Namibia wants BDF to stop shootings
Tefo Pheage | Thursday July 21, 2016 10:01
The matter, which has threatened to affect the two countries’ bilateral relations, has been going on for some time with both countries appearing to be speaking at each other than with each other.
Last year, the Namibians claimed that there is an unwritten shoot-to-kill policy adopted by the Botswana government against suspected ivory poachers crossing into this country from neighbouring countries like Zimbabwe and Namibia.
The press has reported that over the past two decades, 30 Namibians and at least 22 Zimbabweans have been killed in Botswana’s anti-poaching operations. The Namibian Presidential spokesperson Albertus Aochamub told Mmegi in a brief phone interview yesterday that his government recently expressed its position on the same matter through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, further adding that the issue is being looked at. He referred the publication to the said Ministry for further details.
Efforts to get hold of the statement on the issue were futile at the time of going to press. The Botswana Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi said she could not respond as she was still in Kigali, Rwanda on her African Union mission. “I am still in Kigali, and it is a bit noisy where I am currently, so I may not be able to hear you clearly,” she said.
Sources say last week’s visit by the Namibian President helped to calm the looming fall-out between the two countries on the issue. “The two leaders discussed the issue at length and promised to look into each other’s concerns and proposals on that matter. Namibia was concerned that shootings have continued despite their appeals,” said an officer close to the talks.
Meanwhile the Botswana Forestry Conservation in collaboration with the Japan International Cooperation Agency-a governmental agency that coordinates official development assistance (ODA) for the government of Japan, recently launched a forestry map which they say will also help the BDF to identify and fight poachers.