Bushmen can't go home

2003-06-12 22:47

London - President Festus Mogae of Botswana told a protester in the UK this week that the Gana and Gwi San people who have been forced off their land in the Central Kalahari Game Reserve would not be allowed to go home, said the international organisation Survival on Thursday.

Survival says the president declared, "The Central Kalahari Game Reserve is for animals, not people."

Mogae was met by a peaceful protest outside University College, Oxford, where he was having lunch during his visit to the UK.

When asked by a student if the San people would be allowed to go back to their homes in the reserve, he replied, "No, no, no, they won't."

President Mogae's statement appeared to pre-judge the ongoing court case being brought by the San people to be allowed to go home, said Survival.

It also contradicted numerous assurances by ministers that the San people were free to return to the reserve, and had not been forced out against their will.

- SAPA