[WSIS CS-Plenary] Someone kindly repost to the Indigenous People Caucus List

[Rui Correia]

Botswana: Mediation in conflict between government and Basarwa

Mmegi/The Reporter (Botswana), by Tuduetso Setsiba
November 28, 2005

President Festus Mogae has invited First People World Wide (FPWW) to
facilitate negotiations between the government and Basarwa over the
relocation from Central Kalahari Game Reserve (CKGR).

Founding president of FPWW, Rebecca Adamson said they visited the country
eight years ago when the government tried for the first time to evict
Basarwa from the CKGR. At the time, FPWW objected and gave government
reasons why Basarwa should not be relocated. "After three years, we went
back because we believed everything was on track," she said. At the time,
they brought together all stakeholders and the issue was resolved amicably.
Adamson pointed out that they still oppose the relocation of Basarwa as they
could live in harmony with wildlife. Though they differ with the government,
she believes Mogae invited him because in the past, they handled the matter
with maturity.

FPWW is an international organisation that aims to empower indigenous
people. It believes that the people can be empowered by giving them the
responsibility to care for game reserves and benefit as employed guides and
selling their crafts to tourists. "They cannot be empowered by removal from
the land which belongs to their grandfathers," said Adamson. She emphasised
that Basarwa could become conservationists. Adamson said they want to carry
out the research in an independent and transparent manner. She said they
have set conditions for the government prior to negotiations. "First we want
to go to CKGR and verify if there is genocide and ethnic cleansing that we
have read about. But it is quite surprising that the time we were here,
there was no bloodshed," she said.

Adamson distanced her team from the Public International Law and Policy
Group (PILPG) team, which is said to have visited the country to deal with
the Basarwa relocation. "I have heard about them, but I don't know much,"
she said. PLPG made startling allegations of genocide against Basarwa. "Many
of you may know that there is a largely unpublicised genocide occurring in
Botswana. The Gana and Gwi San Bushmen of Botswana were forcibly evicted
from their homeland, the CKGR in 2002 to make way for diamond concessions
and to be 'mainstreamed' away from their hunter-gatherer culture. Since
then, they have languished in resettlement camps while their leaders attempt
to sue the government to be allowed to return. The government has broken
their own laws to move the Bushmen. The court case is going nowhere, as the
Bushmen's lawyers are dependent on donor money, which runs out every time
the government stalls the case. Meanwhile, the women, unable to gather food
and with no work, are!  forced to prostitute themselves. HIV/AIDS, almost
unknown before the people were moved, are now taking a lethal toll. Sexual
abuse of children in schools and rape are daily realities. The men, unable
to hunt (licenses to hunt were rescinded before the evictions) drink and
fall prey to alcohol-related violence. Those that try to hunt are arrested
and sometimes tortured."

"If evidence of cultural genocide can be gathered, PILPG will bring the case
before the International Court of Justice (ICC) free of charge, US$60,000
(excess of P300,000) is needed to send a team of 15 evidence gatherers out
to the resettlement camps in November and December, with the ICC case poised
to begin in the New Year," PILPG says.

Adamson said this is not the best way of resolving these issues. "Already
they have made an ultimatum, its either you do this or else?" she said. Her
negotiating team consist of a scholar from the University of Elony,
Jacqueline Jackson who specialises in culture and policy analysis; and Peter
Poole who specialises in conservation, natural resources and community
mapping.

________________________________________________
 
 
Rui Correia
Coordinator, Southern Africa WSIS Partnership
(Media Institute of Southern Africa, SACOD, Highway Africa)
38 Finch St, 
Ontdekkers Park, Roodepoort, 
Johannesburg, South Africa
Tel/ Fax (+27-11) 766-4336
Cell (+27) (0) 83-368-1214