SOS Bushmen

Basarwa [San Bushmen] spokesman Jumanda Gakelebone has accused the government of harassing his people by arresting them for hunting on their land. He reiterated allegations by British-based minority rights NGO Survival International (SI) that six Basarwa have been arrested for hunting.

Gakelebone told Mmegi that around 18 Basarwa have appeared at the Gantsi Magistrates' Court on charges of illegal hunting.

He said the charges are signs of government harassment. He added that there are many cases before the court involving Basarwa charged with hunting in the Central Kalahari Game Reserve (CKGR).

Gakelebone complained that many Basarwa are uneducated and unemployed and therefore they depend on hunting and gathering for a living. "There is a certain man who appears before court everyday for hunting but there is nothing he can do because he is uneducated, unemployed and grew up only knowing that hunting is the way of living," he said.

He accused government of denying water to Basarwa living in the CKGR to the extent that they are not allowed to dig boreholes. He said that Basarwa will continue appealing for assistance from SI because the government is oppressive and likened it (government) to that of Robert Mugabe in Zimbabwe.

Press Secretary to the President, Dr Jeff Ramsay, was not ready to comment on the matter. He referred Mmegi to the department of Wildlife and National Parks or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

He wondered why SI seemed to tolerate poaching which the Botswana government is opposed to. Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Clifford Maribe, was not ready to comment on the issue saying he was not aware of the allegations by SI.

He said he would need time to find out about the allegations before he could comment.