We appreciate that Survival International (SI) regards it as their duty to campaign against human rights violations by the Botswana government against the San of the Central Kalahari Game Reserve (CKGR).
However, we object strongly to the fact that Survival International seeks to give the impression that they speak on behalf of all ‘the Kalahari Bushmen’ when they handpick quotes from a few San only.
Survival International has not been mandated to speak on behalf of all the San. We have our own representative organisation, WIMSA [with members such as the Kuru Family and various community organizations] to voice our views.
We, the San from Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and Angola request SI to understand that the CKGR San do not want to close the door to negotiations with the Botswana government.
We urge Survival International and its Director Stephen Corry to understand and accept the following:
l The San organizations of southern Africa are united under the umbrella of the Working Group of Indigenous Minorities in Southern Africa (WIMSA).
l All San organizations have always supported the rights of the San, especially the San of the CKGR.
l The CKGR San are still prepared to negotiate their rights with the government of Botswana.
l The San regard diamond mining in the CKGR as an option for development as long as their rights are respected.
l The San question the viww that the diamonds are the reason behind the removal of the residents from the CKGR.
l The San do not claim the entire CKGR, only their ancestral territories.
l The San have produced their own CKGR maps, by zoning their natural resources and showing their boundaries of the traditional hunting and gathering territories which were introduced to the Botswana government. .
l The San would like to enjoy the advantages of both traditional life in the CKGR and modern amenities provided in villages and towns.
We appeal to SI to immediately cease their campaign on our behalf until such time as they are prepared to co-ordinate with our representative organizations.
WIMSA Secretariat
Windhoek
NAMIBIA
