News Archive - AFRICA - 2005

Roy Sesana, the Alternative Nobel Prize winner, speaks

December 2005

In 2005 the Right Livelihood Award (www.rightlivelihood.org), which honours pioneers for justice, fair trade and cultural renewal, was awarded to, among others, the organisation First People of the Kalahari (www.khoisanpeoples.org) and its founder Roy Sesana from Botswana. The award was given "... for resolute resistance against eviction from their ancestral lands, and for upholding the right to their traditional way of life."

Read Roy Sesana's speach 

Botswana: The situation for the indigenous peoples in the Central Kalahari Game Reserve is worsening
 
October 2005

The San's organisation, the First People of the Kalahari (FPK), reports that the families living inside the Central Kalahari Game Reserve are being evicted at gunpoint from the Reserve yesterday and today. The Botswana police have stopped the families from gathering food and water and the police have been reported to setting fire to their huts.
 
Read FPK's press release October 8, 2005

Botswana: The conflict between indigenous peoples and the Government takes a nasty turn while the San’s organisation, the First People of the Kalahari, wins international award. 

October 2005
 
Ever since the Government of Botswana evicted the San and the Bakalagadi from the Central Kalahari Game Reserve (CKGR) in 2002, the former residents have struggled for their right to return and reside on their ancestral lands in the Reserve. On September 26, the conflict took a nasty turn with the violent arrest of some 30 people as they were trying to enter the Reserve.

Read more

The Special Rapporteur visits South Africa
 
August 2005
 
At the invitation of the Government of South Africa, the Special Rapporteur of the UN on the Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms of Indigenous People, Mr. Rodolfo Stavenhagen, visited South Africa between 28 July and 8 August 2005.
 
The purpose of the visit was to better understand the situation of indigenous peoples in South Africa and to learn about the Government's policies to promote and protect indigenous peoples' rights. The Special Rapporteur met with both Government authorities, civil society organisations, members of the donor community and indigenous peoples’ organisations. The Special Rapporteur will elaborate upon the findings of his mission in a report to the Commission on Human Rights in April 2006, that will also include recommendations and proposals intended to strengthen the human rights situation of the indigenous peoples of South Africa.

Read the press release

Country visit to Namibia

August 2005
 
From 26 July – 5 August 2005 the African Commission’s Working Group on Indigenous Populations and Communities undertook a mission to Namibia to learn about the human rights situation of indigenous communities in Namibia and engage government and other stakeholders on how this situation could be improved. Although no pronouncement on the outcome of the mission or the situation of indigenous communities in the country has yet been made, the delegation found that there is a willingness on the part of government and other partners to find a lasting solution to the situation of indigenous and other marginalized communities in the country. The delegation also observed that the communities were eager and determined to improve their living conditions and were prepared to work with interested parties including the government to do so.
 
Read the press statement

Country visit to Botswana

From 15 - 23 June 2005 the African Commission’s Working Group on Indigenous Populations and Communities undertook a mission to Botswana to learn about the human rights situation of indigenous communities in Botswana and engage government and other stakeholders on how this situation could be improved. Although no pronouncement on the outcome of the mission or the situation of indigenous communities in the country has yet been made, discussions with all the stakeholders revealed a desire to find a lasting solution to the situation of the Basarwa communities.
 
Read the press statement