Botswana: The San (Bushmen) Rights Case (CRS Report for Congress)
| Release Date |
Oct. 19, 2004 |
| Report Number |
RS21956 |
| Report Type |
Report |
| Authors |
Jeff Townsend, Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade Division |
| Source Agency |
Congressional Research Service |
Summary:
In November 2004, the San people of Botswana are expected to continue their court case against
the
government of Botswana. The San argue that they were illegally removed from their ancestral land
within the Central Kalahari Game Reserve (CKGR). International human rights groups contend that
the manner in which the San were removed violated international human rights laws. The discovery
of diamond reserves within the CKGR has led advocacy groups to argue that the San have been
removed to allow diamond mining to go ahead in the CKGR. Both the government of Botswana and
leading diamond mining companies deny this accusation. How the court case is resolved could
potentially have regional and global implications for disputes involving other "first peoples" of the
world. The case is an issue of concern to the Congressional Human Rights Caucus, which held a
Members' briefing on it in September 2004. This report (1) will be updated.
1. Â This report was prepared under the supervision of Nicolas
Cook, specialist in African Affairs.
