. Through our television, radio, and evangelistic meetings, more than 4,000,000 people in Zaire have accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior.
The great missionary, David Livingstone, said, ``I bring to Africa Christianity, civilization, and commerce, in that order.''
I see my life's work as serving God, introducing men and women to Him, building opportunity, and creating wealth to help people. Your reporter sees his job as tearing down and criticizing what people like me try to build. I trust your readers know the difference. MEMO: Pat Robertson is chairman of the board and chief executive officer
of The Christian Broadcasting Network Inc. in Virginia Beach.