On the first anniversary of their historic court judgment, the Bushman organisation First People of the Kalahari released an open letter to Botswana's President Mogae, detailing the ways in which the government is still preventing them from returning to their ancestral land.
On December 13 2006, the Bushmen won the right to return home to the Central Kalahari Game Reserve, from which they were evicted by the government in 2002. Their right to hunt on their land was also recognised.
In the letter, the Bushmen write that they are not allowed to use the water borehole on their land, nor are they allowed to hunt, and many of them require visitors permits to enter the reserve.
The letter requests the government to properly investigate incidents of torture, beating and harassment of Bushmen living in one of the resettlement camps outside the game reserve.
Read the Bushmen's letter
Act now to help the Bushmen
Your support is vital if the Bushmen are to survive. There are many ways you can help.
- Writing a letter to the Botswana government is a quick and simple way to let them know of your concern.
- Donate to the Bushman campaign (and other Survival campaigns).
- Write to your MP or MEP (UK) or Senators and members of Congress (US).
- Write to your local Botswana high commission or embassy.
- If you want to get more involved, contact Survival…
- Visit the Bushmen’s own website…
