BOTSWANA PRESIDENT PERSONALLY GIVES BLANKETS TO
BUSHMEN AND TELLS THEM NOT TO GO HOME
In a surprising move, last week the president of
Botswana personally visited New Xade, one of the
government sites where the 'Bushmen' were taken
after being expelled from their ancestral land.
Although it was only 3 weeks before the Bushmen
take his government to court for the right to
return to their land, President Festus Mogae was
accompanied by Sidney Pilane, the lawyer acting
for the government in the case.
BUSHMEN AND TELLS THEM NOT TO GO HOME
In a surprising move, last week the president of
Botswana personally visited New Xade, one of the
government sites where the 'Bushmen' were taken
after being expelled from their ancestral land.
Although it was only 3 weeks before the Bushmen
take his government to court for the right to
return to their land, President Festus Mogae was
accompanied by Sidney Pilane, the lawyer acting
for the government in the case.
Pre-judging the court's ruling, the president
told the Bushmen that they should not try to
return to their land and also distributed
handouts of food, clothing and blankets. He told
the Bushmen, 'I am your father and I have come to
check up on my children.'
Stephen Corry, director of Survival, which is
very well-known in Botswana for its support of
the Bushmen, said today, 'To pretend that this
visit is not a blatant attempt to influence the
court case, and the British MPs' trip,* is just
naïve. In other countries, a visit from the head
of state - and defendant - so close to the court
hearing would not be allowed. The irony is that
the president's handouts actually reinforce the
state of dependency the Bushmen have been reduced
to. These hunter-gatherers are no longer allowed
to hunt and have been turned by the government
into beggars and prostitutes. So the president's
actions are in fact entirely in keeping with his
prevailing attitude, that the Bushmen are to be
stripped of their ability to lead lives outside
of government control. To call this 'development'
is just a mockery. It's an appalling 21st century
echo of how indigenous peoples in North America
were once robbed of their lands in exchange for a
few blankets.'
A Bushman who must remain anonymous said of the visit, 'This is just
bribery.'
* A group of British MPs is due to visit New Xade
at the end of June. They are: Nigel Jones, Dianne
Abbott, Tony Banks, Ashok Kumar, Alan Meale,
Roger Godsiff, Jane Griffiths, Andrew Hunter,
John Horam, Paul Keetch.
For more information contact Miriam Ross on (+44)
(0)20 7687 8734 or email
mr@survival-international.org
--
Survival International is a worldwide organisation supporting tribal
peoples. It stands for their right to decide their own future and
helps them protect their lives, lands and human rights.
Survival International
6 Charterhouse Buildings
London EC1M 7ET
UK
Tel: (+44) (0)20 7687 8700
Fax: (+44) (0)20 7687 8701
General enquiries: info@survival-international.org
http://www.survival-international.org
told the Bushmen that they should not try to
return to their land and also distributed
handouts of food, clothing and blankets. He told
the Bushmen, 'I am your father and I have come to
check up on my children.'
Stephen Corry, director of Survival, which is
very well-known in Botswana for its support of
the Bushmen, said today, 'To pretend that this
visit is not a blatant attempt to influence the
court case, and the British MPs' trip,* is just
naïve. In other countries, a visit from the head
of state - and defendant - so close to the court
hearing would not be allowed. The irony is that
the president's handouts actually reinforce the
state of dependency the Bushmen have been reduced
to. These hunter-gatherers are no longer allowed
to hunt and have been turned by the government
into beggars and prostitutes. So the president's
actions are in fact entirely in keeping with his
prevailing attitude, that the Bushmen are to be
stripped of their ability to lead lives outside
of government control. To call this 'development'
is just a mockery. It's an appalling 21st century
echo of how indigenous peoples in North America
were once robbed of their lands in exchange for a
few blankets.'
A Bushman who must remain anonymous said of the visit, 'This is just
bribery.'
* A group of British MPs is due to visit New Xade
at the end of June. They are: Nigel Jones, Dianne
Abbott, Tony Banks, Ashok Kumar, Alan Meale,
Roger Godsiff, Jane Griffiths, Andrew Hunter,
John Horam, Paul Keetch.
For more information contact Miriam Ross on (+44)
(0)20 7687 8734 or email
mr@survival-international.org --
Survival International is a worldwide organisation supporting tribal
peoples. It stands for their right to decide their own future and
helps them protect their lives, lands and human rights.
Survival International
6 Charterhouse Buildings
London EC1M 7ET
UK
Tel: (+44) (0)20 7687 8700
Fax: (+44) (0)20 7687 8701
General enquiries:
info@survival-international.org http://www.survival-international.org 
