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/ 8 September 2004

Debswana, union stumble in wage talks

Botswana’s diamond mining company and union leaders have failed to make any progress in wage talks as employers refuse to reinstate workers sacked during an illegal strike, officials said Wednesday. Debswana, a joint venture between the Botswana government and South Africa’s De Beers group, and the 6 000-strong Botswana Mining Workers Union were locked in talks the whole of Tuesday and decided to take a break until Friday.

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/ 6 September 2004

Debswana strike over, wage talks continue

Botswana’s diamond miners, on strike since August 23, returned to work on Sunday although wage talks have not been finalised and will continue. The strikers reported for work on the advice of an international union movement based in Brussels. This move will not stop trials for contempt of court and on the legality of the strike.

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/ 26 August 2004

Debswana expects strike to end

An end to the illegal strikes at three of Botswana’s diamond mines was expected on Thursday, mining company Debswana said on Wednesday, but informal talks with the Botswana Mining Workers Union then snagged on the issue of the reinstatement of strikers who had been fired.

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/ 25 August 2004

Botswana mine strike: End in sight?

Botswana’s Debswana Diamond Mining Company and the Botswana Mining Workers’ Union are talking informally on a resolution to the three-day-old illegal strike at three mines. The strike could end before a contempt-of-court hearing against strikers and all union officials resumes on Thursday.

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/ 25 August 2004

Botswana Bushmen to drum up support in US

Leaders of a Botswana Bushmen organisation left for the United States on Wednesday to obtain support for their fight against their government’s efforts to relocate them. The Botswana government is trying to persuade the Bushmen to opt for relocation to settlements outside the Central Kalahari Game Reserve.

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/ 24 August 2004

Debswana miners face contempt charges

Union leaders representing striking miners at three of Botswana’s diamond mines will face charges of contempt of court on Tuesday afternoon. ”Branch leaders were served with notices during the night at their homes in Jwaneng, Orapa and Letlhakane,” said Botswana Mining Workers’ Union general secretary Donald Lobotse.

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/ 23 August 2004

Thousands strike at Botswana diamond mines

About 6 000 workers at Botswana’s four diamond mines went on strike on Monday, defying a court order banning the work stoppage in the Southern African country, the world’s leading producer of uncut diamonds. The diamond industry is by far Botswana’s leading foreign-currency earner, providing 75% of its earnings.

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/ 10 August 2004

Botswana defends flogging of migrants

Botswana has defended its practice of flogging people who cross its borders illegally, rejecting criticism by neighbouring Zimbabwe that the punishment is primitive. ”We do not discriminate and we are not going to give Zimbabweans any preferential treatment,” said Botswana’s assistant minister for presidential affairs.

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/ 5 August 2004

New gas project to benefit Botswana

Botswana on Thursday announced the extraction of coal-bed methane that will deliver gas within six months from a pilot plant. Botswana could become the regional supplier of energy. All its neighbours are net importers of energy. The project will also attract investment to Botswana and fuel local growth.

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/ 3 August 2004

It’s give and take, Botswana govt tells Debswana

Debswana will continue operations at Jwaneng diamond mine — the world’s richest — although it had not concluded negotiations with the Botswana government on the renewal of its mining licence. ”We have extended the current licence to the end of the year,” permanent secretary in the Ministry of Minerals, Energy and Water Affairs, Akolang Tombale, said on Monday.

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/ 3 December 2003

Zimbabweans to blame for crime, says Botswana

Botswana’s police chief has broken ranks with the government by blaming hordes of illegal border-crossers from Zimbabwe for a sharp increase in crime. The country is currently experiencing a huge influx of illegal immigrants from Zimbabwe as a result of a political and economical meltdown in the neighbouring country.

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/ 24 September 2003

Nigeria sparks regional polio outbreak

Polio is speading across West Africa from Nigeria, the United Nations World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned. A WHO officer said new cases of the virus imported from Nigeria had been identified in Ghana and Niger, adding that the situation was made worse by another outbreak of a new virus in Togo.