PRESS STATEMENT ON ACTION BY SURVIVAL INTERNATIONAL

LONDON VIGIL TO STOP THE TORTURE OF `KALAHARI BUSHMEN’

DITSHWANELO – The Botswana Centre for Human Rights would like to comment on the current campaign by Survival International, an NGO based in the United Kingdom.

DITSHWANELO acknowledges that the Basarwa people are a marginalised group in Botswana society and are often victims and survivors of human rights abuses. We have spoken out against these violations since the inception of our organisation in 1993. To address the situation faced by the Basarwa in the Central Kgalagadi Game Reserve (CKGR), we are involved in a process aimed at procuring land rights for the Basarwa, who are being forcibly removed from the CKGR.

The concerns raised by Survival International in their campaign are issues, which are being addressed at local level. The torture cases referred to in the Survival International campaign are being deal with through legal channels. DITSHWANELO welcomes support from international NGOs providing solidarity to the Basarwa peoples, civil society and individuals working for the recognition of the rights of the Basarwa.

DITSHWANELO’s position is that such support should not have negative effects on the work being done locally. We believe that the current Survival International campaign risks reversing progress already made in the protection of the human rights of the Basarwa peoples.

18 July 2001
Gaborone