Africa-Press – Botswana. Following thorough assessment of the lives of Basarwa, government took a decision to relocate some from Central Kalahari Game Reserve, the exercise that took place between 1990 and 2002.
The objective of the relocation was to bring the community closer to social amenities to make their lives as comfortable as possible like other citizens.
However, New Xade residents, who moved to the place in 1997, have pleaded with the government to return them to their ancestral place, CKGR. They made the plea during a consultative meeting with the Inter Ministerial Committee that President Advocate Duma Boko appointed to comprehensively look into the situation of Basarwa in Botswana, including the communities of CKGR and come up with sustainable solutions regarding human rights.
The community said the reason they preferred CKGR over New Xade was that they were used to their way of life inside the game reserve, safe for lack of water. They promised that if their plea to return to CKGR could be acceded to, they would not scatter, but remain in a designated area that government would prescribe and service, suggesting that their ‘new’ settlement could be watered from Gope. They were of the view that the move would save government a lot of funds in maintaining them. The residents expressed how they would use their indigenous knowledge to harness and sustainably use the natural resources that were abound in the park, adding that they would also take it upon themselves to preserve them. Kgosi Lobatse Beslag said the relocation to New Xade had never been easy on the residents as it did not take their rights into consideration.
He, therefore, stressed his desire for the current government to implement its idea of upholding the Basarwa people’s rights so that they too could take pride in their tradition like other ethnic groups. Kgosi Beslag complained that New Xade was under developed, pinning hope on the committee’s consultations with the community to bring about positive changes.
Mr Kelebonye Jumanta expressed gratitude for the presidential team, saying the exercise gave them hope that their needs as far as their rights were concerned would be met.
He challenged the committee to influence constitutional amendment in order to align some policies with the residents’ way of life for its betterment.
He also challenged the committee to work hand in hand with civil organisations that promoted the rights of Basarwa to pave way to allowing the residents to choose their place of residence without any hindrance.
For his part, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, Mr Boatametse Modukanele encouraged the community to unite and project a strong voice that would be heard better.
He told them that they still had time to put their views in writing in order to augment their verbal submissions to the committee. Ghanzi District Council chairperson, Mr Shane Kebadile urged the residents to work together in airing their views in order to assist government to amend land policies. He also encouraged them to utilise their indigenous knowledge and natural resources to earn a living and improve their livelihoods.
For More News And Analysis About Botswana Follow Africa-Press
