Botswana’s Bushmen may not return to their land!
Posted by africanpress on December 13, 2006
Bushmen from Kalahari desert were evicted 
from their land a few years ago. The case has been in the courts, because they wanted to return to their base.
It is now reported that one of the 3 judges has ruled that these people may not be allowed to return.
This is a great setback and big blow to the bushmen.
The judge, in his ruling, favoured the government’s motion. The group were evicted 2002 by the government.
The other two judges are yet to make public their ruling.
“Botswana has argued that the bushmen abandoned their traditional ways long ago and have no claim to the area.”
According to the BBC, “there has been a very subdued reaction from the bushmen who had gathered to hear the verdict.
The Bushmen are the San people of Botswana. They took the case to court, “after being moved to functional but bleak settlements outside the Kalahari game reserve, where a new way of life was imposed.”
The government, however, have a different opinion now. They are saying that the, “bushmen do not belong to the Kalahari any more because their lifestyle has changed, and their presence interferes with conservation.”
The government may be right in what they are saying, but will the bushmen get the necessary assistance if they accept the verdict? Their fate now is in the hands of the 2 judges, who if they rule in favour of the bushmen, will overturn the government’s policy.
It is not right to remove people from there traditional base and damp them in a modern atmosphere if help will not be given to support them in order to get settled properly.
By Korir, African Press in Norway, APN
source.bbc
