Botswana wildlife officers, armed with rifles, have begun to patrol the Central Kalahari Game Reserve in their latest attempt to drive Bushmen out of their homes, Survival International reported on Friday.
Spokesperson Miriam Ross said the officers had harassed and threatened the Bushmen.
”A Bushman who was arrested on Monday when he tried to stop 19 armed wildlife officers from entering his hut without a search warrant, said that officials have been preventing residents from gathering the roots they rely on for food and water,” said Ross.
”Matsipane Mosetlhanyane said that the Bushmen will be forced to leave the reserve within a few days or die of thirst and hunger. He said that everyone in the reserve was frightened.”
Mosetlhanyane said that people at the reserve would die without food and water rather than to leave their homes.
Ross said that an employee of the Bushman human rights organisation — First People of the Kalahari — Jumanda Gakelebone, had received five death threats, including a threat to burn his house down while he slept.
”Yesterday [Thursday] he [Gakelebone] was approached by a police officer who told him that police were looking for him and that they were going to kill him,” said Ross.
According to a media report, the Botswana government’s explanation for moving the Bushmen is that it wishes to ensure the park’s integrity as a nature reserve, and that it wishes to integrate the Bushmen into the country’s social and economic life. – Sapa