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

Sun Dec 4 06:04:37 GMT 2005

Dear Rui,
Thanks for posting this. Roy Sesana from the San organization First 
People of Kalahari is coming to Stocholm next week to recieve the Right 
Livelihood Award, also called the Alternative Nobel Prize. I am meeting 
with him on the 8th and the 9th is the cermony in the Swedish 
Parliament. 
Regards,
Ann-Kristin

----Ursprungligt meddelande----
Från: r_correia at telkomsa.net
Datum: Dec 1, 2005 6:09:16 AM
Till: plenary at wsis-cs.org
Kopia: 'Ann-Kristin Håkansson' <akigua at telia.com>
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People Caucus List

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_______________________________________

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

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