Venson-Moitoi takes on UN expert on Basarwa
Tefo Pheage | Friday March 11, 2016 14:49
Shaheed, who paid a 13-day official visit to Botswana in 2014, said her visit was to identify, in a spirit of co-operation and constructive dialogue, good practices in and possible obstacles to the promotion and protection of cultural rights in Botswana. In her final report, Shaheed had observed and reported that the Central Kalahari Game Reserve (CKGR) has been at the centre of considerable controversy since the government’s decision in 1985 to relocate all people residing in the Reserve to settlements outside the reserve.
The minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Pelonomi Venson Moitoi however dismissed the report during the just ended 31st Regular Session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland.
She said the Government of Botswana, “would like to state that the observations by the Special Rapporteur are inconsistent with the relocation and the ruling on the CKGR case. The Government did not forcefully relocate Basarwa from the CKGR”.
The UN expert’s report also noted that the forced relocation of the remaining population in 2002 following the closure of all services by the Government resulted in a certain number of residents approaching the High Court to claim their right to continue to live on their land.
In response the minister said a series of consultative meetings involving CKGR residents, CKGR Non-Governmental Organisation Coalition and the government were held prior to the relocation of Basarwa to settlements outside the CKGR.
Venson-Moitoi said some of the observations by the Shaheed were misinformed. Shaheed had reported that there were concerns regarding the restrictive interpretation of the right of off-spring to remain on the reserve upon attaining majority at 18 years of age. She added that this caused fear amongst affected people that once the elders have passed away, nobody will be entitled to live in the reserve.
Moreover, Shaheed felt that insisting that people should relocate outside the reserve for wildlife conservation purposes was at odds with allowing the continuation of mining and tourism activities within the reserve.
In reponse Venson-Moitoi said: “It is worth noting that the right of offspring to remain in CKGR upon attaining the age of majority was not one of the issues which were before the court and as such the court did not make a determination on it.”
She added that the decision to relocate people outside the CKGR for wildlife conservation purposes is not at odds with allowing the continuing of mining and tourism activities. “Environmental Impact Assessments were conducted for the mining operations in the CKGR to ensure that their environmental impacts are localised and mitigation measures, including rehabilitation of the sites were put in place to safeguard the environment,” she said, further adding that mining concessions are confined only to the mining activity to keep its footprint minimal.