Africa-Press – Botswana. Basarwa of Xaixai, Qangwa and surrounding villages say it is about time they have representation at Ntlo ya Dikgosi.
They made the remarks during a meeting convened by the Inter Ministerial Committee appointed by President Advocate Duma Boko, in Qangwa on June 7. Xaixai residents representative Mr Tom Qoma said Basarwa were marginalised although they were the first people to live in Botswana. He said they therefore wanted to have their own representatives at Ntlo ya Dikgosi.
He said some government regulations especially on wildlife were disadvantaging Basarwa since they could no longer practice their initial life of hunting and gathering. Mr Qoma said the Basarwa culture also allowed arranged marriages, hence were not alive to some laws such as defilement.
A representative from Qangwa, Mr Lefetogile Nowe said they wanted their Bogosi back since they settled in the place before other tribes. Mr Nowe said Basarwa were made up of diverse groups with different dialects hence all deserved to have a representation at Ntlo ya Dikgosi. He said Basarwa as the first people, had many ancestral places such as Gcwihaba caves which should be returned back to them or at least be paid royalties to benefit from such places.
A representative from G!hoce settlement, Mr Damo Xixae appreciated the Inter Ministerial Committee for getting first-hand information, saying some researches and history on Basarwa were distorted. Mr Xixae said there was need for the constitution to be reviewed to ensure it included and recognised all tribes in Botswana equally including Basarwa.
Basarwa, he said had different dialects hence it was imperative to take that into consideration when introducing the planned mother tongue language policy. He also said Basarwa were marginalised and did not have a source of living hence deserved a special dispensation on hunting quota. Dobe representative, Ms Uataka Ledimo said Basarwa had indigenous knowledge for healing as well as practices on child birth, and called upon government to support and nurture the practices.
In his welcome remarks, Kgosi Ledimo Ledimo of Qangwa said they were concerned that children were staying at Nxauxau Primary School boarding facilities, 400 kilometers away even though they needed to be closer to their parents. Kgosi Ledimo said the village also had challenges of water shortage and poor roads which were human rights necessities and significant for development.
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